S2 Rebuild

[Paul Sheridan]

Can I please have some advice on what to use as a release agent, I have formed the shape required to fill in the holes in the seating tub by using cardboard, I intend to cover it with a thin layer of glass to get the basic form, then glass it properly from the under side when out of the chassis.

I am sure that I read somewhere on here that cling film will work, but thought I'd run it passed you guys before making a mess ....... virgin territory for me this fiber glass lark :-)

[Dave Adams]

Various things......grease, wax polish, plastic (polythene) give me a ring i have a fair bit of experince....07850773394 Dave.

[rob saul]

If I was doing what your doing I would make up a thin sheet of GRP laid up on glass or buy some and make what you have made in cardboard in glass and hold in place with small dabs of p38,once its all fitted laminate either side onto your GRP that way you dont have to worry about any release

If we ever do a quick splash of a "dodgy surface we always cover with 2" masking tape,give a good wax-honey wax,mirror glaze or the old fashioned simoniz in a tin then a couple of PVA,s but if you did my original suggestion you wont need any of them

Go to a local GRP factors and get a good resin (tell them what your doing ) you dont want a resin thats like water that would be ok for flat roofing but will drain out from vertical surfaces

Get a good quality mat there were a lot of chinese mats around that were cheap but bloody terrible and wouldnt wet out or break down and thats the main thing your trying to do to it !

While at the GRP factors get yourself a roller you will never achieve a good laminate without one,you need to remove the air,break the mat down and mix the fibres

The section you show there can be done in 1 piece but make a template and use it to cut your mat,6 oz will be more than enough on there so if you get 2 oz mat do 2 plies on the inner and 1 on the outer of the tub

Dont try to apply your mat to the job,wet the area on the car with resin,have a solid surface (sheet of glass,table top,lino) as a "wetting out" board.wet your board with plenty of resin,lay your may onto it then paint your top surface of the mat with resin,flip the mat over an just ensure the bottom surface is fully wettted then apply to the tub repair area.On the side with 2 plies make 1 slightly bigger so you stagger the edge and get a smoother join area

To to the above you need to be quick as once the resin hits the mat it starts dissolving the chemical binder that is holding the mat together,but its the ways the pro,s do it

Work your mat/resin with a brush using a stippling action then roll

Might want to try a little sample part or somthing 1st the above is easy but its a lot easier when you have someone show you how, I have seen a LOT  more home GRP attempts look like dogs dinners than  I have look ok !

 

 

 

[284wrv9k2wgzk]

Go on ebay and buy some release wax, about £6

[2zb8cfd8f5ygm]

When I need a sheet of fibreglass I lay it on melamine sheet.

[Paul Sheridan]

Thanks Guys, some good tips there, will have a play and keep you posted.

 

Paul.

[Paul Sheridan]

Progress :-

The next step was to cover my cardboard form in a layer of polythene (cut up garden sacks) this was glued to the cardboard with copydex, brilliant stuff, the polythene stuck well to it and any glue that squidged out the sides can be rolled off with fingers. I then laid masking tape around the edge of the repair area at a distance of 50mm, as this first layer is going to be the middle laminate, I only wanted a small overlap.

 

 

The next step was to play with the messy stuff for the first time :-)   on the advice of you guys, I roughly measured the area so as to be able to use one piece of matt. Here is the result........ Once it has cured fully, I will trim on the inside edge of the masking tape and remove, and feather the edge for the next layer.

[Paul Sheridan]

Excess glass trimmed off, this now gives me the middle laminate. On the inside of the tub, I will remove the gel coat to a distance of about 60mm from the edge of the new fiber glass, all around the repair, wash with Acetone and then lay another sheet of glass all over the whole lot. Then remove the tub, take out the cardboard former and do the same on the outside.  That should give me a good strong result. 

[Dave Adams]

The pollythene worked ok then......looking good so far.

[Dave Adams]

Hows it going Paul?

I have been looking at your steering wheel lowering mod on your car and have been giving serious thought to doing something similar....and that is why when i am doing my car why i don't read the other rebuild posts too thoroughly. :-)

The only thing stopping me is that access to the car with the roof on is tricky and a lower steering wheel wont help. I am still looking at it though.

[Paul Sheridan]

Hello Dave,

 the mod for the steering column has in effect only dropped the column/wheel by 25mm but it was enough to put the wheel in the perfect place, to enable an unobstructed veiw of the speed and rev counter  through the sreering wheel. By putting the column under the existing cross member, as I did to start with, it dropped it too far. Mind you, you have made me think now ....... I diddnt try to get in to the car with the roof on !!!  but I dont think 25mm will make it that much harder.....I hope :-) 

 

Fabrication tip. 

Tack a bit of metal temporarily in between the two side rails behind the cross member, while you cut out a section and weld in your new mod. Even though I have the new bulk head steel welded in, and in theory doing the same thing, the steering cross member still sprung in slightly when I cut the section out, and I had to modifiy a clamp to work in reverse to force it back out again while i welded it up.  

[Paul Sheridan]

Some good progress today, have now finished the primary glassing of the seating tub. Having  been cut, re shaped and grafted onto the new metal section of the trans tunnel.  Once this has cured, I can then remove the tub, to do the final laminating and painting.

With most of the metal fabrication work completed, the whole lot can now come to bits again for the final weld up.

I have made a wheeled frame up which supports the engine and gearbox on the floor when the car is at normal ride height, the idea being that you jack up the car, lower it back down onto the frame, remove the engine and gearbox mounts, then lift the chassis up and wheel out the engine/gearbox in one lump........ should work :-)

Will post some more pics soon.    

 

 

  

 

[28ullkq4hau58]

sounding good / interesting