German MDA

That sounds like a great idea Reinhard but look into a product manafactured by UPOL called SMC Filler,this product is a finer and much heavier version of short strand filler,thus giving you greater strength i use it when doing deep filling or repair work and several years on it has not dissapointed me with no movement at all.
Regards
Allan Knight /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twocents.gif

 

[Reinhard]

Hello Allan,

Thank you very much for the info. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

Just had a look at the U-Pol site and this product sounds amazing - seems to be the right stuff for my problem (it carries not only glass fibres but even carbon fibres).
The only downside is that nobody in Germany carries that product. I think I have to look in UK.

My plan is now to sand the seams a bit more from both sides then take a grinding stone and remove most of the gel coat in the seam and fill the void with SMC Filler and place one or two layers of glass over the seam (on both sides). Hope this will keep me away from any delamination problems.

Regards
Reinhard

 

[Keith]

Reinhard, guten tag. As a matter of interest, what does the manufacturer say about the gelcoat problem? Is this a normal production body?

 

[Lee 4TGT]

hi all. not to sure but it looks possible that the front clip was laid up in two parts(?) lower section made then bolted to main mold and then glassed up. i manufacture gtd body shells and use a similar method on the rear clip. because of the shape its arkward to make as a one piece.
lee

 

Reinhard while your at it check out another UPOL product called Dolphin Glaze,an exceptional filler for skim filling large curved areas,very good fine filler for applying over conventional fillers to to eliminate pin holes.
Regards Allan Knight /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[Reinhard]

Hello,

@Keith
I have sent the pictures also to Mark.
Yes, the body is a regular production body.

@Lee
I am pretty sure that the body was laid with the mold in halves. The rear is the same. This is common practice but you should avoid to get the gel coat between the glass. Does your rear clip also have the gel coat between the glass?

@Allan
Thanks again for the info. Still have to find a shop that carries U-POL. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

Regards
Reinhard

 

[Keith]

These people have it in the UK. web page

I don't know whether they deliver to Germany though. Good luck.

 

[Keith]

Also available in White!

On sale at 5% discount - £12.55, a bargain.

 

[Reinhard]

Hello Keith,

Thank you very much for the info, will contact them on Monday. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

Just received the answer from Mark (MDA). The white stripe in the seam is not gel coat it is a bonding paste (a Resin based primer fixing agent). So I no longer have to be afraid about delaminating. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banana.gif

Regards,
Reinhard

 

[Lee 4TGT]

hello reinhard. when laying up a panel to be joined to an other, the gel coat is stopped about half an inch short of the molds edge.(this allows the join lines to be plasticined to give a smoother flash line). the glass mat is then stopped half an inch from the edge of the gel. once the two mold parts are bolted together you gel across the exposed mold and once cured glass arcoss it. the join is as good as making it in one piece /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[Reinhard]

Hello Lee,

Good explanation. This is the way I know the bodies are usually laminated. If you do it like that than there should be nothing else than glass in the joint and you do not need any bonding agent!?

Reinhard

 

[Reinhard]

"Finished" rear clip.

Trimmed the cutouts and installed the lights and grilles.
The rear glass fits very nice.

Reinhard

 

[Reinhard]

Fitted the single vent nostril - but still needs some trimming till I am satisfied.

Reinhard

 

[Duvalof]

Reinhard,

i wish i could have the same "so clean" area to work on my cars !

Very nice job !

 

[Reinhard]

Thank you Fred,

But in the moment it is no longer "so clean". On the white floor and the white walls you do not see the dust.

Regards,
Reinhard

 

[JackW]

Any updates? Hopefully it is coming along smashingly.