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Building a body kit


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Hondastomper 
Member - Posts: 12
Member spacespace
Joined: October 30, 2004
Location: United States
Posted: March 04, 2006 at 9:37 AM / IP Logged  
I was woundering if anybudy on this sight new anything about building your own body kits, or couldpoint me to a sight that specializes in that.
Apriciate the help,
John A Wooten
HondaStomper
crazyoldcougar 
Copper - Posts: 185
Copper spacespace
Joined: March 03, 2006
Location: Canada
Posted: March 04, 2006 at 1:04 PM / IP Logged  

i am just about to undergo building two kits...one for my 99 cougar and one for my brothers 86 MR2...what do you need to know?

i dont have a web site but there are thousands out there to get you started...

Fiberglass Guru.
torquehead 
Copper - Posts: 144
Copper spacespace
Joined: January 15, 2006
Location: United States
Posted: March 04, 2006 at 10:03 PM / IP Logged  

Ive been making body molds using the same type of techniques as stealth boxes and such.  I dont know how much youve been following this site regarding the concepts, but heres in a short nutshell a how to.  Cover the areas such as fenders, side panels/door, rear valance, and front bumper, ect., with the blue/ or the green tape that doesnt leave its adhesive behind.  Spray some aerosol adhesive (3M's "77") all over the taped area, then attach sections of FG sheet, I usually do 2 foot sections at a time.  Wet the FG sheet lightly in a few areas and wait until these few areas give heat (cure).  This "Cured" areas will stick to the tape (if you do the whole section, it will heat the glue and will make the sheet sag and ruin).  Now you have theses "cured" anchors, finish saturating the whole area.  Do this to every part involving your "Body Kit".  Dont remove the FG yet.  Put your/or customer's imagination to use.  Figure out the style/shape you want.  Next, just like MDF speaker rings, I use MDF to make my shaping, these take all kinds of tools, but only you know what you can do with what you have.  Afix the MDF to the cured FG panel.  You can use thin cloth and staple it to the MDF.  Cover that cloth with resin, let cure, this is just to make a shape to build the ground effect, air dam, or rear pan/valance part.  When the cloth is cured, cover with a minimum of 3 layers of 2oz. FG cloth/mat.  Cover with body filler, and then finish out the rest as if you were preparing for paint.  I know I left alot of detail out, but at least that is the concept that can be used.  This is one of five ways I have done this, but this is a fiberglass forum...not urethane or carbon fiber, ect type forum....  If you want more detail, just send me a personal message.

juniorxs 
Member - Posts: 26
Member spacespace
Joined: February 23, 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: March 05, 2006 at 5:09 AM / IP Logged  
this is a good place to look at Nsx to Ferrari
Hondastomper 
Member - Posts: 12
Member spacespace
Joined: October 30, 2004
Location: United States
Posted: March 05, 2006 at 9:57 AM / IP Logged  
Thats a bad ass NSX, know if I could only read what they are writing. lol, But thank you for the visuals.
PM sent
crazyoldcougar 
Copper - Posts: 185
Copper spacespace
Joined: March 03, 2006
Location: Canada
Posted: March 05, 2006 at 10:38 AM / IP Logged  

i use similar methods to that of the NSX...block foam and spray foam work as excellent mediums for build up...also try to follow the Alpine picture tutorial of there X5 build up...though incredibly extensive it will give you the idea.

however unlike he said a couple posts up i tape everything, spray with glue then using a roller, i roll on aluminum foil everywhere there is going to be fiberglass and then some...then you can super glue mdf ABS what ever you want to use as vent shapes and what not...you can the also build up with block foam etc...no need to do small sections and wait, do it all at once..

when you allow sections of resin to cure you are supposed to sand it before applying new layers, when fiberglass cures it releases wax, that if not sanded there is a greater chance of the resin not sticking properly to the additional layers.

IF you use Block foam you have to tape it off before applying resin, or it will eat right through it...

hope that helps...also feel free to PM me with more questions if need be..

Fiberglass Guru.
torquehead 
Copper - Posts: 144
Copper spacespace
Joined: January 15, 2006
Location: United States
Posted: March 05, 2006 at 3:20 PM / IP Logged  

Very good Crazyoldcougar, good points.  There are plenty of missunderstandings that I tend to take for granted everyone knows, my bad.  Yes, do use a roller.  Also, dont use cheap crap resin that HAS wax, use good marine grade.  You can lay up sections or one long length, its doesnt matter.  I use 4 inch wide tape and start at the bottom and go up.  1/4 inch overlap is all thats needed, to prevent seepage (less distance (or components such as extra foil and even more tape) between the car body and the fiberglass equals more precision).  This method is with fiberglass, when I use urethane or carbon fiber, its all different.

I didnt bring up block foam.  Glad you did.  Crazyoldcouger is right, if you can, get it and sand it down to your desired shape, it is easier than MDF/ABS.  I have even seen some jobs done with several cans of expanding insulation foam! LOL  Oh well, if it works, do it I guess.  I use a multi-stage heater/foam sprayer, I make all types of shapes with wood panels and fill them to make my desired blocks.  I dont always use  this but it happens. 

Also, has everone forgotten about sheet metal?  I fabricate some parts out of sheet metal to serve as a permanent skeleton.  Cover it with foam, glass it, and finish with body filler.  Theres soooooo many ways to do anything you desire.  Its all up to the individual. 

Check out the sites listed above!  The NSX, and the Apline Demo BMW X5, they provide great information that I have taken methods from as well.  Everytime I fabricate something, I find a better way...  Anyone else have any good methods?

spades07 
Member - Posts: 10
Member spacespace
Joined: November 28, 2005
Location: United States
Posted: March 06, 2006 at 11:23 PM / IP Logged  
Now for the big question. IF i wanted to say make a wide body kit. how much money would it take??? it is something i may look at doing in the future. also do you leave the foam in there of do you just use it as a mold to lay the glass on then take the glass off?
5150azn 
Silver - Posts: 584
Silver spacespace
Joined: June 21, 2004
Location: United States
Posted: March 07, 2006 at 11:52 AM / IP Logged  
Where do you guys get block foam?
Tell the Snap-On guy I'm not here!
crazyoldcougar 
Copper - Posts: 185
Copper spacespace
Joined: March 03, 2006
Location: Canada
Posted: March 07, 2006 at 12:06 PM / IP Logged  

5150azn wrote:
Where do you guys get block foam?

i use the white stuff at homedepot...not the best but it works..

as for the other question..it depends on the part your making..some pieces of the design may require some of foam to be left in there...

custom making a widebod if you know what your doing will likely cost you a little less in kit materails as opposed tobuying one...probably 40-50% less if you include the shipping and prep work you will have to do to a bought kit.

as far as i have found eby has pretty much the best price for chop strand mat you can get 25 yards X 50" wide for like 70$ plus 25 shipping...that is for one full sheet..there are other on there that sell pieces of scrap mat for like 30 bucks for 50 pounds...you figure 8sq ft is about 1 pound your getting about 400 sq ft of glass...you will need a couple gallons of resin and a gallon of duraglass, and probably a gallon of filler...i never use spot puddy any more, i just use high build etching primer...that stuff will fill in 100 grit scratches..(Proform 649) is the primer i use..

Fiberglass Guru.
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