Many custom car and truck manufacturers often neglect the underside of the hood. Hence, this article will provide you with some insights on how to improve the looks of the hood with a fiber glass panel.
First, you will be needing some materials such as resin; 5 gallons should do the trick, gloves, paint brushes; disposable types are recommended, an air bubble roller, some masking tape and a spray suit to protect your skin from fiberglass dust. You might also want to get a large piece of 3M plastic to mask the working area. Besides that, you will also need some chopped strand mats for the fiberglass. Choose those that have a medium thickness for balanced strength and flexibility. Screen mats are also recommended as they are excellent for producing contours.
Once you've got all the materials, you are ready for the fabrication process. Start off by taping the outer edges of the panel with some 3M green tape. Depending on the condition, you might also need a heat gun to solve taping issues on unusual shapes. It is important to ensure that the tape is in a tight fit to avoid wrinkles that might affect the final look of the panel.
Now that you've taped off the edges of the panel, it is time to shape the inner section. Before we begin, place the 3M plastic onto the working area to keep the resin away from the steel surface. Make sure that it is spread out properly to reduce wrinkling. Next, lay a piece of polyester on top of the hood. It is recommended that you use a heavier but flexible material to support the resin and to maintain its shape. Once you've got the desired shape, cut away any excess material and tape it into place. You might want to tape up some protruding areas on the working area to keep the material from folding. Lastly, make sure you have ample clearance at the front and back sections before proceeding to the next part.
Moving on, mix one quart of resin with MEK hardener. Then, use smaller brushes to coat enough resin on the polyester. This will cause the material to harden and become strong enough to hold the fiberglass. However, it is important not to coat too much resin as it causes the material to sag. Once the material is ready to cure, you can adjust it for the best effect by pulling or releasing it. Now, the material should be ready to support the weight of the glass matting.
For the glass matting, start out by placing a chopped strand mat as the bottom layer and then a screen mat layer over it. Repeat this process around 2 or 3 times to obtain the best results. It is advisable to fog blast the panel between rounds for better adhesion. Once the matting is complete, it is time to coat it with a layer of resin. This time around, you can use a larger brush for it. Remember to check the matting after coating it with resin, sometimes, you might find several air bubbles on the surface of the mat. If this happens, you will need to work quickly to smooth the air bubbles with a roller before the resin cures.
Once the resin is completely cured, lift it up to check on the hood. If there are no problems with it, remove the 3M plastic from the mold. Use a grinder to grind down the wrinkles you see on the back of the mold. When the grinding process is complete, you will have to repeat the matting process again to obtain maximum strength.
After the final matting process, you are now ready to fit the panel onto the hood. For this, it depends on the original fittings of your hood. Usually, you can either attach some fasteners or screw the panel onto the hood, but the choice is yours to decide. Sand down the edges of the panel with 80-120 grit sand papers to obtain a smooth and burr free finish.
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