Seams allot of you wanna make stuf wide DYI inside

Ok here is a quick way to make wide fiberglass peices. What ever you might have seen in Japan forget it like a bad girlfriend. Most wide body stuff done in Japan cracks or breaks, and well most body shops are skabs. I should know I spent two years teaching them how to repair benzo's.

So first Im going to make a pull of the front fender on my 14 aristo so I clean the fender
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/wide.jpg[/img]

Now the magic. Get some cheep spray glue and your mommas tinfoil spray the glue on the foil and smooth it out on the part your going to copy.

[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/wide1.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/wide11.jpg[/img]

The smoother the beter but cover your entire work area and make sure you get down in all the grooves then mask off the surounding
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/wide12.jpg[/img]

Mix your resin DONT forget the hardner and brush on a even coat over the tin foil
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/wide16.jpg[/img]

Now lay out a coat of Fiberglass cloth over the area you want to copy. make sure you get it in any grooves you want to keep and make sure it goes past the lip you will cut it down later
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/wide13.jpg[/img]

Now you will want to coat it with a coat of mat cloth. Remember this is non stop so mix your resin so it dosent set up fast you are applying multiple cots at one time
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/wide19.jpg[/img]

I like to rip the mat so the fibers look like this. This is the easy way to get them into the grooves and around hard bends without pulling back
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/wide18.jpg[/img]

After the mat follow with one more coat of cloth
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/wide110.jpg[/img]

Then roll it out so you get all the air bubbles out you dont want it to delaminate or have pockets
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/wide111.jpg[/img]

After it dries pull it off . It usually comes of clean but you will need to clean some of the glue off with prep solvent
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/widepannle.jpg[/img]

And here it is on the back of my car
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/widepannle4.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/widepannle2.jpg[/img]

Now I only want like a fender flare for this so I cut it down. I use a compus to get my radius
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/widepannle5.jpg[/img]
A laser to get the horisantal lines
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/widepannle6.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/widepannle7.jpg[/img]

and here it is before I cut it
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/widepannle8.jpg[/img]

And after its cut. Now I have the same lip as the front with the proper radius. I just need to mold it in.

[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/lip.jpg[/img]

And later Ill show you how to make it stick to the car and mold it in. I still have to make the other side and do a few more things to my Aristo Vert
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/DXJP/aristob28lg.jpg[/img]

this is cool.

Hey, that is some really good info, I wait to be taught........ :o Great photo, u get to watch and learn, sweet

so when you clean the fender, what should you use? regular soap and water? alcohol prep pads?

This is great.

Great DIY! 

Very nice indeed.

sweet Aristo. thanks for the info.

nice write up indeed, and the car is frekin hot! more please ;D

nice write up

[quote=OnTop ]
nice write up
[/quote]

and that is a lot coming from this guy...considering he owns a bodyshop and has a super nice, wide accord

Awesome work! Very nice write-up! :D

The pros always makes things look easy ;)

Off Topic but still within the area of topic.

What was the most aggresive pull have you seen on a fender? And how many MM's or inches did it gain?

[quote=PagongLS ]
The pros always makes things look easy ;)

Off Topic but still within the area of topic.

What was the most aggresive pull have you seen on a fender? And how many MM's or inches did it gain?
[/quote]

With Fiber Glass 300 wide tires with steal the same. Depends on what Im doing I Have done Testarossa nock off with vents on cars using FG and I have done Steal wide fenders around 3 inches but had to cut and form each peice.

Size is not a problem Its how much money you have. FG is always going to be cheeper than forming steal. When I do stupid wide I use Surfboard foam and glue it to the car, then shape it and glass it like I just did. Then the glass peice comes off and the foam is removed. Then all thats left is to cut and seam the arch and put the peice back on. SO I guess to say how far I can do it well Veil Side Hires me to make molds and stuff for them on occasion.

The two tone FD in the pix thread we built two of them the new F&F has the same kited FD's orange and black. I also built the Yellow NZX in the movie. Of course it was Velsides parts. Ill post pix of all the glass work I have done and some Steal as well.

Oops Im sorry I didnt make my question clear.

Was wondering on a [b]stock[/b] fender, what is the most aggresive pull can you do without compromising other parts of the cars body.

Nice write up DXJP and glad to have you on board.

I know a lot of members appreciate the time and effort you put in this.

Thanks again

[quote=PagongLS ]
Oops Im sorry I didnt make my question clear.

Was wondering on a [b]stock[/b] fender, what is the most aggresive pull can you do without compromising other parts of the cars body.
[/quote]

Depends on the car and the steal. I have done wide rear doors and fenders where I actuly split the outer door skin off the door frame and then add metal to fill it in. I was able to get 4 inches in the back part of the door and had to FG the rear fender becouse there wasnt enough metal to pull. If your going to reverse your wheel arcg then you have 1to 2 inches plus what you can stretch out of the pannle.

Were already talking thin metal to beginwith these cars are not 59 caddies where you can pull forever.

What is it you want to do. The more I know the better I can answer. All I can do is generalize. To that probobly 3 inches max befor you run out of metal to play with.

So doesn't using a fiberglass replica of the front fender give you a rear wheelwell opening radius the same as the front...? This changes the look completely vs. the standard smaller rear wheelwell radius, correct? I'm curious about the smooth widebody flares I've been seeing more of coming from japan... like these:
[img]http://www.clublexus.com/gallery/data/500/2211.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.clublexus.com/gallery/data/500/581.jpg[/img]
Is it safe to assume these guys all use fiberglass also...? Or are they kinda bad ass crazy and forming sheet metal?

for everyone else, here's a link to some cool flare work also... this guy posted on the metalmeet forums:
[url]http://s94994139.onlinehome.us/gallery/M20-Hotrod-2002[/url]

Thats allot of FG and bondo. you rarely see any steal fabricaters in Japan. The ones that are good have corprate jobs. Were always changing the radius but I kept the initial radius of the rear with my part.

I supose I could hve done it with crdboard and cheep spray foam like most the cars you see from japan. But take the info for whats it worth there isnt a shop in Japan I would let work on my car.

[quote=DXJP ]
Thats allot of FG and bondo.  you rarely see any steal fabricaters in Japan.  The ones that are good have corprate jobs.  Were always changing the radius but I kept the initial radius of the rear with my part.

I supose I could hve done it with crdboard and cheep spray foam like most the cars you see from japan.  But take the info for whats it worth there isnt a shop in Japan I would let work on my car.
[/quote]

Funny you should mention that, I use to do fab work for customers about 8 yrs ago here in Southern California. When other shops started doing the same thing, but in bando instead of steel, I stopped because other shops were charging less. I guess it's like that all over the world, I to would not trust any so called "custom shops" in SoCal.

All Steel contruction
[img]http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/236/jonathandelsol015aa.jpg[/img]

Finished product
[img]http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/5155/jonathandelsol055gn.jpg[/img]

Lorin is the man with the masterplan. BTW Lorin is the man behind Ground Zero airsuspension, Automatic Scissor Doors, and is a super painter genius. Best of all, he passes out on Tokyo sidewalks with me. 

[quote=swifty949 ]
Lorin is the man with the masterplan. BTW Lorin is the man behind Ground Zero airsuspension, Automatic Scissor Doors, and is a super painter genius. Best of all, he passes out on Tokyo sidewalks with me. 
[/quote]

HAHAHA I thought you said it was national pass out day. I just didnt want to look out of place.  :uglystupid2:

[quote=V8_Aristo ]
Funny you should mention that, I use to do fab work for customers about 8 yrs ago here in Southern California. When other shops started doing the same thing, but in bando instead of steel, I stopped because other shops were charging less. I guess it's like that all over the world, I to would not trust any so called "custom shops" in SoCal.

All Steel contruction
[img]http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/236/jonathandelsol015aa.jpg[/img]

Finished product
[img]http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/5155/jonathandelsol055gn.jpg[/img]
[/quote]


Was that S2000 at Hot Import Daze at the Wild Rivers in Irvine about 4 years or so ago?




P.S. - Good write up! :)

To answer the above: no, because that's not an S2000 :P
It's a Del Sol with S2000 taillights

[quote=firelizard ]
To answer the above: no, because that's not an S2000 :P
It's a Del Sol with S2000 taillights
[/quote]

shit, obviously. i just typed faster than my thinking.... i was concentrating more on when i thought that show was when i posted that

great info... thx a bunch.


-s-

awesome job...

MORE PICS!!!

help a noobie out..

[quote=DXJP ]
Thats allot of FG and bondo.  you rarely see any steal fabricaters in Japan.  The ones that are good have corprate jobs.  Were always changing the radius but I kept the initial radius of the rear with my part.

I supose I could hve done it with crdboard and cheep spray foam like most the cars you see from japan.  But take the info for whats it worth there isnt a shop in Japan I would let work on my car.
[/quote]

Hmmm, so would you say that there would be somewhat of a demand over there for someone who could do sheet metal work in lieu of cheap fiberglass over cardboard..? and maybe even have a little niche market shop selling usdm mopar parts (which I sorta wanted to do a while back). 

looks good man, you def have some skillz

Skills indeed. Its nice to see someone still do things the right way. I paid my way thro College doing custome work. There are so many ways to do things wrong, but only a handful of ways to do it right.  ;)

[quote=DXJP ]
Ok here is a quick way to make wide fiberglass peices.  What ever you might have seen in Japan forget it like a bad girlfriend.  Most wide body stuff done in Japan cracks or breaks, and well most body shops are skabs.  I should know I spent two years teaching them how to repair benzo's.
[/quote]

DXJP 

How many layers of glass do you end up with on the finished product?

[quote=MS9 ]
DXJP  

How many layers of glass do you end up with on the finished product?
[/quote]

Did you know that fiberglass matting is measured in ounces? So when you ask how many layers, you should also ask how thick the matting is. This is the biggest misconception when buying fiberglass parts. Some companies will advertise that their product has a certain number of layers, but another company might have less layer with thicker matting that will come out the same or even better. 

I like using 2oz matting, I find it very easy to work with as far as it's flexibility and if I do need it to make it stronger I will just add another layer on top for a total of 4oz. 

thx.. i ended up do'en 3 layers - 2oz mat.. pretty sturdy :)

[quote=V8_Aristo ]
Did you know that fiberglass matting is measured in ounces? So when you ask how many layers, you should also ask how thick the matting is. This is the biggest misconception when buying fiberglass parts. Some companies will advertise that their product has a certain number of layers, but another company might have less layer with thicker matting that will come out the same or even better.  

I like using 2oz matting, I find it very easy to work with as far as it's flexibility and if I do need it to make it stronger I will just add another layer on top for a total of 4oz. 


[/quote]

Wow such an interesting thread. All the fiberglass stuff is new to me. I can make almost anything from steel but not that stuff neet!  8)

DXJP or V8 Aristo

Do either of you teach how to perform these types of modifications and do this type of work...or would you happen to know where someone could attend classes or seminars on this? I am located in Chicago but would be willing to fly in a weekend or more to educate myself on something like this.

I graduated WyoTech this past December and took Street Rod Fabrication and learned how to do a lot of metal work but with the way the industry is heading it seems much more knowledge of FG is needed. I have made a few stereo systems but never parts like flares, fenders, bumpers and so on. If you could take the chance and let me know where I can learn to do more like this please let me know either by a reply or a private message. It would be much appreciated.

Thank you,
Conrad

Wyo tech Damn I graduated in 1985. I supose its really different now. Um I live in japan so I dont think a week end will work for you. I would say look for some instal and FG manules and play with some of them cheep FG kits to get the hang of it. Yes metal fab is dieing. When I went we all still learned how to led and metale finnish do they still teach that?.

I will be posting some more stuff up as I go on this maybe it will help.

I believe there's posts about workshops every so often on fibreglast's forum:
[url]http://www.fibreglast.com/VBulletin/[/url]
Most likely it'll be for something non automotive-related (like model- or boat-building, etc.), but you can still learn a lot from those guys... sometimes more than you can from car folks.
And although they're mostly all about metal, you might be able to find some good info on automotive composite work at:
[url]http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/index.php[/url]

[quote=DXJP ]
Wyo tech  Damn I graduated in 1985.  I supose its really different now.  Um I live in japan so I dont think a week end will work for you.  I would say look for some instal and FG manules and play with some of them cheep FG kits to get the hang of it.  Yes metal fab is dieing.  When I went we all still learned how to led and metale finnish do they still teach that?.

I will be posting some more stuff up as I go on this maybe it will help.
[/quote]

Damn '85 thats old skool. Must have been nicer though with the smaller classes. When I was attending classes were 20 students per teacher. So we had one class with 4 teachers and 80 students. Kind of sucked. Street Rod and Refinishing were the best. Yes they still teach how to led but we werent allowed to use it much because of how harmful it is. Metal Finishing yes...that was big in street rod we had to metal finish everything and fabricate and build things out of sheet metal.

I will be looking forward to seeing more of your posts. Hell I would make the trip to Japan to learn if I could find a way to afford it haha hell I put up a year in the state of Wyoming. I love fiberglass for some reason, love the smell, ability to manipulate it, working with it and everything. The only problem is I have always looked for a place that I could go and further my skills and knowledge of it that way I could produce parts or things like this. I have always wanted to be able to design a full body kit for a car and make it myself only problem is as im sure you know most places out here only teach stereo building stuff which I have already self taught myself and read as much as possible on it I believe.

Thanks for the input 

[quote=SilverFocusZX3 ]
Damn '85 thats old skool. Must have been nicer though with the smaller classes. When I was attending classes were 20 students per teacher. So we had one class with 4 teachers and 80 students. Kind of sucked. Street Rod and Refinishing were the best. Yes they still teach how to led but we werent allowed to use it much because of how harmful it is. Metal Finishing yes...that was big in street rod we had to metal finish everything and fabricate and build things out of sheet metal.

I will be looking forward to seeing more of your posts. Hell I would make the trip to Japan to learn if I could find a way to afford it haha hell I put up a year in the state of Wyoming. I love fiberglass for some reason, love the smell, ability to manipulate it, working with it and everything. The only problem is I have always looked for a place that I could go and further my skills and knowledge of it that way I could produce parts or things like this. I have always wanted to be able to design a full body kit for a car and make it myself only problem is as im sure you know most places out here only teach stereo building stuff which I have already self taught myself and read as much as possible on it I believe.

Thanks for the input 
[/quote]

Dude you need to look at building boats or hot tubs then. Once you can do either of those the sky is the limit. I learned how to do hull repair a few years after wyo and thats where I got my start with FG hard core stuff. On a side note see if you cant find a book called Hot rods by Big Daddy Ed Roth. The rat fink dude. He was a pinner with Von Dutch in the old days the rat fink was his bat man or super man thing, but the cars he built back then. Him and Barris built the real thing. He's the reason I got started I saw some of his work and new from that moment on. I actually got to meet him here in Japan before he died. Get the book it will help you a ton.

I agree with both DXJP and One Ton VIP, do your research and apply what you learn. There is no subsitute for experience and that the bottom line. The good thing about FG is that it's relatively cheap to practice on. Get familiar with the key ingredients, resin, hardener, mat abd cloth. You can pick up a wrecked Corvette fender or any damaged FG part and fix it. This is also how I got started, I use to repair parts for my dad at old bodyshop when I was younger. From there, it was all experiments and trial and errors. 

Hmmm, I'd say it might be easier to find local workshops/tutorials from rc plane/model guys, and if you learn composite work from them, you get to learn about precision (most automotive composite work is pretty sloppy imo) that you can carry over to your car stuff. Or check local community colleges/vocational schools also. I used to make random 'glass and cf stuff, but didn't get to really learn in a formal environment till a materials engineering class in univ... and that was a whole 'nother experience... you learn stuff in a semester that could sometimes take years to learn otherwise. 

Again great info from all of you. Thanks again One Ton VIP, V8_Aristo, and DXJP.

I will be looking more into workshops and things like this locally that have to do with boats and models. I dont know why I never really thought of that as you guys are right they are using the same materials and almost in the same matter just in different things. Learn what they do and apply it to what I want to do...GREAT! Im off to see what I can learn thanks.