Laminating Fibreglass

[Rick David]

Help, I am building a Fibreglass rod and was wondering if any one had any suggestions or experience on laminating or gluing the outer door skin to the inner, I have attached everything to the inner panel, power windows,(1980 Rabbit) inner latches (1978 Mustang II) and bearclaws and suicide door locks. I was debating on making the outer skin removable. That is the way 1963 to 65 Buick Riv's are.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Rick

[73RS]

On the older corvettes not sure about the new ones, they used and adhesive to put the panels on. Might try a corvette site to see what they used. I know it was some kind of ugly brown glue.

[Dave Severson]

I use a two part epoxy my rep gets me from a company in Minnesota called Composites 1. I have their phone number in the shop, can get it for you tomorrow if you want it.

[m falconstien]

there is a product called Fusion. it comes in a despening tube that mixes the two components together. We used it to put semi hood, fenders together. It has also been used to put VW door skins and roofs on. Great stuff,and most auto body jobbers carry this. If you want to remove the skin at a later date, do not use this product. Are you aposed to exposed fasteners in the door jambs?

[Frank the Judge]

Originally posted by 73RS
I know it was some kind of ugly brown glue.

It's called Bonding Adhesive.

---> http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...D561LSAHJXFWVF

[Rick David]

Thanks Guys.

The only concern I have of permanently attaching the outer skins is I don't have a lot of room for an access panel if I ever have problems inside the door. Iwas thinking of glassing in short flat headed bolts and then (hopefully) the exposed nut will be hidden under rubber moulding to be added some day. The local hardware store here have a metal fastener that looks like a rivet when the 2 pieces are threaded together, might have to do some experimenting.

[m falconstien]

I was thinking about this today and came up with the same idea. They call these things by a bunch of names. I'l call them nutserts, they are like a pop rivet. used to install a threaded sleave in sheet metal. Usually to attach mirrors on vehicles. Blind nut someone called it just now. Attach it to a small piece of sheet metal and sandwich it in your fiberglas at the corners. Its early and I'm just rambling on, I'll go out to the shop and try this for myself. Let you know.

[Henry Rifle]

All of the glass rods I have seen have a large cutout on the inner door panel. The window mechanism is attached to a removable cover panel, and the outside is permanently attached.

I think a removable door skin would cause structural problems in addition to the attachment problem you've already identified.

[m falconstien]

It doesn't look like it will work I used 1/4" thick pieces f fiberglass scrap it would require a lot of fasteners to keep the skin attached.Glue it and make an access panel. You can't go wrong with Fusion epoxy.

[Rick David]

Fusion it is. I'll have to figure out an acess panel of some kind.
Thanks for the input.