You can modify or repair urathane panels only with urathane repair kit. Basicly same way you do fiberglass. I even use fiberglass matting to fix holes in bumpers, but use the urathane repair kit with it instead of the fiberglass resins. If you make molds, you prob cant make urathane parts. There made by pouring liquid urathane into a 2 sided mold. You would have to sell thousands of them to recover the cost. You would be better off making a one side mold of the urathane bumper and making it of laid up fiberglass. There are companies already making fiberglass duplicates of urathane Corvette bumpers.
Fiberglass repairs on urathane parts will pop off if pushed or twisted.
I am putting on some fender flares and am wondering can the bumper be fibergassed to or will it not work
Hi engine man, I was wondering what was going to happen when it came to this part from your thread, to answer your question, It will crack on you, unless you use the method/materials Roger mentioned above...
i am currently using a rx-7 front bumper right now to try and mold it into place myself- you HAVE to uuse urithane as they were saying.
quick q in same topic- not to hijack a thread or anything....
the side moldings/ water marks on the car- can i use fiber glass to shave those off- i mean make the entire side of the car smooth rather then have the water mark- ... don't know if those doors and side pannels are fg or not.
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08:40 AM
Blacktree Member
Posts: 20770 From: Central Florida Registered: Dec 2001
I've had some success molding fiberglass to urethane. As a matter of fact, the big open grille on my Fiero is reinforced with fiberglass that I molded into the backside. It's been like that for a couple years, with no signs of separating.
The secrets to my success are:
1) thoroughly clean and sand the urethane to promote adhesion 2) make sure there is at least 1.5 - 2" of overlap at the seams 3) use epoxy resin 4) don't make the fiberglass part so stiff that it can't flex with the urethane
As always, your mileage may vary.
[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 05-19-2006).]
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11:23 AM
engine man Member
Posts: 5309 From: Morriston FL Registered: Mar 2006
well it looks like there will be a seem there but thats all right long as i keep the bumper tight to the fender flare and what is the best way to fill where the side molding go's tiger hair bondo or fiberglass and do you just cut or sand the molding down on the bumpers
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01:53 PM
rogergarrison Member
Posts: 49601 From: A Western Caribbean Island/ Columbus, Ohio Registered: Apr 99
On the side moldings if you want to remove them: on the SMC panels Id epoxy something , wood or plastic, in the groove after you grind off all the paint in it. it needs to be slightly lower than the surrounding panel. Then use the SMC filler to fill in whats left. BE SURE THERE IS NO PAINT where your bonding. On the urathane bumpers, you can grind it off and use the Flexible Bumper Repair to smooth it. If you make a hole, sand the inside all around the hold with 80 or 36 grit sandpaper, lay some flexible filler on the back side you sanded, then a piece of fiberglass matt or cloth onto that and finally put more flex filler on top of that. When its dried, sand to shape and use more flex filler as necessary to finish it. Then final sand that, prime and paint.
ideas ideas. so would it be possible then to make a fiberglass bumper that is somewhat flexible by using urathain (whatever you would call it, resin? donno if that is only for the fiberglass. anyways something flexible) on the fiberglass mats?
I've had some success molding fiberglass to urethane. As a matter of fact, the big open grille on my Fiero is reinforced with fiberglass that I molded into the backside. It's been like that for a couple years, with no signs of separating.
ive had success aswell. but still wouldnt recomend it. its a pain to work with because of the different rates at which the two materials sand down = hard to get smooth. i did find one very small crack in mine (i hit a wall while parking) which i ground out and filled with a flexible epoxy.. but the other 99% is holding fine... as said above, "milage may vary".
blacktrees tips are good if you decide to try.
[This message has been edited by rmphoto (edited 05-19-2006).]
On the side moldings if you want to remove them: on the SMC panels Id epoxy something , wood or plastic, in the groove after you grind off all the paint in it. it needs to be slightly lower than the surrounding panel. Then use the SMC filler to fill in whats left. BE SURE THERE IS NO PAINT where your bonding. On the urathane bumpers, you can grind it off and use the Flexible Bumper Repair to smooth it. If you make a hole, sand the inside all around the hold with 80 or 36 grit sandpaper, lay some flexible filler on the back side you sanded, then a piece of fiberglass matt or cloth onto that and finally put more flex filler on top of that. When its dried, sand to shape and use more flex filler as necessary to finish it. Then final sand that, prime and paint.
This may be a stupid question but- SMC? i am nto familier with that abreviation-..............
Here are the panel materials The body panels are unique to the Fiero and were not used on any other cars. Outer '84 door panels attach differently and do not interchange with other year Fieros. All other body panels will swap, although the deck lid in '84 is a different style from other years. Front and rear fascias vary with models. The '86-88 GT and all other '88s had round trim on the "belt line" and other years had ribbed trim. The trim piece is molded into the front and rear fascias. Use of a round-trim fascia on a ribbed-trim car is feasible but may look odd. The '84 has an entirely different door skin (cannot be added to later doors) and dew wipe (not available). Door skin compatibility is the same '85-'88. Rocker panels interchange among all years although some vary depending on model. The "aero molding" or "ground effects" panels were used on the Indy, GTs, and some SE models. These panels swap among all years and may be installed on cars which were not so equipped from the factory. Mounting holes are required in the body panels to accommodate the ground effects panels. The wing or spoiler on the Fiero is blow-molded nylon made in two pieces and glued together. Spoiler cracks or breaks should be repaired with flexible epoxies such as those used for RIM or R-RIM (see below). Punctures or gouges should be repaired with epoxy fiberglass resin and glass cloth. GM called the Fiero body panels "Enduraflex". There is no material known as "Enduraflex". This is a marketing term. Four different types of reinforced composite plastic are used in Fiero body panels: SMC Sheet Molded Compound was used for the hood, roof, rear upper quarter, and rear decklid. RRIM Reinforced Reaction Injection Molded urethane was used for fenders, door panels, and lower rear quarters. The rear lowers were later changed to injection molded nylon. RIM Reaction Injected Molded urethane was used for front and rear fascias. TPO Thermoplastic Olefin was used for rocker panels. Blow Molded Nylon This material (not fiberglass) was used for the spoiler or "wing" on all Fieros as far as we know. The supports are made of TPO. Conventional "Bondo" (polyester resin) should not be used to repair any Fiero body panel. Repair products should specifically state they are compatible with the body panel material. I.e.: "Suitable for SMC repairs." Any competent body shop can handle repairs to the Fiero body panels. Shops which specialize in body repair for Saturns would be particularly capable since the Saturn uses similar body materials. Since new body panels rarely turn up on the market, the best source for them is a donor vehicle. Check the "Parts Sources" page for suppliers. Engine Vents: The deck lid vents on the '84 Fiero were made of magnesium and were spectacular when they caught fire! Subsequent years used aluminum. For those interested, the body panels of the Fiero were made in the following locations: Front Fascia - RRIM supplied by GM Canada Hood - SMC supplied by General Tire and Rubber Headlamp Doors - SMC supplied by GTR Front Fenders - RRIM supplied by Oldsmobile Roof - SMC supplied by Premix Door Panel - RRIM supplied by Oldsmobile Rocker Panels - TPO supplied by G.P. Plastics Panel, front of Rear Wheel - R. RIM supplied by Oldsmobile Rear Quarter - SMC supplied by BUDD Rear Deck Lid - SMC supplied by BUDD Rear Fascia - RRIM supplied by Guide Division
