Making bodywork from scratch
 

I'm redesigning the bodywork of my Litton, but am unsure of the best/easiest/cheapest method of producing the new shape. At the moment I am cutting bits (as large as possible) of the original GRP and moving them around, temporarily fixing them together then glassing up the insides to stick them together. Seems to work, but I have two worries.
1 - the GRP will be rather thick in places, and so much heavier than needs to be
2 - after a while, will the body start to craze or crack at the joins between panels?
Or should I build the shape I want, make a mould (buck?) of it, then make my bodywork inside of this, with the weight and strength where needed?
But cheaper would be to build the shape I want out of wood, chickenwire, foam etc, then lay the GRP over that, and spend a few months filling smoothing the surface. This should be much cheaper, but would the finish always be too imperfect. A bloke on the Lambo Lounge is doing it this way, but he hasn't posted the reults yet. Perfection is not really necessary since I intend using a matt grey/white/black camouflage paint scheme - that'll hide most flaws!! Could even leave the weave look as a kind of anti-radar reflecting coating.
I question the use of the buck, cos I've done it a couple of times before on small components and the GRP of the lay-up has stuck to the GRP of the buck in places and caused many a problem. I'd hate that to happen to a full bodywork!! And I sure cant afford a professional to do it for me.

I don't know if you get Which Kit? over there. They have an article this month about the Fiero V2 (Prowler) that has been 'Ice'd'.

They talk about how the interior was made up using wood frames shaped then fibreglassing over. Seems like a similar idea to the chicken wire?

Making a buck is probably the 'proper' way to do it plus it means you have the source to make further panels should you be unfortunate enough to damage the one on the car (whilst the wife borrows the car of course :eusa_whistle: )

Kitcarman could probably point you in the right direction about making the mold and creating the panels but it just sounds like either not enough release agent was applied or not applied correctly if the panel stuck in the mold.

But I think any of your methods will be ok.

Cheers, John

Madabout-kitcars.com

Kit Car is advertising 3 different books on fibreglassing and bodywork.

Maybe Kitcarman could recommend which one might be best for your needs (if they would help you?). :confused:

Yeah, I guess I ought to go the well-trodden route, but I was hoping that there was a short cut.

I'm doing this also on my Monaco conversion to the point I've ripped the lot off and got my hands on another Jag and started doing my own kit basically I've gone the root of 'the buck' making it out of anything I can lay my hands on and a shed load of body filler and a lot of elbow grease.

But as a go by I got the book 'The Fibreglass Manual' by Keith Noakes only cost £15 but describes very simply how to make patterns and moulds and my supplies from www.cfsnet.co.uk
Hope this helps

hey, BUMP!!!

had quite some time to think about this, and having seen the great job andygtt is doing, i'm gonna go the same route.

now if only i could squeeze an Audi v10 in there somehow. . . .

Glad your liking what I'm doing.......

I have to say that I am doing exactly what you describe in that I am sticking whatever I have lying around (fibreglass, wood, metal etc) and glassing over or under it and then slapping filler on the top. I will then paint it black to ensure it is perfect and then take my moulds.

Take a look at this link where you may find the info interesting and helpful:-
http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/methods-mouldmaking.html

If you're thinking of going the clay route, I'd recommend these folks too:
http://www.styling-clay.co.uk/contact.asp?ID=3 :nod: