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1,101 Posts
Ok,
So a buddy and I have reached the point in the project where each person has "their" way (i.e. the "right" way) and this last thing seems a little odd, but honestly I don't know enough about bodywork to really say if its a good approach or now.
So the problem is this : We have a drivers side fender for a 68 coupe and the lip of the wheel well (where the metal is bent and the chrome bolts to) was rotted out. So I took a dremel and cleaned up the edge, removing about 2/3 of the lip (about halfway up each side). So the top "semicircle" has no lip at all now. Please note when i say "lip" i just mean the metal underneath and not the side of the fender where it has a contour for the wheel.
Anyhow, we all thought that was fine, but now we want to try to repair this thing. My opinion is that we should either pitch the darn thing and get a repro/good used fender or use the remaining metal and tack a new "lip" back in.
My buddy wants to try and use fibreglass to restore the lip of the fender.
Now, I have no doubt we can fibre it, and it may even be decent looking, but I'm thinking that the amount of time/work for this is just not worth it. I'm thinking the edge might suffer from the same effects as bondo (albeit MUCH more durable) and crack with all the turns and twists or heaven forbid someone having fat tires and bottoming out or something. That and being able to screw the chrome pieces back on.
Anyhow, I really don't know enough about this so I wanted to ask some ppl that may have a good background in working with fibreglass.
Is this basically a bondo-hack kind of approach or is it quite reasonable?
In the end we want to do a nice job. Not show quality (since its only our 3rd project between the two of us) but something that we could sell or drive (have not decided yet) and feel confident its a good job.
Whatcha think?
So a buddy and I have reached the point in the project where each person has "their" way (i.e. the "right" way) and this last thing seems a little odd, but honestly I don't know enough about bodywork to really say if its a good approach or now.
So the problem is this : We have a drivers side fender for a 68 coupe and the lip of the wheel well (where the metal is bent and the chrome bolts to) was rotted out. So I took a dremel and cleaned up the edge, removing about 2/3 of the lip (about halfway up each side). So the top "semicircle" has no lip at all now. Please note when i say "lip" i just mean the metal underneath and not the side of the fender where it has a contour for the wheel.
Anyhow, we all thought that was fine, but now we want to try to repair this thing. My opinion is that we should either pitch the darn thing and get a repro/good used fender or use the remaining metal and tack a new "lip" back in.
My buddy wants to try and use fibreglass to restore the lip of the fender.
Now, I have no doubt we can fibre it, and it may even be decent looking, but I'm thinking that the amount of time/work for this is just not worth it. I'm thinking the edge might suffer from the same effects as bondo (albeit MUCH more durable) and crack with all the turns and twists or heaven forbid someone having fat tires and bottoming out or something. That and being able to screw the chrome pieces back on.
Anyhow, I really don't know enough about this so I wanted to ask some ppl that may have a good background in working with fibreglass.
Is this basically a bondo-hack kind of approach or is it quite reasonable?
In the end we want to do a nice job. Not show quality (since its only our 3rd project between the two of us) but something that we could sell or drive (have not decided yet) and feel confident its a good job.
Whatcha think?
