Glassing floor in 23 body

[vand]

I am getting ready to glass the floor in my body. I have seen it suggested to leave a gap between the floor and body to eliminate shadowing in the paint. In Chester's book he states to have the floor touching the body. I am using 3/4 plywood for the floor. Any suggestions or experiences greatly appreciated.

 

[Youngster]

It's been my experience leaving a gap tends to pull the body out of shape. I try to have the plywood as close of a fit as possible. Use Cardboard to get your initial shape then I use my grinder with a 50 grit disc to bevel the edges to fit the body.

Ron

 

[blownt]

I did not leave much gap when I glassed mine. Had to glass in a firewall too because the 15 body has no firewall.

I got 2 pieces of 1/2" rebar about 4' long and ran crosswise across and under the frame. Held to the bottom of the frame with hose clamps. I rested the body on the 2 pieces of rebar. That set the body flush with the bottom of the frame (channeling the body 3"). Then made a cardboard template for the floor.

 

["The Bat" out of hell]

As little gap as you can,and glass both top and bottom.

 

[RocknT]

Great timing on this question . Thanks for the answer's..I hope to have my body here in a week or two,, Now if some one would post HOW to glass the floor in ? LOL

 

[Youngster]

I make up a fixture out of 2X4's spaced like the frame rails. Across the bottom of them I screw 2 1X4's, 3 1/3' long. On top of those I screw 4, 5/8" plywood spacers. This gives you a 3" channel for your floor. Scuff the areas in the body about 2 to 2 1/2" above and below the floor line. Next set your body on the fixture and screw the floor to the 2X4's.

Now mix a batch of body filler and squeegy it in the gaps between the body and the floor. I try to get the corners and an area at the rear of the door. Let that set-up 'til it turns kinda cheesey and remove any excess. Mix another batch of filler and fill the rest of the gaps. Roll the body over and fill any gaps between the bottom of the floor and the body.

As the filler cures, you can feel the heat from the chemical reaction on the outside of the body. Once it cools to the touch ( we're talking cold here ) you can start tabbing with 'glass mat. I cut several strips 4" wide and about a foot long. Enough to go all the way around the floor. Fold the strips lenghtwise and lay them where you want to glass them to the floor and body.I like to start in the 4 corners and work my way around counter-clockwise. Mix up your resin with a little less hardener than suggested, it gives you more time towork before it turns jelly like. Apply the resin with a disposable 2" paint brush in a dabbing motion. Don't try to brush it. The mat will just roll up and/or move out of position. Start in the middle of the strip andwork toward the edges. Keep dabbing till all the air bubbles are gone. Air trapped under the mat will result in a weak bond. If you don't have enough resin to do a whole strip. mix another batch. Don't try to do a partial strip. After you get one side done, turn the body over and do the other side. When both sides are done, After it cures ( I wait at least 12 hours ), scuff the first layer to remove the waxy feeling glaze. Then cut some 3" strips and apply them over the first layer.

This is the way I do my floors. That's not to say it's the only way.

Ron

I should add I do not glass the floor to the firewall at this point. I wait till the gas pedal, colunm mount, etc are set up on the plywood firewall backing. I also add my toeboards at this point.

 

[RocknT]

Thanks
So the body filler keeps the resin from leaking by to the other side or it is their to strengthen the bond between the floor and body . The flooring frame is kinda what I had in mind I knew I had to build something to suspend it for glassing .
Thanks again Youngster

 

[Youngster]

The body filler fills the void between the floor and the body so when the glass strips cure the body dosen't deform. I'm thinking this is what folks call shadowing.

Ron

 

["The Bat" out of hell]

IF your not making the jig of 2x4's,.
I've also done it by covering the frame with tinfoil and some tape to keep it clean,put the body on to frame and level up body as your design wishs[be sure frame is also as you will run it level side to side and rake if you use it. then put 3/4ply floor in body on to top of frame,that way you know floor will be holding body at your design angle,remeber to have spacer of size that your padding will be between floor and frame if you use one.
that gets ya started in the rite place . after locking it from the top and it's hard
,ya can take it off and turn over to get bottom.
Lots of ways to skin the cat.

 

[Youngster]

A length of seat belt glued to the frame rail works good for anti-squeek.

Ron

 

[Gerry]

A length of seat belt glued to the frame rail works good for anti-squeek.

Ron

Yeh
And its available in different colours to match your choice. Also those cheap ratchet straps can provide webbing suitable for this in many more colours. Going to use yella ones (15 bucks for enough to do mine) when I finally bolt the bucket to the rest of the car
Gerry

 

[sstock]

Yeh
And its available in different colours to match your choice. Also those cheap ratchet straps can provide webbing suitable for this in many more colours. Going to use yella ones (15 bucks for enough to do mine) when I finally bolt the bucket to the rest of the car
Gerry

Brillint Gerry. I was wondering what to use, ratchet strap, I have an old tow strap too that I could cut up to make a nice body to frame anti squeek.

 

[RocknT]

Good ideas fellas thanks

 

[Wild Mango]

Good ideas fellas thanks

What you 100% gotta remember as a rule of thumb, getting epoxy to stick to anything, including other epoxy, you gotta sand, sand, sand. That bucket body is very likely Polyester. Sticking epoxy to polyester, sand the polyester real good, and do it immediately before you put the epoxy on, like a couple of minutes.
Sticking polyester to wood is dodgy at best and unreliable. Don't do it. Believe me, we're a nation of boatbuilders down here.....

 

[RocknT]

OK How can you tell if it is polyester ? how would you glass it if it is ??

 

[Don'tCallMeJimmie]

OK How can you tell if it is polyester ? how would you glass it if it is ??

Virtually all bodies are laid up with poly, epoxy resins are rarely used for T-Bucket bodies, at least one's that are reasonably affordable.

However, if you really need to know, polyester stinks and your nose will tell you. If it has no odor it is either well-sealed or epoxy. Epoxy resin when wet or cut after it cures smells faintly like peanuts to me. Your mileage may vary but it does not stink like poly.

If you can't smell it, raise a little dust somewhere it won't be visible. You'll know pretty quickly.

 

[Rick]

Virtually all bodies are laid up with poly, epoxy resins are rarely used for T-Bucket bodies, at least one's that are reasonably affordable.

However, if you really need to know, polyester stinks and your nose will tell you. If it has no odor it is either well-sealed or epoxy. Epoxy resin when wet or cut after it cures smells faintly like peanuts to me. Your mileage may vary but it does not stink like poly.

If you can't smell it, raise a little dust somewhere it won't be visible. You'll know pretty quickly.

Sorry i had a brain fart.

 

[Wild Mango]

OK How can you tell if it is polyester ? how would you glass it if it is ??

I should have said, glassing a wooden floor in to your polyester body, use epoxy resin reinforced with random mat and dab the resin in with a brush, don't stroke it. Epoxy doesn't wet out very easily, but it will. You'll find your random mat is in layers you can carefully peel apart and you can put a layer in at a time - easier to bend around corners, you can fold it, and easier to wet out.

 

[2old2fast]

Why not just use polyester resin, cheaper and ,after all ,that's what the body's made of ?

dave

 

[2old2fast]

Why not just use polyester resin, cheaper and ,after all ,that's what the body's made of ?

dave