Doors in a T-Bucket

[Youngster]

When ever I glass wood to a 'glass body, I always spread a coat of stranded body putty on the mating side of the wood. Duraglass works well here. This creats a bond over the whole surface of the joint. You want to try to keep this layer around 1/8" thick. If it gets much thicker, The heat from the chemical reaction when the catalysis kicks off can cause waves in the outer skin.

Let the bonding layer set up for 24 hours before tabbing the wood with 'glass mat. Here again, when you are laying the tabs in, use only enough resin to wet the mat. The strength comes from the mat, not the amount of resin used. If you think you need more strength, let the first layer set up, scuff it with 80 grit sandpaper and add a second layer of mat.

For the best bonding of your joints, always scuff the surface before aplying putty or resin. When the body is layed up, a coat of wax will form during the curing process. This needs to be removed before you do any work to the inside of the body.

I have found that when installing a door, lapping the door skin over the body, helps to keep the door tight enough to prevent the latches and hinges from working their way loose. It's a little more work, but better done at this point than after paint.

Ron

 

[Humidi-T]

Yes, more pics please!!!!

I'm 6'2" myself and though I fit in T being a bit more comfortable would be nice. I was going to just live with it since the majority of my trips I'm imagining would be short ones around town. If I could make a XXFat Boy versioun though I may be able to have my cake and eat it too

I haven't done much fiberglass work. I looked around a bit for a good book on the subject but haven't found one yet (Tex Smith's fiberglass book is a JOKE!), anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks!

Steve

If you section the body to make it longer, DO NOT make a straight vertical cut. You need to puzzle cut it. This will make it stronger by spreading the seam out over greater areas, and will reduce the distortion to the body. Mark several horizontal lines parrallel to the upper edge of the body. Then cut it out with offset vertical lines. Like a puzzle piece.

Always grind the area well, removing all of the exposed surface just prior to laying the new glass. brush dust off with a brush. Some recommend cleaning the area with Acetone. I never have, never will, as this tends to impart impurities to the surface and could pull imbedded wax up. I've got a little experience with this junk, used to work in a boat repair shop.

Buy your materials (resin and glass) from a commercial fiberglass shop, not from Lowes or Auto-whatever. The resins may be the same, but the catalyst is not always the same. Try to find a boat repair shop.

Try to get as much air out when laying up as possible. Radius all sharp corners. For instance, if you want to glass the edge of a board, you'll have to round the corner off to get the glass to lay down.

overlap your seams by as much as 6" when possible. Mix your resin in small containers, but have enough ready to complete the job in one setting. I use pint paint cups from Lowes, but butter bowls work good too, so long as you clean them well. I highly recommend a roller designed for fiberglass, but a small paint roller can be used.

Actual application varies by person, I prefer to wet my base with a brush soaked in resin, then lay my matt over this, then come back with the roller. If the matt is still dry, then I dip the roller in the resin bucket to wet the glass.
Other prefer to soak the matt then slap it onto the base material. It works, but is messier and tends to use too much resin.

If you are glassing an open area, reinforce it with aluminum tape available in the air condition section of hardware stores. Masking tape and grey duct tape will melt and leave you with a mess, but can be used.

 

[SLR_65]

Thanks! That's GREAT info!

Interesting observation - when people shorten VW floorpans to install a Meyer's Manx style body this is the prefered method of cutting the floorpan too, in fact it's the method recommended and detailed by the VW factory.

TTYL,

Steve

 

[Humidi-T]

It keeps everything straight. only way to cut it.

 

[DPI]

What year is that RPM?
Did ya stretch the cowl or is it maybe a Dodge? DPI.

 

[RPM]

Well it is titled as a 23, but the mold it came out of was already stretched, and yes it is in the cowl.

 

[Bill Pedersen]

RPM,
Do you have any pictures of how you made your body 4" wider?

 

[LumenAl]

RPM,
Do you have any pictures of how you made your body 4" wider?

It is really common knowledge from my understanding... a bucket of deep fried chicken every day along with a lot of ice cream during the Nats last year!

:lol:

Now don't go getting all mad at me Ron... Somethings I simply just can't help myself... on

 

[RPM]

It is really common knowledge from my understanding... a bucket of deep fried chicken every day along with a lot of ice cream during the Nats last year!

:lol:

Now don't go getting all mad at me Ron... Somethings I simply just can't help myself... on

Yep Buckethead diet:lol::lol::lol:

But since building this car I have lost 80 lbs, and could probably fit in a regular bucket easy now.

 

[RPM]

RPM,
Do you have any pictures of how you made your body 4" wider?

I myself did not do it, the girl that made the body simply cut it down the middle. Went back into her mold and made a 4" wide section and put it back together. I had to do a lot of body work to it after I got it.

I got the body from Norwoods Fiberglass in Sevierville,TN....His daughter works for him part time and to save some cost he let her make this body. She was only 15 when she made this one. They since have sold the mold to guy in California.

 

[spooky]

I left the ridges on the body as I liked the look. I lamenated 3 sheets of plywood (one at a time) to the entire side of the body on both sides. I curved them (while the the Elmers Carpenter glue dried") by jamming 3 lengths of 1 X 2 between the 2 sides. I waited 24 hours just to be sure it set then cut the doors out just 3 inches back from the original ridges. It is back from the steering wheel and easy to slide my big $*& in to sit down. I was carefull to cut the rear of the door at a slight angle so it would open and shut without binding. Did that on the bottom too. The hinges came right off Home Depots shelves as did the brass slide locks (I will replace them with chrome as the finish isn't doing well). I used 3 inch screws to fasten the hinges and have put 11,000 miles on the car and they are still perfect. Oh, to keep the door from opening too far I cut straps from an old leather belt and screwed them to the front of the door and to the side under the dash. Works great. Pics available if I didn't explain this properly.

 

[Screaming Metal]

Hey Spooky....got any pics or sketches? Would be really cool.......RPM has some good ideas, too! I need a door....my knees are shot and I'd look stupid trying to keep from falling on my head getting into one without a door...........

 

[RPM]

I can really relate to the shot knees. I had 2 new ones installed about 2 years ago.

 

[rooster57]

Would the correct medical term be (Drum Sticks) ???? Were not fat Ron weeeze Flufffffy

 

[dave kreis]

If your daring like me i made mine a suicide door the problem i had was, i cut the door out to close to the rib that goes around the door on the spirit body, so i have had to take part of it off, the rib comes down the front and across the bottom then ends. It works great i just need to clean up the gaps where the hinges are.