Author Topic: Permanently bending fiberglass...?  (Read 8851 times)

Offline VMS Motorsports

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Permanently bending fiberglass...?
« on: April 08, 2014, 08:29:01 pm »
Unpacking my new body from USLC, and the trunk lid is completely flat (34 coupe...NOT supposed to be flat).
Any ideas on how to bend it and keep it bent?


JIM BUCHER
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Offline s10custom

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Re: Permanently bending fiberglass...?
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2014, 09:52:34 pm »
Mount it, it should follow the curve of the body. Some heat will help it shape and stay when you let cool.


Offline Winterracing

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Re: Permanently bending fiberglass...?
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2014, 10:06:33 pm »
I got mine from them, and it wasn't square or curved I had to sand it and just mounted it and after 2 months its still completely flat when I take it off.

Dan

Offline slack11

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Re: Permanently bending fiberglass...?
« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2014, 07:39:53 am »
If you have it right there, can someone weigh a decklid from a 34 coupe that is from the newer bodies.... Mine is one of the older ones and it seems heavy.... There is no way it would ever  "lay flat" like you're newer ones that you guys have.


 Just curious what the difference is.

Offline IraceLegends77

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Re: Permanently bending fiberglass...?
« Reply #4 on: April 09, 2014, 07:56:38 am »
I just put on four new fenders Jim. None of them fit correctly. I had to add lots of heat to them. It is a slow process but it will work. Mine were  twisted.  >:(
Scott Wilkerson #77   Vision Graphix Racing


Offline VMS Motorsports

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Re: Permanently bending fiberglass...?
« Reply #5 on: April 09, 2014, 08:55:55 am »
If you have it right there, can someone weigh a decklid from a 34 coupe that is from the newer bodies.... Mine is one of the older ones and it seems heavy.... There is no way it would ever  "lay flat" like you're newer ones that you guys have.


 Just curious what the difference is.

I will weigh it for you, but I doubt this is very new. Sticker still says "Manufactured by 600 Racing on it", even though it has a "Made In China" sticker too, and came wrapped in Chinese newspaper.  Don't know why they can't have this stuff made in the USA. With shipping from overseas and all, the cost from China can't be any better than from somebody here.

It is so flat and rigid, it will not bend enough to even begin to fit the contour of the car, not an option to mount it as-is.

I'll try some heat, thanks Robert.

Yes Scott, the fenders don't fit either. Rears are 2" away from being below the body line where they mount on the coupe's, they can't be mounted as delivered either, but I'm used to that. The last few years I had to spend hours mounting new ones. I used to send pictures of them to USLC, but nobody cared, so I stopped

Frustrating when you spend $1,000 + shipping and the sh!t's not right.
JIM BUCHER
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Offline s10custom

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Re: Permanently bending fiberglass...?
« Reply #6 on: April 09, 2014, 09:07:03 am »
I' m glad you all posted about having trouble with the fenders. Spent nearly 2 days trying to get them right. One of my rear really twisted bad but I managed to get it mounted anyway.

Robert

Offline Legends16

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Re: Permanently bending fiberglass...?
« Reply #7 on: April 09, 2014, 12:28:01 pm »
After reading some of this, wow.  :o

I dont get it. After racing karts for a number of years the bodywork made by the good US companies were straight and true. They had to be, you couldnt mount a twisted body on a kart and have it handle right. The nose on a kart is similiar in size of one of these fenders. Shipping them is a big expence.

I have heard of people bending fiberglass kart seats with the use of a heat gun and a ratcheting strap to hold it in place. Maybe somthing like that could be done? Im worried what it could do to the paint on the other side. Just a thought.


Offline VMS Motorsports

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Re: Permanently bending fiberglass...?
« Reply #8 on: April 09, 2014, 01:03:21 pm »
If you have it right there, can someone weigh a decklid from a 34 coupe that is from the newer bodies.... Mine is one of the older ones and it seems heavy.... There is no way it would ever  "lay flat" like you're newer ones that you guys have.


 Just curious what the difference is.

2 pounds, 15.6 ounces
JIM BUCHER
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Offline erich17

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Re: Permanently bending fiberglass...?
« Reply #9 on: April 19, 2014, 12:46:11 am »
We build fiberglass bodies and the problem with 600's stuff is they are having everything but the legend main bodies made in China.  China has always been bad about pulling parts out of the molds before fully cured. It will never change but if you want to change the shape just put a strap around it and set it outside it will take shape nicely.