Preping new backside head light covers creating a flange/lip
Discussion
I saw an Ultima build site where the builder fiber-glassed a flange/lip to the headlight covers to allow for a better seal. I followed the concept and am posting my project.
Pickup fiberglass resin and hardener, nylon throwaway gloves, throwaway measuring cup, cup, stirring sticks, cheap paint brushes (you need one for each mixture)
Precut strips of fiberglass. Do a pre-fit for the top, sides and bottom. Cut two sets for each side. I added two layers.
Make sure lights are installed. If you have early edition headlights and the new slim line backside covers you will need trim them first. In this picture my lights were removed. Set the new cover over the lights and through the mounting bolts. Mark the border of the cover. Remove the cover and apply removable painter tape. Make sure there is tape spanning under the cover and around the border. The resin will be wet and drip. You will want the resin and fiberglass to stay on the tape so that the cover can be removed. Add enough tape so the width is about 5 inches around and under the cover.
I’m missing a photo here. Basically, you will want to take the new slim line cover and measure up the side about 1.5-2 inches from the base and draw a line/ring around the entire cover so that the ring/line is about 1.5-2 inches above the base. Then add painters tape above the line (this will protect the cover from the new fiberglass so that you can remove the tape later). Then take sand paper or a Dremal and sand within the 1.5-2 inch section. Sand the gelcoat away. This is for the fiberglass to stick. The next photo displays the ~border height.
<Photo Missing>
Attach the cover and bolt down. Mix the resin and hardener. Brush the mixture on the side of the cover and on the tape. Add the first layer of fiberglass. Press down. Brush on more hardener. Let dry and then sand with 80 grit paper to rough up. Clean dust and add another layer.
Take time to slowly remove the cover. The tape will remain imbedded into the fiberglass. Try to peal away as much tape as possible. Take heavy duty cutters or the Dremal and cut away the excess.
Here is how it may look. I later trimmed more of the new flange/lip
Test cover and trim more if needed.
I then painted the sides and underside of the cover for the final install.
Pickup fiberglass resin and hardener, nylon throwaway gloves, throwaway measuring cup, cup, stirring sticks, cheap paint brushes (you need one for each mixture)
Precut strips of fiberglass. Do a pre-fit for the top, sides and bottom. Cut two sets for each side. I added two layers.
Make sure lights are installed. If you have early edition headlights and the new slim line backside covers you will need trim them first. In this picture my lights were removed. Set the new cover over the lights and through the mounting bolts. Mark the border of the cover. Remove the cover and apply removable painter tape. Make sure there is tape spanning under the cover and around the border. The resin will be wet and drip. You will want the resin and fiberglass to stay on the tape so that the cover can be removed. Add enough tape so the width is about 5 inches around and under the cover.
I’m missing a photo here. Basically, you will want to take the new slim line cover and measure up the side about 1.5-2 inches from the base and draw a line/ring around the entire cover so that the ring/line is about 1.5-2 inches above the base. Then add painters tape above the line (this will protect the cover from the new fiberglass so that you can remove the tape later). Then take sand paper or a Dremal and sand within the 1.5-2 inch section. Sand the gelcoat away. This is for the fiberglass to stick. The next photo displays the ~border height.
<Photo Missing>
Attach the cover and bolt down. Mix the resin and hardener. Brush the mixture on the side of the cover and on the tape. Add the first layer of fiberglass. Press down. Brush on more hardener. Let dry and then sand with 80 grit paper to rough up. Clean dust and add another layer.
Take time to slowly remove the cover. The tape will remain imbedded into the fiberglass. Try to peal away as much tape as possible. Take heavy duty cutters or the Dremal and cut away the excess.
Here is how it may look. I later trimmed more of the new flange/lip
Test cover and trim more if needed.
I then painted the sides and underside of the cover for the final install.
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