Major fibreglass repair - new TVR back end. Recommendations

[notax]

I recently sold my Chimaera to a friend who sadly spun it into a tree two weeks later

Fortunately he is ok, but the car was witten off. I have now agreed to buy it back from the insurer as I couldn't bare to see it scrapped. I have a fantastic bodyshop lined up to fully respray the car but need someone to fit an entire rear quarter or possibly entire back end to the car. Can you make any recommedations?

[danyeates]

I'd speak to some of the marine fibreglass specialists. We use Quayside Marine in Lymington, their work is very good, but can be very expensive. Otherwise the glass guys at Scorpion RIBs, also in Lymington are very good.

[V8 FOU]

Curley Mouldings in Marden near Maidstone. Ian Curley is a petrolhead and does some racing. He is very good at these sorts of jobs. 01892-730948

[nick1275]

Kng developments at b'mth airport, does lots of automotive stuff

[notax]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll get calling on Monday - which I've just heard is when the car is being delivered to me. It will be the first time I get to see it post accident...

[Mark.]

Liphook Coachworks put a new rear end on mine when a Fiesta rearranged it - they did a good job too - can't even see the join

Might be worth a call but I seem to remember someone saying they had gone in to liquidation - but can't be sure.

[mgbond]

Washington coachworks worthing way

[mikeveal]

DIY.
Depending on the extent of the damage, it's not that difficult, just time consuming.

Stabilise the damage from the outside by rivetting bits of ally sheet, angle, woodwork - what ever is needed to get the bits to line back up. If the car is too damaged to do this with - forget DIY.

Now work on the inside. Rub down with 60 grit paper then add several layers of chopped strand mat, start with 40gsm tissue, let it dry and rub down again. Then add 4 or four layers of 80gsm, wet on wet.

Go back to the outside, remove your stabilising material, sand back any edges so that they're beneath the surface, break out a can of body filler and patch the hole. When you're close to the surface, stop using generic filler and use top stopper.

Then take it to yor painters...

But, make sure that they bake the car for several hours BEFORE they paint it, then get them to re fill and sand the surface. You'll find that gel coat and filler can have small air bubbles near the surface. If you don't do this, the bubbles will expand and pop either when they bake the paint or on the first really sunny day. You'll be left with a tiny crater in the paint work.

HTH

[notax]

Thanks Mike, sadly I don't have time to tackle the work myself and I'm pretty confident that the finish wouldn't be something to be proud of anyway! The car is being delivered back to me today and I hope to find a few people to come over and give me estimates. I have a good paintshop, it is just the fibreglass work that I need to get sorted. Again, any Southampton area suggestions welcome

[mikeveal]

notax said:

Thanks Mike, sadly I don't have time to tackle the work myself and I'm pretty confident that the finish wouldn't be something to be proud of anyway! The car is being delivered back to me today and I hope to find a few people to come over and give me estimates. I have a good paintshop, it is just the fibreglass work that I need to get sorted. Again, any Southampton area suggestions welcome

I don't know of anyone I'm afraid.

Try ringing CFS (Cornish Fibreglass Supplies) and asking if they can recommend anyone. They may well be selling material to someone local.

Make sure your pantshop know about the pre bake - it's a fibre glass specific thing, most paint shops aren't aware.

[Alex]

http://www.beegeecoachcraft.co.uk/

Specialists in TVR and GRP repairs. They did a much better job on my Griff than Liphoop Coachworks did (both 10 years ago).

[notax]

Alex said:

http://www.beegeecoachcraft.co.uk/

Specialists in TVR and GRP repairs. They did a much better job on my Griff than Liphoop Coachworks did (both 10 years ago).

Thanks, looks like exactly the company I need and not a million miles away

[Hoonigan]

mikeveal said:

Make sure your pantshop know about the pre bake.