Front spoiler repair
Discussion
Hi peeps..Well ive bitten the bullet and decided to take off the spoiler and try to sort the repair out..Ive cut all the rough stuff off and im going to reinforce the chunk i cut out and glass over the backside of it..Then polyester filler over the top..Prime and paint..At least thats the theory..Ive also cleaned up all the scuffs and chips as i might as well do them while im at it..Im going to attempt to drill out the cut outs for the fog lights with a hole saw..Any tips would be appreciated..Should i cover the area in tape first?..I think the toughest bit is the bit underneath the front grille as that has to be done outside..Cheers..Ziga
Phew!!..I feel really tall..(High)..By the way how do you get that crud of your hands!!..It feels like they are covered in superglue..Well ive managed to stick the chunk in by taping it across the top and filling behind it..Next job is to fill it on the outside..Ziga
Edited by mrzigazaga on Wednesday 30th November 18:00
There used to be special handcleaner for GRP resin, 'cos, as you say, it's bl**dy tough to remove.
It was bright blue, and almost runny, and you worked it into your skin and under the GRP.
I tend to use aluminium sheet for GRP work - it can be clamped over holes for support, and GRP doesn't stick to it well, so you can [GENTLY] release it when the grp has partly gone hard (it's called 'gone green' apparently in the trade).
To get the strongest result, you need to glass from both the back and the front if possible, so the 'ends' of the original are sandwiched in the new stuff. Then filler over the top, etc.
I've used the woven stuff for repairs, it's almost like cotton sheet, much less messy, and strong too, although it cost a bit more, it works well for holes.
It was bright blue, and almost runny, and you worked it into your skin and under the GRP.
I tend to use aluminium sheet for GRP work - it can be clamped over holes for support, and GRP doesn't stick to it well, so you can [GENTLY] release it when the grp has partly gone hard (it's called 'gone green' apparently in the trade).
To get the strongest result, you need to glass from both the back and the front if possible, so the 'ends' of the original are sandwiched in the new stuff. Then filler over the top, etc.
I've used the woven stuff for repairs, it's almost like cotton sheet, much less messy, and strong too, although it cost a bit more, it works well for holes.
If you continue with that plan it'll only be a short term repair. Or is this just to move it on before you buy a 350i? Start of by using a sanding disc on an angle grinder and grind all of those sharpedges and cracks out. Then use more matting and fibreglass to fill in from the front.
JR said:
....Start of by using a sanding disc on an angle grinder and grind all of those sharpedges and cracks out. Then use more matting and fibreglass to fill in from the front.
Yep, as JR says, to do properly you need to sort the cracks, AND glass from the front (I said that above). The problem is that the GRP flexes in normal service and the filler doesn't, so cracks tend to reopen, and just glassing the back can break off.What I have done in the past is to asses where the cracks go around the obvious damage (and you do need to check closely), and then add several extra layers of GRP on the back right across the whole area, inc. the cracks. The idea is to stiffen the whole area. Then feather in the damage with sander, and put GRP in from the front of the hole (assuming there is one). If you're lucky you can then get away with grinding into the cracks to make a 'V' and filling those. Sometimes though they still crack afterwards. If you have the space behind, use a rolled up newspaper as a former and glass over it to make a 3D structure, which is MUCH MUCH stronger.
Real exprience - when I bought my Vixen S3, I noticed the driver's rear quarter had obviously been filled, as it wasn't quite 'flat' in the paint. After I had a more serious accident (NOT MY FAULT !) which buggered up all the front chassis (got brand new bonnet - good, but bodged up chassis - bad)
I decided to rebuild it because chassis was rotten in several places.
I discovered the rear quarter had been bodged up up with the big pieces of GRP, joined with strips of aluminium and pop rivets and filled over the top. (AARRGH!!)
I have rebuilt the whole quarter properly now, and learned a lot in doing it. Got photos somewhere...
Edited by RCK974X on Thursday 1st December 05:00
Edited by RCK974X on Thursday 1st December 05:04
Thanks for the advice chaps..This is my first attempt at repairing fibreglass and by the sound of it i havent done it right!!..If the filler starts to crack and fall out then i will just buy another spoiler..At least i should have some paint left once i have colour matched..I will put a few more layers on the back to strengthen it..You lives and learns..Cheers..Ziga
Yep Zig, listen to the advice you are getting.....
Get some latex gloves.
Acetone to glean up.
To glamp bits in place while glassing use a straight piece of wood with selotape on it so it will reliece easy.
You will have to V out the front and strengthen with some choppy.
And, if you have room you can bed in with bog a piece of ally flat bar with holes drilled in it behind the repair and then glass over it sealing it in nice and strong.
Good luck
Oh and if you are drilling holes a hole saw will go blunt real quick unless it a diamond one, you can clean up the hole with a spyro band in a drill, if you need to glass back from the hole to mount the lights use a bit of PVC pipe wax it so it will release, poke it in the hole glass around it then break out the PVC you can then radius the front edge of the hole and refine with bog.
Hope that makes sence.
Adam
Get some latex gloves.
Acetone to glean up.
To glamp bits in place while glassing use a straight piece of wood with selotape on it so it will reliece easy.
You will have to V out the front and strengthen with some choppy.
And, if you have room you can bed in with bog a piece of ally flat bar with holes drilled in it behind the repair and then glass over it sealing it in nice and strong.
Good luck
Oh and if you are drilling holes a hole saw will go blunt real quick unless it a diamond one, you can clean up the hole with a spyro band in a drill, if you need to glass back from the hole to mount the lights use a bit of PVC pipe wax it so it will release, poke it in the hole glass around it then break out the PVC you can then radius the front edge of the hole and refine with bog.
Hope that makes sence.
Adam
..Ive actually nearly done it but have used filler albeit as little as i could..It should be ok?..Besides it will probably be grief removing the filler now!!.Cheers..Ziga
Hi Peeps..Well the last thin layer of filler is on and being rubbed down today, Hopefully primed to see any fault lines..Ive opted out of putting the foglights in the spoiler because of the angle they would sit at..I also sorted the bit under the car, Looks a bit naff but it wont be seen as the spoiler covers it..Cheers..Ziga
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