shaving with metal or fiberglass?

hollywood_240sx · Oct 11, 2005

Well seeing as I like things that are shaved, I took the stupid and pointless foam spoiler off my car and I need to fill the holes left behind. Seeing as there was no rust, should I spot weld the holes in and risk warping the thin metal, or should I fiberlglass the holes in and make it smooth.

If I do the weld, it will take grinding which could warp the metal if the welding doesn't, and it will also take a bit more body filler to smooth it out.

If I fiberglass, it will take minimal body filler. However the temperature range in my city goes from -40 to 120 throughout the year, not all at once of course, but would the differnce between seasons lead to a crack from expansion?

darowdyestazn · Oct 11, 2005

weld it u'll be glad u did later on..if u fiberglass it theres a chance it will crack down the line...its all up to u tho..have fun

Juggernaut · Oct 11, 2005

Fiberglass will most likely crack because the hatch/trunk flexes so much and unless you are really careful everytime you shut it. I shaved the holes in my hatch by welding and grinding, and I used very little bondo. Just go slow and steady.

tallic_red240sx · Oct 11, 2005

I would recommend just picking up a spoilerless hatch at a junkyard or somewhere.

dopeassjackson · Oct 11, 2005

use metal and use a sanding wheel on your little die grinder it shouldnt warp the metal.

Marc-OS · Oct 11, 2005

I used fiberglass to fill holes in my hatch on one of my old cars. Had it for at least 8 months being opened and slammed shut daily. No cracking at all, freezing or blazing hot, no difference.

nrg · Oct 12, 2005

you weld the holes shut. Cut a square metal plate and weld it on the underside. Then use fiberglass and fill in the holes. sand it down, primer, prep, paint.
I shaved my stupid holes off on my trunk before getting painted.

or you can weld it shut like so, then fill in the top hole with tons of weld. sand down the metal, use body filler, prep, paint.

Guest · Oct 12, 2005

weld it. i wish i had.

hollywood_240sx · Oct 12, 2005

Alright sounds like this one is pretty unanamous, I have access to a welder, but not for a while. I was just getting a bit ansy and seeing if I could find a shortcut. I can't wait to get my sandblaster working... then you're all in for a long ass thread full of pics.

nrg - that is exactly what I was thinking of doing, just not sure if it was the right way to do it.

Jjaeger240 · Oct 12, 2005

Cut out sections up to a quarter inch excess over where the rust ends (to ensure you have cut out all rust and it won't spead anymore). Spot weld plates in where you cut out the holes. Grind the plates and welds down and smooth them out til it's as smooth as you can get it. Take some bondo and fully smooth that bitch out. Done.

Run a full bead if you don't plan to bondo. You won't need any better than a MIG.

hollywood_240sx · Oct 13, 2005

well the rust is just surface rust, i figure if I sandblast all the rust off so that I cannot physically see it anymore I will be good smoothing it out with body filler and painting over it.

shaving with metal or fiberglass?

hollywood_240sx

darowdyestazn

Juggernaut

tallic_red240sx

dopeassjackson

Marc-OS

nrg

Guest

hollywood_240sx

Jjaeger240

hollywood_240sx

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