Body prep

[boxhead]

Hey there guys, I have removed the body hopefully for the last time and will be starting work on the underside in about 4 weeks time (going away)

My first question is -
Looking at the pics I have included you can see where the floor meets the body work and where the firewall meets the turret there is a gap, although this can not be seen without getting into some unusual places when the body and chassis are together, I still know they are there and so I would like to get rid of them.
What is everyones recomendations on this point? Is it just a case of filling the gaps with fibreglass and sanding back? or should I be doing something different?
here are some pics. There are more in my gallery.
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My second question is - The drivers side sill has a distictive bow in it, what is the best way to remove this bow?
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Please throw any good advise up that you may have.
P.s I may not reply over the next 3 weeks as I will be away, but please comment so when I return I will have some idea.

[silverback]

we use duraglass and treat it as you would use caulking to seal around youre windows or bathtub in youre house. I f the seam is clean and easy to access you can use the plastic body filler applicators which are flexible enough to conform into a nice shape for applying the duraglass to the seam. bondo is a cheaper alternative to the duraglass but is not as strong and way more flexable I rather use duraglass.

[vettestr]

Hey Boxhead,
I do not know how your baby was made but for general info here goes. If you glass the floor tub to the body to create a sphere shape it makes it very strong and ridged. Boxing a frame compared to a C-channel frame is a loose comparision for the strength added. Some warped panels can be held straight as a benifit. If you can clamp or straighten a warped panel and then glass it in place it will then hold that shape if supported close enough to the warped edge.
Email me direct for brand or part number specifics. Wipe down with accetone to remove any mold wax. Sand or rough up with 24 or 36 grit right at seam area to give it a little bite. 2 or 3 " wide roll product is avilable for this but tearing 4 oz. mat into a 3 inch wide strip works well too. (on horizontal areas) Brush resin on surface and then place strip over seam and wet out. Repeat or apply to each side if possible.
Wet strip in general (it will have white areas not soaked in yet) and give a few momments to penetrate then come back and bush resin on until it becomes saturated completly. ( HINT - do not push mat into a 90 degree corner but allow a small radius)
On the vertical or overhead seams brush resin on area to be covered with mat strip and STOP here. When resin becomes tacky or about kicked or when mat sticks to the resin = apply the stips over sticky area and wet out as above. If mat falls on the floor you did not wait long enough or you waited to long ???

[Mando]

Hi Boxhead,
I tend to agree with you in fixing up the joins while you have the opportunity. The guy that fixed mine said the same thing as vettestr in leaving a small radius in the corner of the panels. I remember he first used a filler along the panel joins leaving a small radius which he later glassed over.
Are you planning to get to the Nationals this year?

Regards.

[boxhead]

No I wont be at the nationals,
It was borderline that I go but the thought of watching other cars go around while mine sits idle was too much to bare.

[Rebel1]

hey Boxhead, two questions before recommendations.

1. What is the edge of the firewall where it almost hits the underneath of the body.( where the gap is. Is it just a cut edge or is it a flange on the top of the firewall?.)

2. On the side of the body where it is bowed. Does the bow extend above the junction of the tub floor?. In other words....is the body straight along the line of where the inner tub is glassed to the body. ie. the bow is just in the sill .

Cheers

[boxhead]

Hey there Rebel, the join in the panel for the firewall is a butt type joint where the firewall is a cut edge that is glued/bonded to the turrent.

The sill panel is only bowed after where it joins the floor panel so I cant just cut the floor free and rebond it in a straighter position (If that is what you where thinking)

Thanks again to everyone for the advice.

[Leeroy]

I did not use any bonding material at all at these points. I assumed the body builder has done his job here

I pumped a mastic type gap filler recommended by my painter thoughout all joints and just ran my finger around to give a radius and seal any road water out.

[400TT]

Originally Posted by Mando

Hi Boxhead,
I remember he first used a filler along the panel joins leaving a small radius which he later glassed over.

There is a special filler that is compatible with fibreglass. It's a 2 part filler like most, but uses acetone, just like fibreglass, as the hardener. I used plenty of it to clean up panel joins etc on GT40. Also used it to give nice radius curves that can be glassed over. You can sand it to shape etc. Sorry can't remember what the filler is called.

[Rebel1]

Originally Posted by boxhead

Hey there Rebel, the join in the panel for the firewall is a butt type joint where the firewall is a cut edge that is glued/bonded to the turrent.

The sill panel is only bowed after where it joins the floor panel so I cant just cut the floor free and rebond it in a straighter position (If that is what you where thinking)

Thanks again to everyone for the advice.

Boxhead, I'm somewhat reluctant to fill the firewall seam with any type of bog and/or a fiberglass fillet.

Reason is that often these joins can pull/shrink as the body heats up in the sun and you get a noticable wrinkle in your paintwork.

I'd prefer the mastic/silicon solution as Leeroy mentioned.

As to the sill problem. I would use a heat gun to soften the glass and then clamp a straight edge along the sill to hold it while the thing cools. Several applications of heat/cooling cycles should get most of it out.

Cheers and best of luck.

[boxhead]

My Body is almost 3 years old now so I was thinking that all or any shrinkage may have allready happened, but I do agree that if there is a flexable filler then that could be the way to go, it probably doesnt even need any along the firewall as it is a close fit and with the motor in place it isnt visable anyway.

Rebel do you suggest I use a heat gun and clamp a steel bar along the underside of the sill and leave cool over night and do this for awhile and it might straighten out somewhat?
I nevere new this would work on fibreglass

[Rebel1]

It doesn't matter what age your body is Boxhead...any glassing you do now is new glassing so it will pull panels if you are not careful. If that join is not structural then the flex filler would be best.

Yep, you can reshape fiberglass with heat. Within limits of course. Essentially you are slightly "softening" the resin. The straight edge is to hold the sill straight whilst it cools to the new shape. You may not get it exact...but close enough to not have to use a $hitload of filler before ya paint.

I'd use a piece of timber as a straight edge as it wont cause a hot spot. I'd also wedge the sill a little beyond straight because it will spring back a little.

I had the exact problem on both my sills. They are now straight after 3 heat cycles.

[Aussie Mike]

My body is 38 years old and unfortunately there's no sign of any shrinkage, Quite the oposite actually.

Cheers

[Rebel1]

Mike, my body is considerably older than yours and often goes thru alternating heat and shrink cycles.

Sorry to hear about your affiction. Priapism can be very painful. Ya shouldn't swollow as many of those little blue pills