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Trying to cover the 3ft by 4ft hole in my roof by fiber glassing it shut. Need help!

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4g64fiero

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
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I tried to fiberglass the hole by stretching the material tight but it eventually sags while drying, I also tried to back the material with insulation foam but the foam shrunk and the fiber glassed sagged again while drying.

I'm generally confused as to what the best way to go about this would be. I would just make a mold if I had another 2g, but I dont.

Also, how many layers of fiber glass should I use? How much resin for each sheet? It seems the more resin I use the harder the fiberglass, ofcourse.
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
Sean485 said:
Why not just buy a roof skin from mitsu? I don't belive they are too terribly priced compared to the pita of what your trying to do.

Sean.
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Well Sean, I didn't know that you could do that. So thanks a lot for the advice. I will look into it.

Does anyone know where I can get a giant styro foam block?
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
OK I just emailed jnz tuning about the roof skin, I will see what they have to say.

I still want to fiber glass it because the fiber glass is SO much lighter than what was there before.
 
#5 ·
You could... get a large piece of glass. Then lay your cloth on that and apply resin. Make it a couple layers. Once dry peal/pry it off the glass. It should release and then cut it to size. It should be a bit flexable so you can maybe get it to curve. Put the glass side up and it'll be as smooth as glass. Just a random thought. I'd just try and find a roof skin. I do believe you can get it. I've seen someone on Tuners do it I think. It was a gunmetal grey talon that had a lotta power.
 
#6 ·
Even if you get a few layers of glass to lay up there, how are you going to attach it?Fiberglass will expand differently then steel. On a hot day it MAY separate. At the least its going to swell and show the seam the whole way around the roof. Espeically being on the roof where a large amount of sun will always be beating the hell out of it. Only way to fix that is to reskin it.
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
15psi88 said:
Even if you get a few layers of glass to lay up there, how are you going to attach it?Fiberglass will expand differently then steel. On a hot day it MAY separate. At the least its going to swell and show the seam the whole way around the roof. Espeically being on the roof where a large amount of sun will always be beating the hell out of it. Only way to fix that is to reskin it.
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I was going to rivet the fiberglass to the top or possibly make the fiber glass detachable so I could to a targa top when I wanted too.


But seriously, anyone know where I can buy a 4ft by 4ft by 1 ft block of foam?
 
#10 ·
4g64fiero said:
Does anyone know where I can get a giant styro foam block?
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Probably at the styrofoam factory :D




Just bustin your balls bro, but if you don't mind me asking, what happened to your roof?
 
Discussion starter · #11 ·
thewombis said:
chop the rear windows out, make a spyder. only drive on nice day. bingo.
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Thats pretty funny but pay attention to rule #7. Make sure to capitalise the beginning of sentences, its kinda a big deal around here.

2damslo said:
you could cut a pice of cardboard to the shape of the hole and use it as a backer then just rip it of when you get as many layers on there as you want
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I havent tried this because I dont believe its possible to shape the cardboard right. But what the hell, I have nothing to lose by trying it.

Don Boosted said:
Probably at the styrofoam factory :D




Just bustin your balls bro, but if you don't mind me asking, what happened to your roof?
Click to expand...
Where the hell is the styrofoam factory?! lol

I happened to my roof, Don Boosted, I happened. :mad:
 
#12 ·
I've seen foam insulation stacked in layers and shaved to the shape needed. Glue it together with hot glue. Try to find steel rivets if you can. Aluminum rivets into steel, under fiberglass or plastic filler is gonna cause problems down the road.
 
#15 ·
If you have the original roof skin I would use that to make the mold. If you use glass it will be a flat surface which wouldnt look too good. Styrofoam would be the right choice but a piece that big?Maybe you can get smaller pieces of styrofoam and use it as a rib for the roof to keep it from sagging until it hardens.
 
#16 ·
You can use extruded polystyrene foam. Layer it up and then shape it to the contours of the roof area your gonna work on.

Once your happy with the shape your good to go. You will have your base to make a layered mold from.

The foam won't need to be perfect. Close, Yes, but not perfect. Once you have your base formed then you know the rest. Protect the foam, cover it, whatever you want to do so it it's not in direct contact with your materials being used. Work with your fiberglass to achieve your final product.

As for the foam............ You can get half sheets (2x8)etc. with different thickness's at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. Use these sheets to "build" your base from.
 
#17 ·
Care to explain how exactly you went about getting a 3x4 hole in your roof? Lol, an angry day and a sawzall?

As for your foam question, try joan's fabric or a store called michael's. Joan's carries very large pieces of foam that you can use. As for your rivet idea, I would stay away from it. When the metal heats up it might pull away from the center and in turn pull the riverts straight through the fiberglass. Or it could cause waves to form in the sheetmetal. Find a junked 1g in the yard and cut its roof off and either weld it in yourself or have someone weld it in for you.
 
Discussion starter · #20 ·
harry99GSX said:
You can use extruded polystyrene foam. Layer it up and then shape it to the contours of the roof area your gonna work on.

Once your happy with the shape your good to go. You will have your base to make a layered mold from.

The foam won't need to be perfect. Close, Yes, but not perfect. Once you have your base formed then you know the rest. Protect the foam, cover it, whatever you want to do so it it's not in direct contact with your materials being used. Work with your fiberglass to achieve your final product.

As for the foam............ You can get half sheets (2x8)etc. with different thickness's at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. Use these sheets to "build" your base from.
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Thats good advice, Imight try that if I dont buy the cover.
SionGrey66 said:
Care to explain how exactly you went about getting a 3x4 hole in your roof? Lol, an angry day and a sawzall?
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Angry day with an angle grinder :(.
TrboANTsi said:
If you have the original roof skin I would use that to make the mold. If you use glass it will be a flat surface which wouldnt look too good. Styrofoam would be the right choice but a piece that big?Maybe you can get smaller pieces of styrofoam and use it as a rib for the roof to keep it from sagging until it hardens.
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I dont have an original that is in good enough shape, unfortunately.

94wcode said:
I was gonna suggest using wood to make ribs across that hole, so you can still have the contour of the roof. Mount them from the underside and pull them out when the fiberglass settles.
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This is a good idea but I dont have measurements for the ribs and it seems like the fiberglass would sag in between them.
 
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