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How to Fabricate Automotive Fiberglass & Carbon Fiber Parts
The photos in this edition are black and white.
Fiberglass and composite parts are commonly used in many collector cars, hot rods, Corvettes, and even late-model vehicles. Body panels, interior components, and engine parts are fabricated from fiberglass and composite materials (plastic molded or carbon fiber). While other fiberglass and composite material books have been published, few are focused on fabricating and repairing automotive parts, and this book concentrates on completing common and advanced projects at home in the garage.
The reader is shown how to use glass strand mat, woven fiberglass cloth, carbon fiber cloth, and hybrid fabrics for particular applications. The strength of these mats and ideal uses are covered in detail. Also shown is how to correctly mix the typical resins (polyester, epoxy), hardeners, and gels. Core materials, such as wood, foam, and honeycomb Nomex, are often used to add strength to various parts. All the relevant tools, including mixing containers, holding containers, saws, scissors, files, and shaping tools, are discussed. Constructing patterns to exacting standards from wood, Formica, aluminum, and other materials is essential and covered in detail.
Whether repairing existing components, fabricating new ones, building a race car, or restoring a classic, this is the one book to guide the reader through each critical stage.
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Introduction
Chapter 1: Fiberglass Overview
What is Fiberglass?
What is a Composite?
Choosing Your First Fiberglass Project
Restoring Classic Fiberglass Cars
Dune Buggies and Custom Fiberglass Cars
Replicas and Kit Cars
A Word about Boats and Planes
How Does Fiberglass Work?
Fiberglass Safety
Chapter 2: Safety Gear, Relevant Tools and Workshop
Safety Gear
Fire Safety
First-Aid Kit
Personal Safety
Fiberglassing Supplies
Tools
Hand Tools
Electric Power Tools
Using Air Tools
Creating a Good Fiberglassing Workshop
Chapter 3: Fiberglass Cloth, Mats, Resins and Composite Materials
Types of Fiberglass
Fiberglass Resins and Catalysts
Polyester Resins
Epoxy Resins
Casting Resins
Project: Basic Fiberglass Layup
Fiberglass Fillers, Pigments and Gel Coat
Composite Materials
Using Pre-Preg Carbon Fiber
Chapter 4: Basic and Advanced Repairs
Reinforcing Your Repairs
Cold Layup Composites
Fiberglass and Composite Repair Projects
Project: Making Simple Repairs to Gel Coat
Project: Making Simple Crack Repairs to Fiberglass
Project: Repair a Crack in a Corvette’s Bodywork
Advanced Project: Fixing Holes in Fiberglass
Advanced Project: Making Fiberglass Seam Repairs
Making Repairs with HyperFiber
Project: Reinforce and Repair with HyperFiber
Chapter 5: Pattern and Mold Making
Patterns
Bucks
Molds
Captive Forms
Creating Fiberglass Molds
Project: Create a Buck/Mold and Make Several Cobra Cockpit Wedges
Project: Fabricate a Ford Model T Roadster Dashboard
Chapter 6: Professional Composite Operations
Beginning with an Idea
Creating the Buck
Making the Mold
Creating the Final Part
Patterning the Carbon Fiber
Matching the Carbon Fiber Weave
Adding the Supporting Core
Finishing the Layup
Baking the Carbon Fiber
Carbon Fiber Structural Parts & High-Stress Applications
The Fabrication Process
Testing the Parts
Safety and Stress
Chapter 7: Plastics and Composite Vehicle Repair
Vintage Plastic Cars
Modern Plastic Cars
Identifying Plastic Body Parts
Repairing Plastic Parts with Fiberglass
Project: Repair a Plastic Spoiler using Fiberglass
Repairing Plastic Parts with Welding
Types of Plastic Welding Rods
Practice: Basic Plastic Welding Technique
Plastic Tack Welding
Practice: One-Sided Plastic Welds
Practice: Two-Sided Welds
Plastic Welder Maintenance
Repairing Plastic Mounting Tabs
Repairing Plastic Parts with Glue
Project: Repair an Automotive Bumper
Working with Sheet Plastic
Project: Make a Set of Rally Mud Flaps out of HDPE
Plastic Aerodynamic Devices
Chapter 8: Prepping and Painting Fiberglass and Composite Materials
Equipment
Airbrush
Prep Work
Gel Coat
Paint
Painting Carbon Fiber
Glossary
Source Guide
The photos in this edition are black and white.
Fiberglass and composite parts are commonly used in many collector cars, hot rods, Corvettes, and even late-model vehicles. Body panels, interior components, and engine parts are fabricated from fiberglass and composite materials (plastic molded or carbon fiber). While other fiberglass and composite material books have been published, few are focused on fabricating and repairing automotive parts, and this book concentrates on completing common and advanced projects at home in the garage.
The reader is shown how to use glass strand mat, woven fiberglass cloth, carbon fiber cloth, and hybrid fabrics for particular applications. The strength of these mats and ideal uses are covered in detail. Also shown is how to correctly mix the typical resins (polyester, epoxy), hardeners, and gels. Core materials, such as wood, foam, and honeycomb Nomex, are often used to add strength to various parts. All the relevant tools, including mixing containers, holding containers, saws, scissors, files, and shaping tools, are discussed. Constructing patterns to exacting standards from wood, Formica, aluminum, and other materials is essential and covered in detail.
Whether repairing existing components, fabricating new ones, building a race car, or restoring a classic, this is the one book to guide the reader through each critical stage.
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Introduction
Chapter 1: Fiberglass Overview
What is Fiberglass?
What is a Composite?
Choosing Your First Fiberglass Project
Restoring Classic Fiberglass Cars
Dune Buggies and Custom Fiberglass Cars
Replicas and Kit Cars
A Word about Boats and Planes
How Does Fiberglass Work?
Fiberglass Safety
Chapter 2: Safety Gear, Relevant Tools and Workshop
Safety Gear
Fire Safety
First-Aid Kit
Personal Safety
Fiberglassing Supplies
Tools
Hand Tools
Electric Power Tools
Using Air Tools
Creating a Good Fiberglassing Workshop
Chapter 3: Fiberglass Cloth, Mats, Resins and Composite Materials
Types of Fiberglass
Fiberglass Resins and Catalysts
Polyester Resins
Epoxy Resins
Casting Resins
Project: Basic Fiberglass Layup
Fiberglass Fillers, Pigments and Gel Coat
Composite Materials
Using Pre-Preg Carbon Fiber
Chapter 4: Basic and Advanced Repairs
Reinforcing Your Repairs
Cold Layup Composites
Fiberglass and Composite Repair Projects
Project: Making Simple Repairs to Gel Coat
Project: Making Simple Crack Repairs to Fiberglass
Project: Repair a Crack in a Corvette’s Bodywork
Advanced Project: Fixing Holes in Fiberglass
Advanced Project: Making Fiberglass Seam Repairs
Making Repairs with HyperFiber
Project: Reinforce and Repair with HyperFiber
Chapter 5: Pattern and Mold Making
Patterns
Bucks
Molds
Captive Forms
Creating Fiberglass Molds
Project: Create a Buck/Mold and Make Several Cobra Cockpit Wedges
Project: Fabricate a Ford Model T Roadster Dashboard
Chapter 6: Professional Composite Operations
Beginning with an Idea
Creating the Buck
Making the Mold
Creating the Final Part
Patterning the Carbon Fiber
Matching the Carbon Fiber Weave
Adding the Supporting Core
Finishing the Layup
Baking the Carbon Fiber
Carbon Fiber Structural Parts & High-Stress Applications
The Fabrication Process
Testing the Parts
Safety and Stress
Chapter 7: Plastics and Composite Vehicle Repair
Vintage Plastic Cars
Modern Plastic Cars
Identifying Plastic Body Parts
Repairing Plastic Parts with Fiberglass
Project: Repair a Plastic Spoiler using Fiberglass
Repairing Plastic Parts with Welding
Types of Plastic Welding Rods
Practice: Basic Plastic Welding Technique
Plastic Tack Welding
Practice: One-Sided Plastic Welds
Practice: Two-Sided Welds
Plastic Welder Maintenance
Repairing Plastic Mounting Tabs
Repairing Plastic Parts with Glue
Project: Repair an Automotive Bumper
Working with Sheet Plastic
Project: Make a Set of Rally Mud Flaps out of HDPE
Plastic Aerodynamic Devices
Chapter 8: Prepping and Painting Fiberglass and Composite Materials
Equipment
Airbrush
Prep Work
Gel Coat
Paint
Painting Carbon Fiber
Glossary
Source Guide
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