Molding question?

[7M-GTE]

anyone every filled in the molding... like taken it out and used body filler to just make it smooth... I'm sure someone's done it... if so does anyone have any pics... c\ I'm thinkin about doin it to my car... as I have to do some minor body work anyways on the car and then have the whole car repainted... so I thought why not make it smooth...



Oh yeah... I was also wondering if any of you guys would have any suggestions for the filling when I get to the rear of the car with the turbo and supra emblems... I was thinkin about leaving that part of the molding... but I'm not sure... I haven't figured a way around that...

 

[TONY!]

anyone every filled in the molding... like taken it out and used body filler to just make it smooth... I'm sure someone's done it... if so does anyone have any pics......

Is this what you are talking about?

http://www.bicperformance.com/body.htm
It belongs to one of our members (BecauseIcan)
It is cool to see something different like that.

 

[7M-GTE]

oh so he molded it all the way around the back also... hmm... thats going to cause a prolem for me... seeing as I want to keep the turbo emblem and the supra emblem... I'll find a way around it... but thank you for the pix... and is he on here... maybe he could give me a few suggestions...

 

[becauseican]

Thas my car. I am a Autobody tech, and I did all the work myself. It was alot of work, it took me about two months and 200+ hours to do, and about 40-60 hours into Paint and prep. I welded in strips of metal and fabbed pieces for the areas by the tail lights and around the rear tire area. When you take the moldings off, there isnt really anything undernieth, so I had to make it out of sheet metal. I then appplied a skim coat of body filler to smooth it out. When I find some spare time, I will do a full writeup on my website with pics on the process.

DO NOT just use body filler or fiberglass, it will crack and chunks will fall of in under a year. There is just way too much material there to fill to use filler. I have seen a few guys that cheaped out and used filler, it was cracking everywhere.

 

[7M-GTE]

oh ok... so I should have pieces of sheet metal welded into the area first... I've got a buddy that can help me out with that... thank you for letting me know that... I was about to just go ahead and use body filler for the whole thing... that would have sucked...

 

[wulfstan]

7M-GTE: Just a quick question about your sig. What's up with the front left wheel? Did you do a right to left swap to even out tire wear? Just wondering, cuz I thought it was off and I couldn't figure out why until I looked closely at the wheels. Looks nice though, with all the white moldings. If you decide to fully fill those moulding I would love dibs on the existing moulding. hehehe.

 

[robbo185]

7M-GTE: Just a quick question about your sig. What's up with the front left wheel? Did you do a right to left swap to even out tire wear? Just wondering, cuz I thought it was off and I couldn't figure out why until I looked closely at the wheels. Looks nice though, with all the white moldings. If you decide to fully fill those moulding I would love dibs on the existing moulding. hehehe.

i call dibs on your molding then
haha

 

[7M-GTE]

the owner before me did the wheels... and the molding I have is what you see in the sig... I was involved in an accident with a f**king volvo that totaled out both cars... but there was only like 600 miles on a brand new drivetrain... but I'm giong to go ahead and find the rest of the molding and go that route... maybe later on down the road I'll do the filling...

 

[IJ.]

The second I read the question I thought "Randy's car is a perfect example of how to do it right!"

Good to see I'm not the only one!

 

[PynkEye]

ya do it the right way or not at all, ive seen many people shave doors with fiberglass and filler, and it always gets outlined (you see the door lever outline) and cracks in no time.

BecauseICan, real sweet job there dude, love the look, looks like the curb on a womens body all smooth and sooooo seexxy

 

[socc924]

Does anybody accually personally know some one who has put fiberglass to fill most of it and the smoothed it out with filler??? I mean I hear people always saying that it will crack but I think they just are repeating "what they heard" where ever that was from. It just the way I look at it, fiberglass sticks great to metal. I dont see why it would just crack. I understand that putting all filler might crack cause thats a lot of filler. I mean with fiberglass, its like less than a 1/2 inch of fiberglass. Thats not too many layers. Im no expert but I have worked with fiberglass and it is pretty durable stuff. Im just looking for some valid or proven experience with filling it in with fiberglass

 

[becauseican]

I have seen two cars in person that have just filled the lines, it doesnt look good. I have lots of experiance in body work and Fiberglass, and it is not a good idea. With all the virations while driving and the slamming of the heavy doors it wont take much time at all. The metal and fiberglass expand and contract at very different rates and amounts which can cause cracks. Also fiber glass always have air bubbles inside which will bleed through once it is painted. On the doors it would be about 1/2" thick and up to 1-2 " under the tail lights and at the front fenders. It might look good from far, but far from good!!

 

[socc924]

I see.. its just I alaways hear people saying fiberglass will crack but they never seemed to know how they know it. I mean logically I was just thinking that they have made whole bodies out of fiberglass, so if it broke that easy the cars would just fall apart. Thanks alot for your experience. And by the way, when you say you saw 2 cars with it just filled in, was that with body filler? Thanks

 

[PynkEye]

My friend did his door handles with fiberglass and filler over it, and still managed to crack, plus if you have winter, its even worst, temperaturs play a role from what ive heard.

Fiberglass is much ''crispier or harder'' then plastic, if putting any kind of product to fill in, i suggest Bumper Epoxy, since its flexible and shit...but damn..thatd be just dumb lol...but since its flexible..even with vibration, it would take torsion and shock better...it would probably be better than fiber or plastic...correct me if im wrong BecauseIcan.

 

[Jeff Lange]

The only way I'd ever consider doing it is welding in new metal, there's no point doing it any other way if you want the car to last.

Becauseican welded in new metal.