How to Fix | Repair Cracked Fiberglass Auto Body Panels

[@dismalfist]

I hope you do realise that the detail, process and explanation of this video start to finish is just perfect. SO informative and useful, thank you very very much sir.

[@LakesideAutobody]

You are so welcome - glad to hear that. I appreciate it :)

[@lawncuttingplusdelta]

Well said ! ….. I saw this repair 2 years ago , now I am binge watching all the playlists !! 💪🏻

[@mikesawyer4707]

Jerry I love it when a plan comes together. Great video demonstration. Take care.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks for the support Mike - have a good weekend my friend :)

[@patrickpeterman4890]

ANOTHER GREAT/INFORMATIVE VIDEO; I WISH I HAD MET YOU 50 YEARS AGO; I WOULD HAVE WORKED FOR NOTHING "JUST TO LEARN" GOD BLESS STAY SAFE; PATRICK.P

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks, I think I would have enjoyed working with you. God bless you too and stay safe :)

[@NateDogg_1975]

Awesome video. Never done repairs on fiberglass bodies before but at a job i need to from our drivers hitting tree limbs and cracking and damaging the fiberglass roofs. Appreciate your explanation of the whole process. Was very helpful.

[@LakesideAutobody]

You're welcome Nate. Glad it helped.

[@DanTheManIOM]

Hey, I know this guy ! And now, I am back for Fiberglass bumper repair on vanagon... for exterior, I am using the matt and hidden areas, the woven...

[@wigglyhootyhoo9077]

Great video for visual demonstration of fiberglass damage and repair. Recommend watching

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks 👍

[@timothy3727]

Thank you for sharing your videos I recently did a large repair on the corner of a cab that I would never have attempted 6 months ago

[@LakesideAutobody]

I'm happy to hear that - that kind of stuff makes my day. Love it 🔥🔥🔥🔥👍

[@rockharvey5787]

This is a great video, and I appreciate you choosing an extreme example to show us what can be done.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Glad you enjoyed it and I'm happy to hear you appreciate the serious damage repair even though this normally would be tossed.

[@DanTheManIOM]

that came out great, I am STILL waiting for warmer weather and dry weather to do this outside....or over at school to let the itchies there...

[@LakesideAutobody]

Wear some long sleeves :)

[@moparnut6286]

Nice work! the front ends of late 70s cars had a lot of fiberglass that got broken in accidents.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks _ have a great weekend :)

[@temirtaragay8932]

Great job with the reminder about safety. What grate of sandpaper did you use with long board?

[@LakesideAutobody]

Always 36 or 40 for rough sanding and 80 grit for finish sanding before primer 😊

[@kevinkenyon4078]

I still use lacquer primer easier to sand then 2k great video working for a used car dealer in the 70's they would use fiberglass cloth and Dura glass for rust repair on their cars for lot . Itchy stuff .

[@LakesideAutobody]

Good to hear - nothing wrong with lacquer primer if used correctly. My dad used that method for rust exclusively.

[@clarenceherron2562]

Can you use high build primer over lacquer primer

[@LakesideAutobody]

Lacquer primer is high build primer. If you are asking about spraying say polyester primer like feather fill or urethane primer surfacer - yes you can. If I didn't answer your ? ask again :)

[@clarenceherron2562]

Thanks a lot that was what I was needing to know

[@ronparker6489]

Well done sir. Very professional. I'll be trying to copy you on an old friends vehicle.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Feel free to ask any ?s along the way - I get to them once or twice a day :)

[@jeffruebens8355]

All the sanding takes skill- not sanding away too much. One tip is to add a non-rusting wire in the new channels, similar to the original steel brace, especially for very cold weather later.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Good idea - like an aluminum brace. Have a good week end :)

[@tomchristopher71]

Can you use lacquer primer under all types of paint?

[@LakesideAutobody]

Yes - it's cheap, builds fast, sands easy, doesn't harden in the cup so you can pour the unused portion back into the can, works great, doesn't shrink like most folks say (only if you use a pile of it to cover mistakes). I like it but a lot of folk would say no way - but that's today's thinking. Remember - in the old days lacquer primer is all there was and I used to go to all kinds of car shows - many perfect paint jobs back then.

[@firstgenerationgarage2803]

God bless you I have learned a lot by watching your Channel I am a good mechanic but I never attacked body work on a car so much watching your channel really have helped me I'm about to paint my 1969 Firebird next month using Rustoleum I also want to use enamel wet-look hardener I can understand if you will please tell me everything in ounces like how many ounce paint to how many ounce reducer to how many ounces hardener for the primer I use Rust-Oleum and I did 10 oz paint with 3 oz reducer and it sprayed awesome I really appreciate your help thank you

[@LakesideAutobody]

Glad to hear it. Keep at it - just like being a mechanic - the more you do it the better you get at it. That's a great looking car!

[@firstgenerationgarage2803]

@@LakesideAutobody thanks

[@nancycartagena7175]

I have 1990 red c4 i need to remove gloss on the hood .What do my husband need to get started

[@LakesideAutobody]

What exactly are you doing to the car? Painting it? Fixing cracks? You can send some pics to schoolvideolibrary at gmail dot com if you want - Jerry

[@chacebusness6451]

So the entire top of the trunk is fiberglass? I looking to repair my fiberglass front bumper but its like crumbling apart at the bottom from scraping the ground and dont know where to start on sanding it down to prep it so i can fix it. Any suggestions?

[@LakesideAutobody]

What kind of car do you have?

[@chacebusness6451]

@@LakesideAutobody nissan 350z with a 370z nismo front bumper thats fiberglass.

[@jeffdickson125]

Quite impressive man....been binge watchin your vids off and on all day

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks Jeff - glad to hear you are likin' the content :)

[@2121heatherh]

I'm new at this and I just put fiberglass on with cloth, and I see the cloth through it. Does that mean I need to add new layers?

[@LakesideAutobody]

That's OK if you see the "material" or fiberglass cloth through the resin. You can add as many layers of cloth as you need. Usually for bodywork it's around 3-4 layers. As long as they are saturated, you're fine :)

[@1951Roy]

Question, at 7:35 you show the top of trunk. How many layers of cloth had been applied?

[@LakesideAutobody]

I did four layers but you can do more or less. It's up to you - sort of depends on the extent of the damage. I always do at least 3 layers which would equal about 1/8 - 3/16 of an inch of fiberglass. The kitty hair filler and regular filler adds strength too.

[@br_spec]

Thanks for the detailed video, very helpful for when I do the body in my ‘81 Puma that has some cracks and delamination. Quick question - when you apply a thin coat of filler on top of the bondo hair, is that regular filler you use or do you need to use filler specific for fiberglass (more flexible)? Thanks!

[@LakesideAutobody]

Regular filler is fine over fiber glass. Glad you like the videos - you're welcome and have a good week :)

[@jeremymcnicol9585]

Once again made it look easy

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks Jeremy - have a good week :)

[@brimwild4454]

Hi! I've got an annoying stress crack the size of my palm around the top right of my 2000 Mustang GT, trying to watch videos to figure out how to repair it, every mechanic I've seen wants me to replace it instead (No way, even if I did have the money lol). From this video, it looks like I should sand the spot, apply resin, and then layer the fiberglass on, sand, and then paint? Complete beginner, and don't have access to power tools, so would love some help.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Is it on the trunk (deck lid) or the hood? What is the crack from? The way to fix it is "V" it out - like a wide V then use the fiberglass cloth and resin heck you might even get away with using bondo glass like in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIG3kph-ZZpppMk - sand, prime, paint. What state do you live in?

[@brimwild4454]

@@LakesideAutobody virginia. Its on the hood. The hood flew up while driving (bad hood latch, now repaired), and when i got it back down it had a jagged fractures near the driver side on the top of the hood. Thanks for the help

[@LakesideAutobody]

@@brimwild4454 You're welcome.

[@stevemaclean2009]

Thanks Jerry, I love your videos. I have question about the 1K glazing puddy you used. Is it acceptable to use this? I've used it several times but I get the sense it's frowned upon. Any guidance on when to use? I've used it to fill in small pin holes and scratches when I'm too lazy or tired to mix up more filler. Lol

[@LakesideAutobody]

It is frowned upon but a good thing to remember is that for about 50 years this is all there was for glazing putty then "thin bondo" came out. If you use it sparingly, you'll never have an issue. If you feel like you should be using filler - use it. That's the rule. Otherwise if it's a very shallow low spot or a chip or scratch - you'll be fine. It's fast, dries fast and works very well - will never shrink if used right :)

[@Okie-Tom]

Devilbiss MBC! I think I have one of those I used way back in the 70's If it's the same one I am thinking of! And You said you were using kitty hair. Was that from a short hair or long hair kitty? Lol? Your next video should be getting the hair from the cat! Oh Lordy! Ha! Yep, I use some that is called Gorilla hair! You get that fiberglass based filler with the fine chopped fiberglass fibers put on something it makes it hard as heck! Since it is waterproof it works great for little pinholes and weld seams. Years and years ago I helped a friend do the fiberglass on a vette that got hit in the rear quarter. Did it just about the way you showed here. We used some fiberglass mat to reinforce the repaired cracks. I think it was stronger than original! Keep up the good work! Tom

[@LakesideAutobody]

I'll bet it was! That stuff gets hard as a brick. I really hate using it because it's so hard to sand. Nice to hear from you again. Love the stories - Jerry

[@paulb9376]

Have you ever tried Upol Fiberal? Awesome stuff, and they make a "lite" version, you can feather the edge just like bondo

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks - I'll check it out.

[@SteveStoltz]

When that car is finished no one will believe that the quarter and deck lid are the originals.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks - have a great weekend. BTW, you've got an interesting channel - very cool :)

[@SteveStoltz]

Lakeside Autobody Thanks.

[@pl5624]

How was the inside sanded?

[@LakesideAutobody]

Either by hand or sandblaster for difficult contours :)

[@jaredburgett3679]

What do you reccomend for filler on SMC ? I have a 87 C4 Vette that has delamination and putting and cracking issues.

[@LakesideAutobody]

The are a variety of fillers for SMC such as SEM, UPOL, 3M I've had good luck with USC products i.e. - www.eastwood.com/usc-garage-smc-fiberglass-filler-77702-with-hardener.html

[@babyjesusbro420]

How do you reinforce it with a metal bar? And how to you rivet it in? Can you rent that tool at Home Depot

[@LakesideAutobody]

The metal bar was actually a factory part already inside the decklid - I just reused it. The rivet gun and rivets are cheap and you can get them at home depot, HF, or the local hardware - have a good weekend :)

[@gregk.6723]

There is epoxy that is used in boat repairs ( thixo epoxy ) works great on damage like you have. Also, use strand cloth ( not woven ).

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks for that information Greg - I'll remember that. Happy Holidays :)

[@ThePerfectSeason1972]

Greg K - I heard epoxy is better, but no one explains why.

[@heightsgolan8742]

@@ThePerfectSeason1972 auto industry uses epoxy type resin. that other dark color resin is not compatible. Yikes

[@fillmglass]

So which resin is best for fibreglass car repairs? I have some bits to do on my Ginetta. Thanks for video.

[@mickholgate3347]

Great video mate! Surprised to see you using acrylic system.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks 👍

[@donaldbaker6961]

Great work another very helpful video for me thank you 😊

[@LakesideAutobody]

You're welcome Don - have a good weekend :)

[@IFLYRC80]

What oz. weight cloth were you using for this repair?

[@LakesideAutobody]

It's Bondo Fiberglass Cloth - the only thing I found on the package is .20mm - pretty sure it's 6oz.

[@bobschallalcs584]

WHAT TYPE OF RESIN YOU USED I WAS TOLD REGULAR POLY OR EPOXY RESIN DO NOT STICK ON FIBER GLASS AUTO BODY?

[@LakesideAutobody]

It was regular fiberglass resin. I think there is some truth to the fact that regular resin is not the absolute best way to go but it worked and the car is still around town and looks fine. The material I think auto body panels are made of is SMC which is composed of fiber glass or carbon fibers. It's hard to tell what the panels are made of when working on lots of cars so do a test or two. If the fiberglass resin sticks - use it. If it doesn't, maybe try epoxy resin or www.myautovaluestore.com/fibreglass-evercoat/smc-fiberglass-resin-eve-864?gclid=CjwKCAjwu5yYBhAjEiwAKXk_eI_-e7Jeh6uO7X2w9eP9jaVGI0TCNWjrB8YATqx54koeS9EGNSo5yxoC9xEQAvD_BwE ☺

[@Mrgoodguy865]

Hi Jerry what type of car was that

[@LakesideAutobody]

That was a 2002 Mustang

[@anthonynguyen9254]

how long did i take to fix this

[@LakesideAutobody]

I'd say about 1/2 days work in total time put in. You have to stop to let the fiberglass harden :)

[@perillouss3506]

What did you do on the underside of the panel?

[@LakesideAutobody]

I have a mini DA sander and I cleaned it up best I could primed it and painted it with Dupli-Color (luckily they still carry the paint code) You can tell it was repaired but I bought the car for KZbin demos so I might keep it for myself. It drives beautifully - great stereo too called Mach Audio System from Ford - Loudest factory car stereo I've ever hear - hands down. I'll include a picture of it when I make a video on the final paint work. Jerry

[@KreatorOfDeath1985]

Wooo that's a lot of work. Can you just fix my hood for me? Haha

[@TATEXPRESSINC]

Great job on the video👍🏻

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks!

[@UndergroundPaintKing]

Great work as always Jerry!

[@LakesideAutobody]

Nice to hear from you UPK - have a good weekend :)

[@UndergroundPaintKing]

Lakeside Autobody thanks Jerry...have a great weekend!

[@budgieboy420]

Outstanding video. My hood flipped up on my M3 on the track due to pretty aggressive cornering on the exit of a chicane due to body flex (120mph exit speed). Snapped the hood struts, folded the hood back and the hood hinges snapped through the FG hood. I'm also installing secondary lock pins.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Glad it could help. Sounds like fun - racing an M3. Is it a stick shift? Don't know much about that type of racing.

[@DanTheManIOM]

I knew a guy, Gordy Fox, and his brother drove BMWs, his brother said, ain't nothing I can't break that money won't fix (relative to his car)....

[@ronparker6489]

P.S. My old friend (Vietnam vet) can't contact his insurance company for repairs as they (he thinks) wil cancel his insurance. He's probably right as he caused the damage. I'll be doing the work for free. Got duct tape holding things in place at the moment. Thanks again. Ron '

[@LakesideAutobody]

You're welcome - that's very nice of you to help the guy - very cool :)

[@almierz4604]

GOOD VIDEO. I need some fiberglass parts made can you recommend anyone in Michigan. Thanks

[@LakesideAutobody]

I don't know of anyone but one time I made a piece for the dashboard of a 1971 Dodge Charger. I eliminated the air conditioning so I had to make the piece with the air vents removed. Looked original - see this video - pics of the interior - you can barely see it on the passenger side dash board.

[@husky1232]

Nice job Jerry thank you for the video

[@LakesideAutobody]

You're welcome - always good to hear from you :)

[@Thebois94]

Incredible work!!

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks Joe - glad you appreciate it :)

[@efrainberrios8494]

That’s a real well explained video!, thanks for posting!, also I subscribe to your channel!

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks for subscribing Efrain - glad you liked it. Have a good weekend :)

[@JoelShorey]

great video, very helpful

[@LakesideAutobody]

Glad you liked it Joel :)

[@davidjohnmiller4849]

It’s NOT Fiberglass .... it’s SMC . Sheet Mould Compound And if your using Polyester Resin it’s never going to hold , it’ll never stick !

[@LakesideAutobody]

Cool. The video is about fixing such panels with the use of fiberglass cloth. The car is still on the road here in town - deck lid looks just fine 3 years later. You can use this fiberglass cloth, resin, body filler with a lot of different materials - fiberglass toppers, fishing boats, campers, wood, wood boats. Gotta keep that mind open if you want to save money :)

[@thaddeauscaldwell7101]

Isn't that trunk made of SMC , instead of fiberglass......

[@LakesideAutobody]

I believe it is but it worked out OK. You'd use this same process if fixing fiberglass - I'm sure there's a lot of different methods though - this one has always worked well for me :)

[@keith1514]

Great job! Thanks for sharing 👍👍

[@LakesideAutobody]

You're welcome :)

[@martinjay5906]

Nice work sir.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks MJ - have a good week :)

[@TwinTurboRamAir]

Nice job man!

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks - have a good week - you have a pretty interesting channel BTW.

[@mikejoseph4720]

Fine work ...

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks - I appreciate that :)

[@guillermonieri4203]

Nice option. Thank you.

[@LakesideAutobody]

You're welcome :)

[@m.whetstone881]

When I start I’ll clean with Acetone. Also you’re using cloth. That’s a no no. Always start with Matt first is the rule followed by cloth and another layer of Matt on top. This is the normal for boat repairs. Matt under cloth with Matt on top. Finnish it with structural putty remember if your using wax in the polyester resin sanding is required each time you apply another layer

[@LakesideAutobody]

Cool - thanks for the tips - obviously boat guys know their glass :)

[@boxchevydame]

Good stuff bro

[@LakesideAutobody]

I appreciate that. Have a good weekend.

[@robertsheffey8894]

Clean

[@hobbyautobodyfun9315]

😎👍

[@jeremyr7147]

What car has a fiberglass deck lid? I just finished a huge glass repair and it turned out amazing. I used more filler this job and got real nice contours and body lines. Thanks for you helpful videos they helped me get this good. Check out my work - Fender Rust out repair Ford Explorer Sport Trac Fender Rust out repair in Fiberglass - Ford Explorer Sport Trac imgur.com/gallery/WwMmLj5

[@LakesideAutobody]

That was an awesome job! Nice work. Glad my videos helped you. BTW that 2003 Mustang has a fiberglass hood and deck lid.

[@jeremyr7147]

@@LakesideAutobody Thanks!! I just finished this job today! Making the mold from the cutout was the bright idea I came up with. Worked like a charm. Just glass a sheet overtop of the cutout, covered with wax paper, and let it cure, bam. Body lines and contours were my biggest fear. Your videos were key in bringing it all together. This was my best body work, paint, and blend yet. I'm a mechanic by day, this is a truck I'm fixing up to sell.:)

[@jeremyr7147]

@@LakesideAutobody I would normally weld in metal but this situation I think it would have been a lot more work. And forming metal to that shape, no way. The bumper attachments would need to be redone and more problems. I glassed over the rusted braces for support when they go.. I kinda of just wanted to see how it would turn out. Shocked by how good it is.. Buying fenders would have been the way to go but then more work and paint.. I've already got enough money into other repairs.

[@davidjohnmiller4849]

@@LakesideAutobody NOT Fiberglass . It’s SMC ... get your facts straight . Sheet Mould Compound

[@LakesideAutobody]

Cool. The video is about fixing such panels with the use of fiberglass cloth. The car is still on the road here in town - deck lid looks just fine. You can use this method with a lot of different materials - fiberglass toppers, fishing boats, campers, wood.

[@DadofTwinGirls-uo9xe]

Freaking magic

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks - have a great weekend :)

[@jameshankssr466]

That inner Structure should be fixed with fiberglass mat not cloth that deck lid is gonna break after a few good slams! And you dont use lacquer primer with todays finishes and that red putty is garbage you fill pin holes with polyester putty This guy has no clue what he’s doing

[@LakesideAutobody]

With respect, that's not good information - been driving this car since the video was shot - still looks perfect and I slam the truck all the time with two golf bags jammed in the back. You can use lacquer primer with any finish lacquer, enamel, urethane - says right on the can. Thanks for the comments - I know you actually enjoy the videos. Remember before 2k and all the fancy products there was only lacquer primer, red lacquer putty, lacquer, acrylic enamel, etc. and there were thousands and thousands of paint work that lasted a lifetime 50's-90's. Not sure how old you are but we used to go to Autorama and all those perfect paint jobs were done exactly like what you see on this channel. My dad worked at JR's Custom Paint near Detroit that had cars in that show all the time - same processes and materials were used then. 70s-80s Always nice talking to you :)

[@1301tbear]

body work over pop rivits? what a hack lol

[@LakesideAutobody]

That's funny you say that because I just read an article from icar that requires this method with 3M impact resistant structural adhesive. They don't want you to weld through it - they want the panel held in place with pop rivets. ICAR: "Although this adhesive is very strong, it still needs a mechanical bond such as spot welds (not MIG plug welds), rivets, or screws." Also, I stated at the beginning of the video that the panel should be replaced but for the sake of teaching folks how to fix cracked fiberglass and due to COVID (junk yards closed) - I fixed it. Have a good end of the week:)

[@1301tbear]

@@LakesideAutobody weld on fiber glass? the factory bonded it with no rivits but what ever

[@Thebois94]

Quite a big difference from a part cast and made as one piece in a factory, and a part that’s had serious structural damage to it and the rigidity compromised. If you can’t see the difference between the two, maybe you shouldn’t be commenting on the internet. The rivets are a great mechanical bond to help restore some of what was lost when the part was damaged