How do you mold ground effects?
06-20-2003, 01:39 PM
#1
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How do you mold ground effects?
I am going to have my ground effects soon, they are in the mail, and I want to have them molded on. Should I have a shop do this, if so how much would it cost? Also, how is it done?
06-20-2003, 02:43 PM
#4
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HELL NO
DO NOT USE BONDO
I used industrial urethane epoxy and microballons for filler.
If you want them SEAMLESSLY molded on, it is ALOT of hard work, especially the sideskirts. The front clip you could take off, which makes molding that part easier.
DO NOT USE BONDO
I used industrial urethane epoxy and microballons for filler.
If you want them SEAMLESSLY molded on, it is ALOT of hard work, especially the sideskirts. The front clip you could take off, which makes molding that part easier.
06-20-2003, 03:02 PM
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Could you give me a little more indepth explanation pu12en12g? Is is hard to make it look even, and not wavy on the seam being covered? I might just mold the front and back, and leave the sides alone. Where did you get the microballoons you are talking about? thanks
06-20-2003, 06:34 PM
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Originally posted by notstock4long
Could you give me a little more indepth explanation pu12en12g? Is is hard to make it look even, and not wavy on the seam being covered? I might just mold the front and back, and leave the sides alone. Where did you get the microballoons you are talking about? thanks
Could you give me a little more indepth explanation pu12en12g? Is is hard to make it look even, and not wavy on the seam being covered? I might just mold the front and back, and leave the sides alone. Where did you get the microballoons you are talking about? thanks
I can't emphasize enough how much prep work you have to do before molding the kit on... in other words.. when you can't SEE both sides of the kit at once, how are you going to make sure they are aligned the SAME exact way. You have to have an eye for it as it dries. Once it dries, it is the second strongest compound available for industrial use. There is no turning back.
You have to Visualize exactly where the seam is going to line up, because the Type-W kit was not made to be molded, it was made to be somewhat "overlapped" and tape / tacked on...big problem, trust me.
If I was to do it all over again, I would test fit your front fascia, then remove the front clip and attach it with a fast drying body shop epoxy resin (no microballons). Then you need your industrial epoxy resin from the front and back to give it sheer strength.
Then you fill the seams and sand it down, then you fill and sand again.. and again, and again, until it's perfect.
To tell you the truth, if you really want to tackle this mod, I would do the rear ground effect first, because it will be ALOT easier to align correctly...
06-20-2003, 08:36 PM
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I wouldn't mind doing just the rer actually, since it is two seperate pieces I think it would make it look a lot better. I might just hold off on molding at all though, since you make it sound so hard. Sounds like a shop would probably want like $1000 to mold the kit for me, so I might just pass.
07-20-2003, 05:16 PM
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pu12en12g
Hey, I am getting my kit on monday, and I am still considring doing this over the winter. First of all, where can I get the supplies I will need. And second, do you think it is worth the effort? I am for sure going to skip molding the sides, but I would like to do the front and back. Is the front clip really hard to take off? I have never looked, but I always figured I would never be able to get it on right again.
Oh yeah, do these kits need to be sanded first, before painting? Thanks again
Oh yeah, do these kits need to be sanded first, before painting? Thanks again
10-06-2003, 08:05 PM
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Okay, time for a ttt, and some more ideas.
Pullen, where should I get the stuff I will need to mold the front and back pieces?
Also, I still don't completely follow what you are saying. Do you mean to pull the tape off and use epoxy in its place, on the gfx and car, then fill in the cracks? I am not really sure on the overall process. What do you mean by putting the resin on in front and behind it for strength?
And does someone have a write up on taking the bumper covers off? I am afraid when I put the front clip back on it will be all saggy or something. And I have no idea how to get all those stupid plastic screws out without wrecking them. Thanks again.
Pullen, where should I get the stuff I will need to mold the front and back pieces?
Also, I still don't completely follow what you are saying. Do you mean to pull the tape off and use epoxy in its place, on the gfx and car, then fill in the cracks? I am not really sure on the overall process. What do you mean by putting the resin on in front and behind it for strength?
And does someone have a write up on taking the bumper covers off? I am afraid when I put the front clip back on it will be all saggy or something. And I have no idea how to get all those stupid plastic screws out without wrecking them. Thanks again.
10-06-2003, 09:16 PM
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The time it takes to mold all of the ground effects on is unreal. I just finished doing this and I never thought it would take me as long as it did.
I used a 2 part epoxy resin called Duramix to attach the ground effects and another product called Fibertech to mold them seemless... I cannot stress how much of a pain this stuff was to use, it took a lot of patience to say the least.
In my opinion if you are going to do the front and the back dont just leave the sides, do everything seamless or not at all. Just my thoughts.
If you were to pay a bodyshop to do all the work it would cost a good deal of cash. Just the products and materials that I used costed a few hundred dollars alone, then a good month of me working on it every-single-day. This was my first time doing bodywork of any sort but it will still take a bodyshop a good amount of time to tackle a project like this properly.
At the same time I shaved the nose emblem, door locks, hatch lock, license plate holes and the antenna
I will try and get some pics up soon, just got my car back from the paint shop a couple days ago, turned out very nice.
Good luck
I used a 2 part epoxy resin called Duramix to attach the ground effects and another product called Fibertech to mold them seemless... I cannot stress how much of a pain this stuff was to use, it took a lot of patience to say the least.
In my opinion if you are going to do the front and the back dont just leave the sides, do everything seamless or not at all. Just my thoughts.
If you were to pay a bodyshop to do all the work it would cost a good deal of cash. Just the products and materials that I used costed a few hundred dollars alone, then a good month of me working on it every-single-day. This was my first time doing bodywork of any sort but it will still take a bodyshop a good amount of time to tackle a project like this properly.
At the same time I shaved the nose emblem, door locks, hatch lock, license plate holes and the antenna
I will try and get some pics up soon, just got my car back from the paint shop a couple days ago, turned out very nice.
Good luck
10-06-2003, 09:41 PM
#11
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You guys have a link to this duramax stuff? It sounds cool.
I want to mold the sides on, but I don't see how you would do it where the fender meets the door, since there is a vertical gap there. If one of you guys could take close up pics of stuff like that, that would be awesome, like where the gfx connect in the wheel wells, and the seams.
How did you shave the nose emblem Mach5, just sand it off? And how did you do the door locks? Did you use the fibertech stuff, and just put it on over the locks, or remove them first. Thanks guys
I want to mold the sides on, but I don't see how you would do it where the fender meets the door, since there is a vertical gap there. If one of you guys could take close up pics of stuff like that, that would be awesome, like where the gfx connect in the wheel wells, and the seams.
How did you shave the nose emblem Mach5, just sand it off? And how did you do the door locks? Did you use the fibertech stuff, and just put it on over the locks, or remove them first. Thanks guys
10-06-2003, 10:00 PM
#12
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Maybe you camaro guys have a different kind of emblem on the front. I am talking about the bird on my car, looks like it could just be sanded off. And why would the door handles have to come off to shave the locks? What do you mean by aluminum welding, since the door is plastic.
What duramix products should I used to attach the ground effects to the car? thanks
What duramix products should I used to attach the ground effects to the car? thanks
10-06-2003, 11:26 PM
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Where should I get the resin and microspheres, and what exact products do I need. I might just start on this on the weekend, or at least order the parts. Thanks, you have been a big help
10-06-2003, 11:35 PM
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I have done tons of searches and can't find one place that sells fibertech. I think I am gonna want the ST-50 for filling right?
Also, what kind of sand paper should I use to smooth everything out, inbetween coats and stuff? Thanks
Also, what kind of sand paper should I use to smooth everything out, inbetween coats and stuff? Thanks