leepear

I searched the posts and could not find the answer to this question although I am sure it has been discussed. I have a ram air hood with many long stress cracks. Also the metal is damaged like someone slammed it many times with something on the core support.

My question: What is the modern material to fix the cracks to not return. I have been told to not use fiberglass because the hood is some plastic composite not fiberglass.

Second I will need to cut out a section to fix the metal structure. I have been told dont cut out the 6 inch area it will be difficult to fix.

The hood is going on my Vista Cruiser so perfect is not in my vocabulary for my rat rod 5 speed stick VC.

Dont just say that is a ugly hood. It is actually pretty nice with perfect latch area, screen, rust free metal structure and from the scoops back is perfect.

Lee

Allan R

Lee, this info is in the CSM. They devoted a section to repairing the OAI hoods.

leepear

thanks where is csm? Lee

Allan R

In the 72 manual it starts on page 11-2 to 11-6. If you have a different year CSM look under section 11 'Chassis Sheet Metal' and it will probably be pretty close to the same page numbers.

EDIT: afterthought - here's a link in case you don't have a manual http://wildaboutcarsonline.com/membe...ection_11A.pdf

68442CONVERTCO

Here:

http://wildaboutcarsonline.com/membe...Section_11.pdf

Allan R

WOW! Great minds think alike. My post must have crossed paths with yours when I hit enter

leepear

I think the repair technology and materials have changed significantly since then. I cant remember how many hoods I fixed with fiberglass. Ok got the information from the manual........this makes my point perfectly and we need to have a new discussion of this topic. That is the good old days and there are new materials now. So I stand by my thread and know that is not the current method to fix a hood. I would like to continue the thread if you don't mind because it is important to learn what is being done now.

Lee

Allan R

No problem. I'm not that versed on those repairs and was only passing along what I found in the CSM. Hope you get the answer you were looking for. I will follow this thread so I can learn from it too!

jensenracing77

i think ent72olds would have good info on this but i don't think he is on here much now.

leepear

Thanks, dont plan to touch the hood till I get the facts.

Lee

coppercutlass

now here goes how i would fix this at my shop. i would grab a die grider and a carbidr burr and grove all the long cracks and then drill a small hole at each end to stop the cracks from spreading. Then i grind the area around with 36 grit roloc grinding disc . then i would fill all the grind marks and crack with 3m panel bond this stuff is strong. the reason to grind the area around is to give it a good mechanical adhesion and an overall wider stregnth area or more support. Now for the areas with big holes i would buy some 3m hole patch tape and use it on the back side tape the hole shut on the front and use the 3m panel bond on the back side. Once thats dry take the tape off the front and grind the area around it and fill it with more 3m panel bond once all the panel bond is dry sand it and finish it off with some finishing putty and it should look mint. Also the 3m panel bond i use is for big panel replacements on cars its very strong and it can be shaped and holes can be patched with it i have used it on motorcycle plastic parts with great succes . Now for the metal you might have to get creative because the same heat to weld might burn the fiberglass/ plastic. panel bond will also work great here

leepear

Now you are talking and helping me get the modern approach to the fix. Lets hear a few more and decide the best approaches for all of our ram air hood friends. I of course will have to take the simple approach since I dont have a shop or die grinder let alone know what it is. thanks ,Lee

coppercutlass

the tools are cheap and the materials are cheap to fix this will cost you under 100 a die grinder is just like a dremel rotary sanding/grinding tool . you can use that too

leepear

by the way I am not saying your method is not the best. I just want to hear some other ideas and we will have a good post on this to help others. Hopefully some other body work types will chime in. I clearly an not a body work type but will fix the hood

coppercutlass

it's ok i didint take it that way. I just wanted to state that its not very expensive to use the method stated . I might have a shop to work at but anyone can do this work at home with simple inexpensive tools . I learned from many body man how to work this trade and learned there is hundreds of ways to do one job. How you get there does not matter as long as the job looks good , holds up, and is structuraly safe and functional .

oldspackrat

I was also looking for an answer like this. I've got a couple hoods that need either more, or less work & I know about the panel bond stuff. It is strong stuff! I appreciate your detailed instructions & may tackle this myself now.
Thanks for taking the time to post!

firefrost gold

what about a corvette website seems to me they would have the most up to date trends
on the plastic fantastic have you googled it ?

stevengerard

That's what I was thinking, as I know the shop that worked on my car used a new primer for vettes that supposedly brought the old fiberglass to life again kind of like a moisturizer. I saw the can and it was darn expensive but made specifically for older fiberglass

leepear

I will do some research and post what I find. Not sure the vette material is the same as our hoods though. Other than our great post from coppercutlass it has been the blind leading the blind so far..........but we will get some great stuff posted!!!!!!!!

Fiberglass repair 1a- http://www.ehow.com/way_5477028_corv...technique.html

http://www.corvette-restoration.com/...Tech_Paper.pdf

Lee

coppercutlass

i have many more techniques i use. I can only post so much. Anyone can feel free to ask questions im not saying im the best but im more than willing to help these are all methods i have learned over the years working in a body shop .

leepear

Ok first question. Does anyone still use fiberglass to fix the hoods?

Lee

coppercutlass

yes. The only issue with it is the fiberglass you find at the parts store is no where nearwhat was used at the factory. I like to make repairs more rigid than they where before which is why i would suggest the panel bond. you can also use a combination of both fibeglass top coat with reinforced inside with panel bond . The fibeglass also gets in your skin and the dust is bad even if you take proper precaution that stuff gets everywhere i avoid it's use as much as possible. a good tip when using fiber glass is to crush or pull the mat apart to almost a dust state. then mix in with your resin so that it becomes a thich fiberglass paste and you dont end up with squares on you hood and you spread it like body filler .

leepear

red or blue.

http://3mcollision.com/3m-panel-bond...ive-08116.html


http://www.circletrack.com/tipstrick...erglass_repair

Vega

Ive got a ram air hood im looking to fix as well, mine is a little more than just cracks though, there are 2 or 3 quarter or so sized holes in it (where moron-mcgee slammed it down on his race car and the hood pins broke through in the wrong spots). The frame is almost perfect though, even the paint, so at least thats a plus haha. Interested to hear more on the subject

coppercutlass

The blue and red is shown to application areas this is the right product you posted.

leepear

So here is what I get when I remove all the poor work and grind the cracks. What is the next step? I know ugly so far...........Lee

coppercutlass

ok the one with the big major gap. You are going to want to make a birdge. Now hear me out this might sound crazy but it will work and this will need fiberglass for a section this big. Go grab a coat hanger and cut it to sections to fit across the hole. before you place them in cut grooves where they are going to go in so the are counter sunk and sit flush. You can then glue them jb weld or even epoxy will work. ater it sets up grab some fiberglass sheet the fine stuff not the course stuff and mix it with the resin etc. as the directions usually instruct and do only one layer at a time dont rush it let one dry and then the next. All the other cracks sould be fine using panel bond or even fiberglass resin just the resin will work on these or you can cut the mesh to a fine dust and mix it with resin to thicken it up . I almost forgot before you place the firberlass over the bridgeing push it donw a little bit so you can build up the surface with out it bulging up alot which you will have a little bit but you can smooth it out with a little filler . hope this helps

gearheads78

Looks like there is some previous repair with bondo. I would strip the entire hood and get the old plastic out of it. I would also be carefull of panel bond. I designed as a bond glue not a filler that you cut down and shape. I would experiment first by finding a old piece of Corvette or unsavable hood , make a repair like this all the way to painted stage and let it sit in the sun for several months. If then you see no signs of where the repair was then proceed with the repair on the piece you want to save.

I've been out of the business for 20 years but Marinetex was the best thing out for glass repair back then.

coppercutlass

the panel bond always has to be top coated with filler finishing glaze etc. . It also has to cure fully before anything else after that no shrinkage in my experience. Also if treated like any resto it has to see alot of breathing time and cold and hot cycles before final paint my car sat in it's final primer stage 6 months before i did final blocking and wet sanding as diffrent materials expand and contract at diffrent temperatures thats is where shrink marks begin. You brought up a good point i would take any filler off before any fiberglass or panel bond work .

Rickman48

A while ago, I assembled a Gazelle for a friend, and used a Fiberglass Gel made by Bondo that worked very well!
Wasn't the mess regular resin is, and was able to 'jump' some gaps with some fiberglass cloth.
Once this stuff was hard, you almost needed a file to work it - it got that hard!
Later on, discovered if you put it over a ground clean rust spot, the rust wouldn't return, as it doesn't absorb moisture, as does body filler.
I'd have no problem using it on a hood.

gearheads78

Different brands make it. We always called it kittyhair.

MX442

I don't mean to hijack, but I'm up the same creek. Don't know what to do.

leepear

No hijack.......just follow the thread. I will be in Chicago next week for the show and the following week with go to the next step in the fix. Not sure I understand the hanger principal so may need to be walked through this better from coppercutlass......would rather use his real name though.

lee.........ps your hood looks easy compared to mine.

coppercutlass

My name is Ulises. The coat hanger trick is only intended to hold up the fiberglass. you can also use some screen door mesh glued to the inside covering the gap. Then you apply your fiber glass etc. With the coat hanger all you do is cut up some rods just a little wider than the opening then you place them evenly apart and mark where they sit. After you marked where the ends sit you cut groves there so the coat hanger sits flush into the oem fiberglass. You can then glue them in after that you can go ahead and do your fiber glass work. The rods are not meant to be structural the screen mesh might be easier. They do sell steel mesh intednded for this type of repair at most local autoparts stores next to the bondo and paint area.

leepear

Thanks Ulises. I will go to the store after the trip to Chicago and get all the supplies to fix the hood. I still have a bit of pounding on the sheet metal to get the front molding into the proper place. I will use the panel bond to join the fiberglass to the steel in the areas that are separated on my hood. Stay tuned for more pictures of the separation (nose, right front area and on the side).

Lee

leepear

I added the link to Marine Tex epoxy resin. Lee

http://www.marinetex.com/marinetexepoxyputty.html

coppercutlass

nice that link gives me ideas now. Btw what i said was suggestions as any bodyman will tell you everyone has their own way of working you can take what i said and make it work for you how ever you want . Im just thowing suggestions to get the creative juices flowing. That doesn't mean what i suggested wont work but you might want to modify it to make it work for you and dont be affraid to. The body shop i work at has 7 body men and 3 painters not one person has the same procedures for anything everyone has their own way of doing things .

leepear

that is what this forum is all about..........sharing

Lee

leepear

I guess I should have named this post novice method to repair a ram air hood. One side of the hood had to be reglued metal to fiberglass. I bought some 3m panel bond. Scraped the old glue off, ground the metal with a grinder and then used thinner to clean the parts to be bonded. Never thought I would use the clamp set my kids bought me one Christmas but they were all used. Comments or questions? Will let it set up a couple days and then it goes over to start the fiberglass work. $25 of panel bond used just for this portion of the hood. I had to pay retail $50 for the panel bond because I was a walk in to a paint shop. Ouch. Flower pot was also novice method to hold down a section that needed to be glued too. Dont laugh please.

Lee

coppercutlass

Looking good that's the best use of a flower pot I have seen lol . Keep us updated