crap...wrinkles in fiberglass sides. what to do?

[az_240]

I bought some Zeal style fiberglass sides from racerwheel.com and while looking at them in the light I noticed the surface is not perfectly flat.... it looks like there are wrinkles/waves

You can only tell by looking at them in the light though

I just bought a Nismo style fiberglass rear from ebay to go along with the sides but it hasnt arrived yet. Im guessing the rear will be the same way.

Does anybody know how to get those waves out? Is it OK to bondo fiberglass because I think that would be the best solution... after searching and not finding an answer I just want to be sure.

Also how would I mold or shape the fiberglass to fit my car? I heard using a heat gun works... are there any other ways?

Thanks


edit: please dont tell me "shoulda gone with..." cuz its not gonna help me get what I have looking good

[S13SilviaGirl]

Fiberglass is tricky to deal with, I would talk to a local body shop. It all depends on what type it is ect... also, the fact that you bought "zeal style" and "Nismo style" means they are cheap reproductions in mass qty. to make a quick buck. That's probably the reason that you are noticing these imperfections...the old addage "you get what you pay for" is definatly true in car parts...

[SR240DET]

well that will teach you to buy crap aero, also you cant really shape fiberglass with a heat gun unless its fairly thin, when i say fairly thin i dont mean like paper, maby like a CD or so. Your going to have to pay somebody to make it fit right unless you or a friend knows how. In the end your going to pay the same price to get crap aero to fit right ( unless you know what you are doing)like quality aero, so you should of just done it right the first time around and bought quality parts. I could help make crap aero fit better but you live a long ways away..... good luck

EDIT: as for the wrinkles,are the on the front side sticking up? if they are you must sand them down till it is flat. If you sand till there is a hole its ok because you can use fiberglass in the back and that bondo fiberglass hair in the front then just sand till flush, dont use regular bondo. Show us some pictures maby we can help you better, but you should probly just take it to the body shop to fit and clean up your aero. good luck....... again

[az_240]

I couldnt find anyplace that sells real zeal sideskirts so I had no other choice.

Ive seen pics of nismo style FG rear bumpers (not to mention a few FG kits on other cars) and they looked fine to me so I bought one.

Why not use regular bondo or perhaps some other product with a lil more flex in it and just sand it down flat?

I have done body work before just never dealt with FG

hopefully the sides fit at least close enough to where I dont have to shape them too much... if they are slightly off is it ok to use a heat gun?
How would a shop do it differently?

Id rather not take it to a shop since I dont have much money and dont even have a job right now... but I do have a ton of tools and lots of free time:)

[mjjstang]

seing pictures of something and seeing something for real are two completely different things, I guess you learned your lesson on buying "-style" things, especially aero. sorry dude.

[Ritz S14]

Pics of the wrinkles? If its just some wrinkles on the gelcoat, you can spray guide coat on it and sand most of it off. But I don't think that's what you're talking aboot.

[infinitexsound]

sand it prime it block it.. paint it..

[az_240]

I was talking to someone who is fitting a FG kit to his car and he said all I need to do is block it and depending on how bad it is I could put some filler on. There is a autobody store down the street from my house im sure they could give some advice as well.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a229/livinglegendlll/DSCF0003.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a229/livinglegendlll/DSCF0004.jpg
I just snapped these pics...

[S13SilviaGirl]

damn that is pretty bad...how much did you pay for these?

[az_240]

250................ its the same skirt in both pics

[wickedik1]

yes the heat gun will work in some cases, all you need to do to get rid of those waves is to block, and primer. then repeat the process if needed. yes you can use bondo ( body filler) to aid in the process. do not use that bondo/fiberglass hair stuff the dude earlier was talking about, you are trying to make the SS smooth not lumpy..you should not sand the product until you wear a hole through it and even if you did, you would use fiberglass mat or cloth and resin to repair th hole.