completley fiberglassing doors....

[d audio 450 10+ year member]

i am completley fiberglassing my doors....got the trim rings glued to the door...got 8's, 5.25's and a tweet (tweet i might just surface mount into the fiberglass when done...

but anyway...i was talking to my old co-worker (http://www.blaupunktusa.com/BlaupunktUSA/ShowCars/84vwrabbit.htm AND...lol..... http://www.blaupunktusa.com/BlaupunktUSA/ShowCars/vw.htm ...he is INSANE...)

and he told me that a big mistake that a lot of people make when redoing doors- is that when they resin and lay on the glass the heat (from the chemical reaction of hardening resin etc) actually causes the original door panel to warp...he said he's seen it happn on some cars to the point where it doesnt really stay on the door very well at all....im gonna be goin into work tomorrow to talk to him again, but i wanted to get any possible ideas or suggestions that might come up to fight the warpage....he said that he had made a jig for the door panel once so that it couldnt really warp at all cuz the door's pop's and screw holes were locked into the "jig" while the fiberglass was applied....so no warpage could happen....

just wanted yer ideas/opinions

thanks

-pat

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[-jb-]

Start by sanding the door panel down with 40 grit, then reattach to the door with a large plastic sheet between the door and the panel. Then put two or three layers of fiberglass mat / resin on it (1/2 oz should be fine for a base). Make sure you don't mix it TOO hot so it doesn't warp the plastic. Then after it has fully cured, cut out the holes or whatever you are doing for the speakers, and then put a generous layer of duraglas over top the fiberglass -- WHILE attached to the door.

After it cures, you may now safely take the door panel off and begin to work on it and it won't warp. Take your time and don't rush it and you'll have awesome results.

~JB

 

[d audio 450 10+ year member]

hmmm...i like your idea alot cuz it sonds alot easier...but i got one question- doesnt eh door being sideways affect dripping or anything like that? or will the rewsin be too thick?

thanks alot i really appreciate the help...

-pat

ps: i got the vinyl ripped off and the door sanded shitless so im ready to mount the trim rings now (im taking plenty of pics along the way)...i just gotta re-do em....cuz i **** with my hands...

 

[-jb-]

This is why you should:

a) Make sure the plastic sheet is really big and will catch dripping resin. I put the cup under the door to catch the run off as well

b) Do a 2-3 layers of thin matt instead of one layer of thick fleece to make sure you completely soak the matt for a solid base.

As long as you soak the matt and stick it to the door, it will cure with no problems. The way I would do it is put one layer on one door, move to the next door, and by the time you're done with that one, you're probably ready to put another layer on the first door. I know, it's time consuming, but it'll be worth the end result.

~JB