Fiberglassed Back Panel - PICS & METHODS

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Chris Kulbaba

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I am remaking the back plastic panel behind the rear seats out of fiberglass, so I can mount some amps in it without having the kid hooks, adn the opening doors...



What I want to know is... Ive taken out the panel, covered it in duct tape... but do I have to use fabric still? Or just start layering on the fiberglass?



Thanks!



 
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You should cover the panel in fleece. I think the resin would stick better to the fleece than duct tape.
 
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Ya?



I wasnt sure, cause I know on sub boxes and stuff you use the fleece to create the surface itself, but now I have somethign there, I dont really need something to form the surface....



Do you HAVE to use the fleece?



 
I am replicating the panel.



You know the rear panel behind your rear seats? I want to copy it out of fiberglass, so its just all smooth, and not have the kid hook openings, and the opening doors that are in the origintal plastic one..



 
Okay so your making a mold of it then. I think it might be easier to just get some Plastic Weld and mold in the hooks?
 
Well...Uhmmm... I think its easier to just fiberglass over the mold, which is my existing rear panel, then cut off the edges, and im done?



Like I siad, I just want to duplicate my rear panel with fiberglass, using the existing plastic panel as the mold to for the fiberglass onto....



Put 4-5-6 layers of fiberglass, trim it, cut it out, bondo and paint it...



 
Okay which ever works. Just seems like a lot more work if your just wanting to shave the kid hooks. But I think the fleece might help. Can't the info on it but I'll keep looking for you.
 
You could get some fabric from say walmart that is big enough to cover the entire panel over the duct tape. 50/50 cotton blend shoud do.100% cotton will shrink too much. Soak it with resin and you would have a mold. Then put glass sheets over that to strengthen it.







C
 
I am surpriesed to hear you used duct tape. The miracle that it is. I would have used masking tape and doubled it up. It's smoother and removes easier in the end. Seeing as how you are not using the panel again it probably doesn't matter. Anyway, After you cover the panel in tape, use 3M spray glue, or vasaline over the tape. This acts as a release adjent. The fibergalls heats up and causes the glue not to stick. Vasaline works from what I hear, but I think it is a little messy. After that use fiberglass matt. The cloth tends to bubble more. break th e matt up into workable pieces and apply resin on panel. Make sure you work out the bubbles as much as possible and that you have heavy duty breather mask and gloves. Fiberglass is no joke! After the fiberglass hardens, about 24hrs. Remove it from the panel. The inside beceoms the mold for your new panel. make sure the inside of the mold is smooth by sanding and adding bondo where necessary. Repeat the process when you are satisfied with e smoothness of the panel. Almost forgot...after taping trace your cut out area on the tape with a sharpie. THis line will stick to the fiberglass and give you a guideline for cuitting the final mold. If this seems complicated you can buy a DVD on ebay. Goes over sub-boxes, door panels and a few others. Well worth the $50.00 as it Helped me install the fiberglass molds for 6 of 12 speakers in a 3200 watt system in my civic. It's a lot of hard work but worth it. Also, one of the down sides of fiberglass is that if you are ever in an accident, God forbid, the fiberglass can break up and act like daggers. Since your panel is behind the seat this probably won't be an issue, just something to consider. Hope this helps
 
Well...



Its not really a mold.... Im not sure what you guys are talking about, but Im done the deed now...



I covered the panel in duct tape. I covered around where the panel sits with more duct tape, and I went at it. I didnt use any release agent as I heard with duct tape the fiberglass doesnt stick well....



So I have the panel with 1 layer of fiberglass in the vehicle now.... Waiting for it to dry, have the truck running with the heat cranked, since its cold out...



My plan is to remove the panel and the fiberglass when its dry and layering a couple more layers on the inside of the new fiberglass panel, because since the original plastic panel is under the first layer it wont fit properly if I keep layering it on the outside.



Then I will cut it out, bondo the outside layer, make it all smooth and then go at the amp racks fastening them from the inside, router the face and round the edge... etc... then i will paint after all parts are ready for paint.



This is the first time ive ever done fiberglass, maybe I have the wrong idea about the whole thing but this is what makes sense to me....



The whole idea is to recreate the exact same panel as whats there originally, but with none of the folding doors to get at the jack, and no sliding doors for the child safety hooks... It will be all flat with my 2 amps installed in the face, exposed.



I get my re-upholstered seats back mid week, as I told them to take thier time and do it PERFECTLY... Im also having alterations done to the seats, so they will look like 23ballistic's seats, that dont have headrests and the raised inside edge... (youll notice this on your rear seats)



With the slight ledge above the original folding plastic doors on this panel I will install a neon light tube that goes with my bass but the tube itself will be hidden behind the seats...



Installing my Xbox under the seat I beleive, and TV in the dash.



Ive now got a name for my ST... Its Project 'X' -- This is noted by the debadged vehicle, with the X from the EXLPORER where the badging originally was... I think it looks very cool and original...



I TOLD YOU I WAS ADDICTED TO MY ST ;)



Im trying to keep a good balance during the entire build between performance, looks, and sound... so I will be bopping all over the place, its the stereo's turn now! then back to performance.



 
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Here's what she looks like now...



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Comments?







 
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I think I may need to do 1 more layer before I even attempt to take it out... Looks pretty thin to me, but it is 1 layer everywhere... or will it be strong enuff to withstand minimal abuse when taking it out?



 
Well I did a second coat last night, turned out GREAT...



This morning I found the fiberglass nice and hard, so just pulled with a little force from the duct tape and it came out no problems.... I didnt use any release agent.



Now that I have it apart, im going to trace the outline onto the back, and go ahead with 2-3 more layers today, I beleive that will be strong enuff.....



Ill post more pics later :)



 
Here's the pics...



So yesterday, this is what I did.



Took out the back panel (Very Easy)



Covered it with 1 layer of Duct Take (2 Might be safer, but I had no issues)



Cover the Surrounding areas beside, below and above



Put back the back panel



Brush Resin on the duct tape, put a peice on, and dab more resin till its soaked with a bristle brush... continue till this is 100% (Go past where you need, youll have to trim it later)



Today I pulled out the panel with the fiberglass attached, and yanked the 2 apart.... no problems what so ever.



I brought it in the house cause its cold ;)



I layed the original panel on the fiberglass and traced the outline for trimming later.



Im going to Canadian Tire to get 2 more kits of resin/matt or possibly cloth since its mostly flat surface...



after that is done and dried, I will trim it with a dremel, and start the body work, bondo, etc...



Im going to inlay a symbol in the upper part of the panel that will be seen between the 2 modified rear seats!



This is my first time, and I will have to say its about 2 wrenches... it dirty, but pretty darn simple!



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