Radiator Fiberglass Shroud Repair

[Pastel Blue]

Anyone have experience repairing these? This is a very rare and expensive piece (if you can find one), specific to the 429 BB Mustangs and Cougars.

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

If you haven't worked with fiberglass before, boat repair shops do a lot of this work and could probably do it inexpensively. Since it is a part that can't readily be replaced, it might be worth letting someone else do it.

Otherwise, I'd use West Marine products. there are three types of resin Polyester, vinlyester and epoxy. With the first two you must use Chopped strand mat to make your repairs. With epoxy, you can use the glass cloth without first using the CSM. Epoxy cures faster and sticks to any old resin. It mixes one to one and is much easier to work with. The other two will not stick to epoxy though. Epoxy resin is not UV protected, so the end result has to be painted. With any of the resin, you can mix in chopped fiber and make it thick enough to work into the repair like a putty, then sand back to the original contours.

I really prefer the epoxy-clean up is with vinegar, not acetone, mixing is nearly foolproof, adhesion to cleaned material is nearly 100%. There is no harsh smell and you can even get dyes to mix into the resins that can duplicate the parts original color.

 

[Pastel Blue]

Thanks. that's what I am looking for in terms of what to use. I have worked with it before, including the epoxy stuff. I want to buy something that is considered close to what this shroud is made of. The issue of painting is something I would like avoid, would try to mix some colour in to the repair if I could. Paint wont last on something like this.

I will keep searching out options, just testing the waters to see what others have worked on and how they made out.[/align]

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

Well it is almost certainly a polyester resin. Evercoat makes the dyes. Given your desire not to paint, I'd mix some chopped up fiber and dye polyester resin and make a sample between a few sheets of wax paper and see what you'll need to do as far as dye amounts and strand size to make an invisible repair.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

That is going to be a tough one to do and not see. I would go to junk yard and get one that is just a regular run of mill and busted for free maybe and do some experiments. I have one of the original ram air hood pieces that has a crappy repair job done. It is even more difficult you can see so much of the fiberglass.

I know when I clean up the inner fender splash guards I clean with lacquer thinner to get the tar off and then blast with walnut hulls and then satin clear them. They look very close to new that way.

David

 

[73pony]

As mentioned earlier a boat repair shop or a fiberglass tub repair person. We have a couple of them around here and their work is impossible to spot. We have them do a lot of tub repairs for us.

 

[Pastel Blue]

Yep, some good points raised here. I have many items that need going through as I start to reassemble the car. I I'll certainly look into boat repair and other possible fibreglass experts in my area. They are out there just have to search them out.

The fact that all the major damaged pieces are still in place, may help the actual repair being completed in a reasonable fashion. Easier said then done, I know.... But a skilled individual should be able to work with it. Yes, about the worst location possible, but a small light at the end of the tunnel..., the "Caution Fan" label gets installed across much of the repair.

Thanks for the comments.

 

[clevelandcoupe]

PB,

Crites Restoration makes a pretty good reproduction in fiberglass. I used one in my car and it fit well and looks good.

Check it out on there web site. Anyway most Corvette shops are very well versed in undetectable repairs.

Thanks, Jay

 

[Pastel Blue]

PB,

Crites Restoration makes a pretty good reproduction in fiberglass. I used one in my car and it fit well and looks good.

Check it out on there web site. Anyway most Corvette shops are very well versed in undetectable repairs.

Thanks, Jay

Thanks Jay, but this issue has been discussed extensively in the past on the 429 Mustang site. Consensus was that the original shroud is the way to go (obviously) and the crites repo although a pretty good reproduction was a good back up plan if the car was missing the original shroud. You know I have to try to fix this original piece, it is critical to a successful original restoration. I had thought about the Corvette repair option, I guess I could try and tell them that my piece is a GM piece...

I will update on the final result... Thanks

 

[judge]

I use the acrylic fingernail materials. You can get black from Eastwood. It goes by the name Plastix. It works like a charm.

 

[Pastel Blue]

I use the acrylic fingernail materials. You can get black from Eastwood. It goes by the name Plastix. It works like a charm.

You think it will work on n this repair?

 

[donkost]

The fan shroud on my '71 J code 429 has a straight crack right in the middle of where a Caution Fan sticker would go. If you apply a very slight amount of pressure to put the pieces together you can't even see the crack. In other words nothing is cracked out or missing. Other people can't even really spot it since it looks like a seam. My guess here is that someone was perhaps leaning over it repeatedly in order to reach the engine back in the days when these were not really anything special. I'm leaving it go for the time being because it shouldn't get any worse. Thought I saw one online a few months ago in the $400 range in used good condition, but they are rare to see. I'd love to come across something I could use for a in-place repair, and not black duct tape! Every time I think about tackling these types of tasks I end up taking the car out for a drive instead- the allure is too great. That's why the door weatherstrips are not yet installed, rear view mirror is in the box, and so on.

 

[Qcode351mach]

As others stated a boat repair guy is what you need. I know a guy who has a mobile fiberglass repair service who also happens to be a car guy. All this guy does is go from boat yard to yard during the summer months doing gel coat fiberglass repair. Hit the local boat yard and they will steer you to the right person.

 

[mrmach1]

I have one in very good condition and would be willing to swap it for an OEM plastic one for a Q code 351. PM me if your interested.