If you dont have fiberglass or have not had fiberglass or dont work in a body shop, I dont want your opinion.
Okay, with that being said, I need to replace my front fenders and hood I would like to do fiberglass for all of it. I have a couple of questions about it.
1) Can you tell the difference between fiberglass and steel body panels after it is painted? I mean just by looking at it.

2) Did you have a lot of fitment issues?

3) This is a car that will spend 99% of its time on the street, about 2-3 days a month. Is it worth it since I need to replace it anyways, or should I just get steel?

Anyone?

Okay deleted that, god forbid I be honest.

Ok here goes
The short answer is if you have about 3 weeks to spare for each panel then go for it.
I have been restoring my 69 396 for about 5 years now in my spare time.
I purchased fiberglass hood trunk lid and both fenders.
What you run into is a close fit and lots of small pits and low spots.
Now a close fit does not sound that bad BUT fiberglass does not give without breaking even the bolt holes have to be babied.
I think I would have rather fixed rust or buy new fenders and hood.
Anyways I saved around 200 lbs maybe if you count the fiberglass bumpers.

I had glass fenders on my 69. I had a shop that did nice work and the paint turned out great, but the fenders just didn't look like the rest of the other body lines. Not as crisp, i guess would be a way to put it. That was 15 years ago and the were from Harwood.

It was a very dark red, maybe a lighter color wound be better.

I installed a 3 peice glass front end on a 66 Chevelle. I made a big mistake of buying from a cheaper source instead of looking at quality. Buy the very best that you can. It'll go a long way with fitting and prep work. I finally managed to get mine looking perfect and yes you can make them look just like the steel parts, it just takes a lot of work. I had to do a lot of cutting and reglass work to get them right. Plus I had to add some inner support to the fenders to get them to match up to the doors (they wanted to sag in). After it was all said and done, I probably had close to a couple hundred man hours getting them right and thats no exaggeration, but they were absolutely perfect in fit and finish.

Rob

I hate glass, more time is spent trying to get the things stright and right then you can imagine. I think we had 40 hrs into a hood and then still had another 100 plus hrs into fenders. Looked great when done then a nice stone chip put a star crack into the glass and start over again.
For race only sure for street NO! IMHO

A bit harsh dont you think?

I've got a 'glass hood. It's been on the car 12 years. I don't recall the brand or what I paid, but pretty sure it came from OPG. It was a "racing" style hood, not "replacement" style. Thus it was less expensive, lighter weight, and had less structure. I do remember that the price I paid the body shop to finish it and paint it was about 3X the price of the hood.

It came out out of the body shop pretty good, but I would say that it does not fit as well as steel. 12 years later, it has sagged very very slightly and has a couple of spider cracks. It still looks really good on the car. I'm not sure I'd do it again, and I probably wouldn't try fenders.

Honestly.. any car forum i've ever been on generally looks down on people that have street racing in mind... that's what the track is for dude.. i dont care how far away it is... and yeah, complain all you want, but that's what they're there for...

in the hands of someone like you that wants to street race, your vehicle is as deadly as a loaded gun... all it takes is one mistake, and it could change everything in an instant...

take my words with a grain of salt if you want, but we're not trying to be *******s.. we're trying to keep you, and others safe... there's plenty of pictures of wrecked vehicles at 100+ miles per hour i'm sure me or rick t could find a few to show you what you could possibly be looking at...

If you dont have fiberglass or have not had fiberglass or dont work in a body shop, I dont want your opinion.

Did you read that? And if the mods see fit then they can ban me, until then you can mind you own buisness.

yes, i read your thread... i can actually read, and yes, i can comprehend that as well! had you not posted that your car was going to be used for street racing, some of us may not have posted in here, therefore, knowingly ignoring your "i dont care about your opinion" statement...

Speaking as someone who lived the 60's and 70's in an SS I don't know anyone who has ever owned a FIRE breathing big block chevelle and not raced it at one time or another.
As far as the cops go they love to push the limits of their power no matter what the case maybe.
Know your rights! in this day and age.
Don't get me wrong I think racing should be done at the track but it's hard to preach do as I say not as I did.

Honestly.. any car forum i've ever been on generally looks down on people that have street racing in mind... that's what the track is for dude.. i dont care how far away it is... and yeah, complain all you want, but that's what they're there for...

in the hands of someone like you that wants to street race, your vehicle is as deadly as a loaded gun... all it takes is one mistake, and it could change everything in an instant...

take my words with a grain of salt if you want, but we're not trying to be *******s.. we're trying to keep you, and others safe... there's plenty of pictures of wrecked vehicles at 100+ miles per hour i'm sure me or rick t could find a few to show you what you could possibly be looking at...

Im not taking it as you guys trying to be *******s, but this thread is about fiberglass and not street racing, as far as others saftey goes where we race is no where near any on coming cars or by standers. Also the people who are out there with us like that type of racing, if you want to go to the track then go, but we perfer to handle things on the street its a totally different type of racing.

it is my business whens there a chance you can be putting the lives of my loved ones in danger



http://www.nhra.com/streetlegal/stats.html
http://p-car.com/wreck/sonny1.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/82/Totaled_jeep_whoa.jpg

Speaking as someone who lived the 60's and 70's in an SS I don't know anyone who has ever owned a FIRE breathing big block chevelle and not raced it at one time or another.
As far as the cops go they love to push the limits of their power no matter what the case maybe.
Know your rights! in this day and age.
Don't get me wrong I think racing should be done at the track but it's hard to preach do as I say not as I did.
Your absolutley right, I dont preach street racing, honestly I tell people do as I say and not as I do. Which I know is contradicting but, oh well. And anyone who is gonna try and tell me they own a fast car and have never street raced is full of ****.

it is my business whens there a chance you can be putting the lives of my loved ones in danger



http://www.nhra.com/streetlegal/stats.html
http://p-car.com/wreck/sonny1.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/82/Totaled_jeep_whoa.jpg

Dude the only people around are us who are racing we are miles and miles from any major road or highways. So unless your loved ones comes running out of the woods in the middle of bum-****....

i realize that fact, but even organized street racing can go wrong... you're still putting your life and the lives of onlookers and other drivers in danger...

And anyone who is gonna try and tell me they own a fast car and have never street raced is full of ****.


i got a big block chevelle, 396, th400, 3.42 gears, capable of a 13.9et,

but idk, i checked my pockets, i looked all over, and i couldnt find **** anywhere on me,

If you dont have fiberglass or have not had fiberglass or dont work in a body shop, I dont want your opinion.

Okay deleted that, god forbid I be honest.

Thanks for sharing you experiences and opinions. Rick T - Go **** your self

Did you read that? And if the mods see fit then they can ban me, until then you can mind you own buisness.

You should take a look at this, before posting further, radz. You might get more and friendlier responses. I'm surprised anyone answered you at all.

http://www.westegg.com/unmaintained/carnegie/win-friends.html

Yeah your full of **** Rick but if you want to try and run that bull**** to look like a hero and show everyone your huge "internet balls" go ahead. But you and me both know you have. Also since everyone is so upposed to this "FIBERGLASS FRONT ENDS" thread Ill delete it. Ill give you guys a few minuites to talk some more **** if you want

you can be sure this forum and its sponsors IN NO WAY supports illegal street racing. If your intentions with your chevelle are to build a beast that can race on the streets, then id reconsider your status on this forum.


seriously, theres kids on this forum who JUST got their licenses, they dont need to be reading how "street racing is ok if its organized and your careful"

and dont worry this thread has been print screened and saved, and has been posted on many other forums so your stupidity and lack of respect will live on forever.

and no i never have street raced and never will. I got my car when i was 12 years old, spent 5 years of blood and sweat building it with my dad. Every nut and bolt, every bit of bondo, every drop of paint, everything was done with my hands or my dads, so therefore i have respect for my machine. I used to do the occassional power brake burnout, but nothing that would put my life at risk

My use of fiberglass is not for racing I went with it to get away from rust.
The last time I drove my chevelle it cost me $20 to and $20 from work I don't need that.
So now it's a looker mostly, Just sitting around seems to draw out more rust than using it. So there is a use for racing stuff besides breaking the law.
Greg

I'm shutting this one down, its gone off topic