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Date:         Tue, 23 Nov 1999 11:43:48 -0800
Reply-To:     Max/Joyce Wellhouse <maxjoyce@IPA.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Max/Joyce Wellhouse <maxjoyce@IPA.NET>
Subject:      Re: Fixing the glass bumpers(long)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Unfortunately spell checker doesn't now the difference between inches and feet. The bumper patches were 8-9" wide, not feet. You knew that. Maybe some day I will.

DM&FS -----Original Message----- From: Max/Joyce Wellhouse <maxjoyce@ipa.net> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Date: Monday, November 22, 1999 12:12 PM Subject: Re: Fixing the glass bumpers(long)

>Been meaning to post this for a while; > >Some idiot PO welded a cheap ass trailer hitch on my 90GL's rear tow hooks >and virtually prevented me access to the motor(welded on rear engine support >bar also). Grinding all that off and trying to make the tow hooks look >stock again, I noticed cracks in both of the bumper bolt holes on the >bottom. Having a little expertise in epoxy/kevlar/composites but more >experience than knowledge, I set out to reinforce these holes. > >Grinding down the area of the damage, I saw little evidence of any fiber >content in the bumper, just a couple strands near the cracked parts. >Proceeded to laminate 3 correspondingly longer and wider layers of kevlar >seam tape over the holes folding it over the lower bumper edge and then add >3-4 layers of military S-glass(much denser and stronger than the E-glass you >buy in a poly pouch at FLAPS. put handi wrap over the wet laminate and >worked the air bubbles out(technique called contact- bagging) and then took >some stiff abs plastic sheets(1/4" I think) on top of both sides of the >handi wrap and and clamped the crap out of it. The epoxy set in 5-6 hours >and the handi wrap more or less prevented the epoxy from bonding to >un-sanded abs plastic. If you want to mask off the undamaged area, you can, >but my experience with this bumper was that areas not sanded chipped off >pretty easily and bedsides, you're going to grind it down anyway. >Re-drilled the holes after sanding down the lumps on the edge formed by the >end of the plastic pieces where the excess resin oozed. > >If I had to do it over again, I would've not wrapped the kevlar around the >bottom edge of the bumper as kevlar doesn't sand, it abrades and is >difficult to finish smoothly. Total repair area was about 8-9' wide and >pretty much the depth of the bumper. Drilling through the kevlar made me >aware of how strong this fix was. > >If you're fixing bumper damage, the kevlar is probably not necessary, but >I'd use the best fiberglass and resin you can afford. I can see using >kevlar on the inside ofthe repair for strength if the break is all the way >through, but add more glass than you think you'll need as it's easier to >grind down the excess than to have to go back and re sand and add more >later. I'm not a body shop guru on anything, and my experience comes from >laminating these materials in boat repairs, especially canoes and kayaks. > >Recommended materials: Gougeon Bros. West systems epoxy #105 resin and >205 or 206 hardener(difference in cure time). A quart of it and the >measuring pumps will set you back about $40. Glass is available from John R >Sweet in Mustoe VA 540-468-2222. He sells the resin as well although a >local marine supply house in larger communities may stock it. You're on >your own for painting and finishing. I simply mixed in graphite powder in >the resin to get a dark gray color. You can add white and black resin >colorant as well to get it close if cosmetics are not critical. > >At $450 for a new bumper, I can buy a lot of material and grinding discs. I >use a metal headed Makita 4" grinder with guard removed(risky) to get into >those tight places. > >Sorry this ran so long, but verbose is my middle name. P-mail me if you >have further questions. > >Dimwitted Moose and Flying Squirrel >-----Original Message----- >From: dave <dave@251.ORG> >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> >Date: Monday, November 22, 1999 8:11 AM >Subject: Paint code for gray fiberglass bumpers > > >>Does anyone know the paint code for 87+ gray fiberglass bumpers? This >>is on an 87 Wolfsburg, the bumpers look like they are close in color to >>the body, Vesuve Gray Met., but may be a little darker. >> >>One more, I am going to be fixing some cracks in the bumper before I >>paint it (front bumper), has anyone repaired the fiberglass bumpers >>before? If so what did you use? I was thinking a standard fiberglass >>repair kit and a lot of sanding. Thanks. >> >>dave >>dave@251.org


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