7 replies to this topic

[pezpickle]

Hello,
I'm new to the forum, but not new to minis as such. I bought my mini in the mid 1990's, a 1986 Mayfair, that already had been modified.

I drove it untill moving abroad in 2000 and came home a year or two ago. The mini having been garaged for several years, (driven occaisonally by the 'olds')

I can cope with replacing perished hoeses, seals and general servicing, but with a bit more surface rust than I'd like to patch, I've decided to replace the (old and cheap) bodykit, strip it and go for a repaint.

The new bodykit is twice as thick as the old one, far more rigid and with the white gel coat.

So as I haven't has great experience working with this material and as I'm not keen to do a bit of trial and error, in case of total errorl, I'd like to know...

how to cut the fibreglass, to open up holes for the fog light, and air vents etc without shattering the coating which looks very brittle and generally ruining it? Do I drill holes from the inside or outside? Won't a jigsaw make minemeat of it, dremel? angle grinder?. Is it a case of drilling lots of holes and than using a rasp/file?

Sorry if these sound like dumb questions... although they say the only stupid question is the one that isn't asked.



Any info greatfully received

Jonathan

[mighty mini jack]

You can cut fiberglass with a diamond blade disk on a grinder but not the ones used for tiles with slots in.

[mike.]

A reckon a dremel with a cutting disc is your best bet. A grinder won't be as accurate and will probably be abit bulky to cut the fog light holes out.

[Rogue Se7ens]

A reciprocating saw works well for cutting fiberglass, I personally never use a cutting wheel. Coarse sanding disks and wheels are good for finishing the edges but I would recommend finalizing everything by hand with sand paper. As for as drilling holes, you shouldn't have much trouble going in from the finished surface as long as you don't rush things. There again if you are trying to achieve a good finish on the hole start a little smaller and then finish to size. Remember that GRP is basically plastic with glass in it so it cuts easy but to much friction will melt it and make it difficult.

[ginger_monkey]

I've always found when drilling any holes in the gel coat that if you put the drill into reverse it'll not break the coating. Might take a tad longer but well worth it as the finish is much much better. But also as has been said finishing off sanding by hand is the way forward. Much cleaner lines and easier to control.

[swiftminiphoenix]

Ive cut a few fibreglass and plastic body panels with a dremel...its ok...but can cause to much friction will melt it and make it difficult. ( as Rogue suggests)

Maybe could use dremel and cut smaller than you need and finish by hand(also as Rogue suggests!)

[panelbeaterpeter]

I use an angle grinder, air cutoff tool, files hacksaw blades, drill bits and those drill bits that you can drill a hole with and then use as a saw in the drill by pushing it sideways, you can get em in Screwfix. I always finish off edges with coarse sand paper to get the shape right, then go down the grades to about 180 before priming. It's not easy to avoid chipping the gelcoat, if you do, just abrade it and apply a little polyester stopper, then sand it back down.

[pezpickle]

thanks for all your great advice.