Replacing a steel or aluminum hood with fiberglass is a very effective weight-saving trick. Less weight in the front end means better balance, sharper cornering and the car feels lighter on its feet. But let’s think seriously about the process. It’s very messy. You’re dealing with chemicals that smell like a chemistry lab and materials that harden faster than you’d like. Wear gloves. Use your old sweater. It is expected to stain.
If you rush, you end up with a distorted, ugly, ill-fitting piece of plastic. Patience is not just a virtue here. This is a requirement.
Device list
Prepare the ingredients before touching the hood. Here’s what you need:
- 14 Pieces of Fiberglass Fabric : Cut at least 3 inches (76.2 mm) larger than the original dimensions of the Hood.
- Gelcoat : This makes the surface of the Hood smooth and paintable.
- Resin and Catalyst : The glue that holds everything together.
- Natural bristle : 3-5 inches wide. Make sure the bristles are properly attached to the handle.
- PVC-coated roller : The standard roller is wrapped in a PVC roller and coated with a mold release agent. This way, the air evens out without sticking.
- Releasing agent : Necessary for the subsequent removal of the new dome from the mold.
Prepare the mold
First, remove the hood from the car. Requires a clean, stable surface to work on.
Spray the gel polish evenly on both sides of the Hood. This creates negative space in the mold. Next, place the fiberglass cloth over the hood. Must overlap at least 2 inches (50.8 mm) on each side.
Blend from the center outwards. You’re chasing an air pocket. Please let it all out.
Now let’s mix the resin. When you add the catalyst, it starts to solidify, so don’t make it unusable. Brush it on until it is absorbed into the fiberglass. Don’t delay.
Place another layer on top of it. Apply the resin immediately with a brush. If the previous mixture starts to solidify, throw it away. Mix a fresh batch.
Repeat this process 2-3 times. It adds thickness. Flatten the sheet again with a PVC roller to remove any air bubbles.
Let the upper mold harden for at least 2 hours. Next, turn the hood over. The entire process from the gel coating process to creating the lower mold is repeated.
After both halves have hardened, tilt them away from the original hood. The mold is now ready.
Install a new hood
Apply mold release agent to the inside of the upper mold and to the outside of the lower mold. This is a mold release agent. Without this, you would have to spend days carving a new fiberglass part.
Spray both halves of the mold with gelcoat.
Place fiberglass in each mold. Apply resin to both with a brush. Add another layer. Smooth it with a roller.
You have to be careful here. Apply a thin layer of resin to the sides of the lower mold before fully curing. This acts as a sticky coating to help the two pieces stick together.
Connect the two mold halves. Precisely matched fiberglass layers. You only get one chance. If you get this wrong, there is a visible seam line on the hood that will be a nightmare to fix.
Wait until the hood is completely cured. This may take longer than you think.
Separate the mold carefully. Pull out the new fiberglass cover.
inject it
