What you should have "ready-to-go"...
What you should have "ready-to-go" before you begin a fiberglass project.
If you've followed any of the build-up articles on the Alpine show cars, you've seen how some of the most outrageous creations in this industry are made. For those of you who are interested in fabrication and would like to dabble in the fun and smelly world of wood, fiberglass and body fillers, this series of articles will introduce some of the fundamental fabrication techniques used to create many of the crazy show cars on the car audio scene.
Creating a project with fiberglass can be very rewarding because an almost unlimited variety of durable and structurally sound shapes and forms can be made. However, in the hands of a beginner it can also become very frustrating and create an unbelievable mess. Saying something is "fiberglassed" is somewhat of a misnomer because many shapes and panels are composite panels made from wood, fiberglass and body fillers. Successfully fabricating these panels and shapes requires one to become a jack-of-all-trades, combining the skills of a cabinetmaker, boat builder and auto-body repairman. Learning and knowing the basics before beginning your first project can make a world of difference in how well it turns out (and whether or not you have to throw it away!). In the next several issues, I'll cover the fundamentals of building a composite speaker/sub enclosure for areas like the spare tire well, passenger foot well or storage pocket.
Imagine if you will, that...
Imagine if you will, that this is our spare tire well. (I need to keep my training props as small as possible to keep the shipping expenses to a minimum!)
EVERYONE NEEDS PROTECTION
Fiberglass projects tend to make quite a mess, so perhaps the most important part of the project is to protect the car and the area where you'll work. If you're interested in fiberglass work you probably want to improve the cosmetic appeal of your ride, not make it worse by dripping resin all over it!
Start by applying masking tape to the entire project base area. Make sure that the shape doesn't have areas that will cause it to be permanently wedged in place once it hardens. If there are, extra tape and cardboard should be applied to smooth out any sharp corners or ridges that will make the fiberglass application or removal of the shell difficult. For added protection, be sure to mask off at least 3" to 6" beyond where you plan to lay the fiberglass shell. The masking tape choice of the pros is 3M 233+ (the green stuff), but regular 3M 2020 or 2050 will work well also. Use 2" wide tape for the bulk of the masking and 3/4" or 1" for any intricate areas.
The entire "spare tire well"...
The entire "spare tire well" is protected with masking tape. The indented areas around the rim of the well are smoothed over with the tape for easier fiberglass application.
Next, apply heavy-duty aluminum foil over the masked area with 3M Super 77 spray glue. The best way to do this is to mold the aluminum foil over the shape. Pull it back carefully without distorting the impressed shape and lightly spray glue on the backside of the foil. Put it back on the area, working it into place with a small roller. Use multiple sections of foil to cover large areas and patch any tears in the foil with smaller pieces. You might be wondering why protecting the area with masking tape is not enough. When fiberglass resin is applied directly over masking tape, the chemical and thermal nature of the catalyzed resin makes the tape very sticky, making removal of the enclosure and the tape difficult. The aluminum foil creates a chemical and thermal barrier for the fiberglass resin and also provides the added comfort of knowing that the resin will not leak between the layers of tape. While this may not be much of a concern when working in the trunk of a Ford Escort, it becomes a major concern when working in the carpeted foot well of a new BMW.
Protect the additional 1' to 2' surrounding the area from resin with 2mm plastic sheeting. I do this with the mindset that even if I spill a cup of resin while working on the shell, the car will be protected. Lastly, apply two light coats of mold release wax, Vaseline or PAM to the foil, unless the surface is vertical or inverted.
 For added protection, heavy-duty...  For added protection, heavy-duty aluminum foil is pressed into place and then lightly glued in with 3M Super 77 spray glue. |  The foil is flattened with...  The foil is flattened with a roller to reduce wrinkles. The edges of the wooden roller are rounded over on a belt sander to keep it from piercing the foil. |  Once the entire area is protected...  Once the entire area is protected with foil, two coats of mold release wax should be applied to aid the removal process. |