Replace Fiberglass with Metal?

[J_Cole]

I recently purchased my first Studebaker, a 1953 Commander that was restored about 10 years ago and then parked. I've put a few miles on it since purchase, but it needs some work to make it safe and drivable. However, before I start spending money on it, I need to figure out what direction I'm going with it. And this is where my quandary starts. The trunk, rear quarters, and floor boards were badly rusted at one point and the previous owner cut out the rust and replaced with fiberglass.

I'm seriously considering taking the car apart and cutting out the fiberglass and replacing with metal, but wanted to get some more opinions. If I disassemble the car, it would obviously drive the cost of restoration up, but would leave me with a better car in the long run I think.

As the car sits now, it looks ok but is serious need of a paint job, suspension work, brakes, and leaks oil pretty badly, although the engine runs strong. So, even if I leave the fiberglass, it needs quite a bit of work to make safe and drivable as it sits.

Should I proceed forward with getting rid of the fiberglass and replacing with metal? I'm most worried that I bought a heap.... But I've wanted a '53 so long, I want to build and drive a car I'm happy with... From what I can tell, most of the parts are available. Thanks for the input!

[sweetolbob]

The glass is pretty well formed to the body. Before I'd start ripping and tearing, I'd get to the underside of the glass repairs and see what they look like, even if I had to drop the gas tank. If there's still metal there you can get an idea of what shape the metal is in and form a plan on how to proceed.

How's the rest of the car? If that's the worst area then it may not be a bad job buy just not enough info yet to form a plan of attack. Also, how's the frame?

Bob

[StudeRich]

That does look like it's going to be quite a project alright. Steel Rear Quarter Panels were just reproduced by a New supplier. Steel Front Fenders are another story, they are very hard to find in usable used condition, no New ones are available or affordable.
Welcome to SDC and to the SDC Forum!

You should be able to find used Doors, up to 1956 they have the bodyline in them, '57 to '61 will work but are all one contour, as in smooth.

A Co. that advertises in "Turning Wheels" SDC Publication named Classic Enterprises (CE) does have New Steel Floor pieces that you need to keep the Door opening and body square/correct.

Good luck with your project.

[rockne10]

If you plan on keeping it for any great length of time, you will never regret doing correct steel repairs. But do it in increments. Complete a section before tearing the whole thing apart.

[jbwhttail]

Fiberglass DOES NOT adhere to metal, that is a fact. I would go back into the areas described and replace with metal panels either welded or use the current glue technology. PLEASE, understand that fiberglass molded to or over rust/good metal, will NEVER adhere. Sorta like newspaper and bondo in rocker panels..... looks good until the shine wears off ...........

Glass fiber and sterile metal IS NOT compatible! Let alone rusty/crusty metal...........lol.

[64V-K7]

Having redone a car that had similar issues, I'd say that the fiberglass on your car was put there to preserve the underside, not hide rust. Just peel some off and see what's under it.

[Bob Andrews]

Absolutely, get rid of it, or this thread can be your future: http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...rglas-on-metal

[TWChamp]

You might get a good feel for what metal is there by using a strong magnet.

I'd be happiest with good steel if it was my car.

[ken-renda]

By all means replace all of the fiberglass with properly welded in metal parts, which are readily available available from vendors and if not available use at least 20ga cold roll steel. This is particularly important for the sub floor(on hard top), rocker, and trunk. Also remove pop rivets and bondo that might be there. I restored on 54 Starliner that had a Sunbeam bread sign pop riveted in the trunk with fiberglass and bondo covering it up. While the pics tell me who ever did the glass knows how to do it; that,in my opinion, is no assurance that body strength has been maintained. Ken




k

[J_Cole]

I've taken a look under the car and the floors appear to be fiberglass as well. The underside of the car was undercoated, but I can see evidence of fiberglass throughout. The frame of the car looks solid though, and the body panels (doors, fenders, hood, and trunk) are all metal. There seems to some filler behind the vents on the front fenders, but that is the only spot I found that wasn't metal. Taking a look at Bob's link seeled the deal, I plan on keeping the car for a long time and passing it along to my future kids someday. I want to do it correctly and that means I'll probably take the car apart and start from scratch... Thanks for the all of the input.

[swvalcon]

I would take a air chisel and get between the glass and the metal and just lift it loose. When it's all gone you can see what you have and go from there. At that point repair what you have or replace.

[JoeHall]

Fiberglass has been around for decades, is easy to work with, looks great for the first few years, and is a good answer for something you are looking to "flip" (buyer beware) or simply drive and enjoy 5-10 years. It is also as strong as steel, when applied properly, till it begins to, "let go". Because metal and fiberglass expand and contract at different rates, it will begin to separate within the first 3-5 years, and will be hideously obvious after 5-10 years. So, depending on your plans for the car, and how long ago yours was glassed, it may have several years left before it becomes an serious issue.

I'd make sure the car is structurally sound, then simply drive and enjoy it for now, and take a few years to decide where you want to go with the car, i.e. frame-of restoration, or just drive it into the ground.

I see you are from Cleveland, so there will likely be many cars at cruise-ins that you will find fiberglass in, now that you know what to look for

[Jeff_H]

The rear box channel of the trunk where the latch catches is a structural member and has 2 reinforcement plates (angle brackets) to the floor and sidewalls in the corners with bolts into the rear of the frame. Shims under there are used to tweak the body for door fit. If all that was rotted away and now "faked" in with fiberglass, I am not sure how stiff the rear of the car would be. I would be worried the glass starts to crack in those areas.

You can get a new trunk floor pan and the cover panel over the gas filler from CE in WI. Carey's Fabricating in VA makes a most excellent rear trunk channel and the corner reinforcements. The inner trunk sidewalls are not make I think, but usually its just the bottoms. I made all my own patch pieces for those areas.

If you elect to revamp the trunk, it can be a scary prospect since if you mess up getting all the patch panels positioned the trunk lid won't fit too well. On my car, I cut out the entire right side and the rear channel for replacement and made a LOT of measurements and also tacked angle iron around here and there to keep things from moving. I got pretty lucky I think and my trunk lid fits great.

[t walgamuth]

Perhaps I am just a coward, but that car has so much fiberglass in it restoring it will be a massive undertaking. Its the sort of job it is easy to be overwhelmed with. I think if it were mine, I'd just drive it and have fun with it. If I wanted a correct steel car I'd get a rust free southern car and restore that. Whoever did the work did a nice tidy job.

[J_Cole]

The car was restored about 10 years ago and parked, so the fiberglass has lasted with no immediate signs of seperating. But I planned on driving it and fixing the car, but by driving it, it will place pressure on the joints and probably start to show signs of coming apart in the coming years. The trunk already doesn't align properly (sits to high), nor do the doors (need lifted when closed to latch properly).

My intial plans were to find/build an R3 or R4 engine, but reading through the forum, I've come to realize that is next to impossible. So I may end up motiviting the car with a Cadi 331 or 390 with dual 4 barrel carbs. Anyway, I want close to 400 HP, and a couple posters have made solid points that although the fiberglass was done well, it may not be structurally sound. Adding power won't help matters at all.

I hadn't planned on a full restoration, I was hoping the car just needed finishing touches and would be good to go. I def don't want to quick fix it and drive it into the ground, its basically a family heirloom.