chucktn

I just found a small crack in the panel near the bolt that the door closes and attaches to. Is there something I can get to put on this to prevent it from spreading/running? The crack is very small, right now, but needs to be attended to so any ideas would be appreciated.

71rdster

Is the crack in the door jamb panel, or in the seam between the door jamb panel and the rear fender panel?

chucktn

Yes, between the door jamb panel and the rear fender panel. Right in the indented area.

I'm Batman

I wonder if you don't have a birdcage problem. Is your door closing properly, or is it loose, forcing the door to ride up onto the bolt when it closes?

chucktn

Birdcage is good, door closes good and there is no slop in the hinges

I'm Batman

Hmm...that's interesting. It sounds like the sort of problem I would have expected from the bolt putting stress on a weakened support.

chucktn

Found in the archives where it said that the 73 model needed to be epoxy based. Found the epoxy and resin in mixable tubes at AutoZone that you squeeze out for the correct mixture. Applied it to the crack, let it dry and then roughed it up a little once it dried. After that I touched it up with some matching paint and then buffed it out. So far I'm very pleased.

I think it's going to work because I applied it to some other fiberglass I had laying around for a test and after about 2 hours it was solid. No flex and it filled in the cracks.


I guess we'll see. Thanks for replying and staying in touch.

I'm Batman

SMC resin will work fine on a '73. '84 was the first year for the new resin that won't accept any of the older-type resin repairs.