vetteboy88

okay forum, I've got another question for you....This is my first vette, and I am seeing a disturbing trend. I have found two apparent cracks in the body; one on the front, one on the rear. They are hairline type cracks in the fiberglass. Is this a trend with these auto's, and could it have something to do with the climate here in the northeast????? what about the repair techniqe??? :U

Metamando

Could it be an old repair coming back? Fiberglass works in mysterious ways, as do car salesmen...........

Jet-Jock

I've never heard of the 'fiberglass' cracking. Do you have any pictures?

On the plastic flex parts on the front and rear, the paint can crack if its flexed too much such as getting bumped. If it was repainted and not enough flex was added to the paint it could cause a crack in the pain though. Maybe some other folks have some input on this.

From what I've read, it normally and correctly requires striping then refinishing from the base material up.

Pete K

All bonding seams on the c-4 are under the belt moulding. Cracking is usually the result of a previous repair. Rubber bumbers are the exception. The C-4 uses an epoxy based resin and is completely different than earlier vettes or boats. The repair must be made with a special epoxy and cured with heat. If heat isn't used for final cure it continues to cure and shrink under paint. This results in cracks. This may or maynot be your problem but is quite common with alot of volume collision shops. My car was repaired 19!!!!! time befor they finally got it right. If cracks are minor and dont really bother you Dont worry about them. They are sometimes way more trouble than they are worth to repair. Just my $.02

blk90rdstr

I have seen examples of cracks thru the fiberglass (or SMC) on quarter panels especially in cars with higher performance engines. When car is driven hard with the top off especially with slicks or DRs. I cant explain the cause but can tell you the proces to repair it properly it is pretty involved. You need to grind a v notch down the crack and beyond the end and add fibers to the resin filler after that then use SMC specific filler to blend the repair. Repairing fiberglass can be a pain often weird things show up later in the paint beneath a repair, not always but if your not experienced with it or your body guy isnt it could show.

Pete K

These hi-perf cracks should never be repaired. They are like a badge of honor and add character for sure! :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:

85RIT

We are so damn picky about our cars, I doubt the average person could even see them anyway. Its fiberglass, its bound to get stressed...I have about 2 small spots on my car, but I would have to point you to them.

Fix if you want, if not, just drive it. I may fix mine over time, as I get more cash and get out of school.

Midgetfist

Funny... My wifes '95 developed strange cracks around the 90,000 mi. mark.




:jester

Nowhere Man

:cry :sad:

Jet-Jock

:thumbs: :lolg: :lolg: :lolg:

Too funny... sad to see though. But then we know the cause of those cracks - TAILGATERs I hate em'! :seeya

By the way what actually happened, how fast was she hit from behind? Hopefully your wife wasn't injured. For the kind of hit it took, did the vehicle design work to protect the occupants? Looks like it crumpled up. Gosh those pictures look painful.




[Modified by 93JetJocky, 10:06 PM 3/23/2004]

kman0066

The crew area looks undamaged from the picture but it makes you think of what if the top was in the back when it got it. That would get slammed into the crew area.

Anybody get rear-ended with the top in the back, what happened?

Oh, and back to the original post. I have some cracks like you describe on my rear bumper. It is from a crash though which is probably what yours was but maybe got painted over and now the paint is cracking. The first step will be to strip the paint/primer off to see if the fiberglass itself is cracked, then you can try fiberglass repair if so, but it will take someone with a little skill with fiberglass to make it look right again. And don't let them just repair the little area. The whole panel should be stripped and re-painted.


[Modified by kman0066, 9:31 PM 3/23/2004]

Midnight89

Not sure if that's going to buff out.

Hope your wife came out of that one OK!!

oldace84

My '84 has 87k on it and no body problems.
So what gives?
tony
:steering:

Zidane

Ive got the cracks on my rear bumper. I was told they were stress cracks and i have also been told that it is due to the rubber heating up and then cooling too quickly........ IDK though, i know ive got em!

redwing76

Petek, someone who has finally gotten it right. Your post was spot on.

Steel Blue 91

A little touch up and a coat of Mothers and you'll be good to go. :jester

vetteboy88

hey, what are you doing with the wheels???????? :bb

dtorc4

I've got a couple of cracks on mine, and one of them is an old repair. It's on the driver's side rear fender, and if you take off the tire and look behind the plastic in the fenderwell, you can see the fiberglass "repair" peeling off. IT SUCKS!! :mad :mad :mad

Pete K

Had to learn this the hard way! :jester