Reinforce fiberglass

[cdnltded]

Not sure if this belongs here or in the kit car section.
I have a fiberglass dune buggy that is weak in some areas. It has a lot of flex and movement in different areas, including the front fenders.
My question is
Can I use some type of plywood to support from the under side and glass it in and also add more layers in the areas where the flex is.
Also if I use plywood should I totally encase the plywood in glass

[W1K1]

there are a couple of good you tube channels that have lots of info about fiberglass and repairs.

https://www.youtube.com/user/GasserGlass/videos?disable_polymer=1
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0kDqq-pSzdqFUk3oTaHBuA

I would not use wood in the process, good quality glass fabric and epoxy can strengthen the body quite a bit. I'm a fan of the ecopoxy products, they are safe to use indoors, which allows me to work in the basement in our canadian winters. the biggest thing would be to get the epoxy/glass lamination as thin as possible so you are getting strength without the bulk of excess epoxy. I've been using dacron as a top layer to squeeze the excess epoxy out and get a thin lamination, and it peels right off when dry. I used it for the layup on my spoiler and it worked very well, thin, light, and very few air bubbles in the layup.

_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/jim_martin_engine_build.php

1973 super
1965 squareback 1500E
1971 bay window westy- subi swap

[jspbtown]

I also would not use wood. Some extra layers of fiberglass cloth is fine.

While epoxy is strong I am of the belief that you should use a product similar to what the buggy was originally built with. I have repair a LOT of fiberglass and I have had great success on these old bodies with just plain old resin that you can get at Home Improvement stores.

A fiberglass roller is almost a must for strong layers. Be sure to very aggressively roughen up any section you plan to lay new glass on.

Lots of latex gloves, foil mixing pans, and disposable brushes, as well as the very important roller, is what you need.

[theKbStockpiler]

Put cloth over something that has a shape that is light like Styrofoam/ packaging foam maybe. Rib it like the bottom of a older wood boat in other words.
_________________
My beetle is not competing with your beetle. I have the yellow beetle in my town. There is a red one, a green one ......
Use all safety devices including a mask.

[cdnltded]

i guess i should have said, and maybe you all are thinking the same way. but i was think as using the wood as a gusset more then anything not as the main reinforcing material. like the lip that goes from the front to back of the buggy. add a few gussets 90* to the lip, then where the major flex is add a few more layers of multi strand.

[W1K1]

i have used nylon rope before to add a rib, it absorbs the epoxy, and you can add fabric over it without worring it will rot like wood.
I would use fabric over chopped mat, far more strength in the fabric than mat, higher glass to epoxy ratio with the fabric as well.
don't be fooled by the bulk of the chopped mat it takes a much more epoxy to wet out the chopped mat which results in more weight and less strength.
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/jim_martin_engine_build.php

1973 super
1965 squareback 1500E
1971 bay window westy- subi swap