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Fiberglass body back from Line-x..UPDATED PICS!!
- Thread starter 73k5blazer
- Start date
The thing looks good.
A local guy did the same thing to a fiberglass jeep body (much less surface area to cover). He liked it alot until he went wheeling. The coating helped protect against abrasion and some tree/rock rash, but the big stuff caused the fiberglass to break (although he said the liner helped hold it together better than if it was unprotected). Normally some mesh and some fiberglass could be used as a patch (sanded, smoothed, primed, and painted) and you would hardly know it was repaired. Once he did the liner he said he couldn't repair it any more except to rivit metal patch panels to it to hold (just something to beware of if you are going to wheel it where moderate/severe body damage may occur.
A local guy did the same thing to a fiberglass jeep body (much less surface area to cover). He liked it alot until he went wheeling. The coating helped protect against abrasion and some tree/rock rash, but the big stuff caused the fiberglass to break (although he said the liner helped hold it together better than if it was unprotected). Normally some mesh and some fiberglass could be used as a patch (sanded, smoothed, primed, and painted) and you would hardly know it was repaired. Once he did the liner he said he couldn't repair it any more except to rivit metal patch panels to it to hold (just something to beware of if you are going to wheel it where moderate/severe body damage may occur.
Depending on where he got his jeep body from, there a bunch of places that make glass jeep bodies, and some of them are worth anything.
USBody uses kevlar matting under the glass, and the glass is several inches thick in places it should (bodysides, floor) and the floor/firewall/fbhp are reinforced with wood/alumminum. Couple that with the fact that I'm probably not going to go super hard-core wheelin', theres hardly any rocks here in MI, just regular wheelin' and good trail rig.
I think I only smashed my K5 into two or three things in the 10 years I owned it before I took it apart. (I know, I'm not pushing hard enough..i know..)
There were a couple long flanges I cut off in places, they were thin pieces, I could take the ends and make a u and tocuh the two ends together and no sign of breakage. Sometimes the gel coat would crack off the top of the U, but the line-x should help with that.
I do worry about that though, I have this nightmare somtimes the first time I twist it up on a trail all the glass is just going to crack everywhere and fall off the frame.
USBody uses kevlar matting under the glass, and the glass is several inches thick in places it should (bodysides, floor) and the floor/firewall/fbhp are reinforced with wood/alumminum. Couple that with the fact that I'm probably not going to go super hard-core wheelin', theres hardly any rocks here in MI, just regular wheelin' and good trail rig.
I think I only smashed my K5 into two or three things in the 10 years I owned it before I took it apart. (I know, I'm not pushing hard enough..i know..)
There were a couple long flanges I cut off in places, they were thin pieces, I could take the ends and make a u and tocuh the two ends together and no sign of breakage. Sometimes the gel coat would crack off the top of the U, but the line-x should help with that.
I do worry about that though, I have this nightmare somtimes the first time I twist it up on a trail all the glass is just going to crack everywhere and fall off the frame.
I think your rig is sweet and wish I could do something along those lines (I'm actually jealous). Considering I live in the Northeast with all the road salt and snow, fiberglass and protectant would not only be cool but also practical (save on repairing body cancer). I would love to do that to my 78 K10 plow truck (stock, no offroading). I have just seen issues with repairs (if needed), just thought I would give you a heads up. To be honest I don't know where he got the body from for the jeep.
Again that thing looks sweet and will probably be sweeter when it's all assembled and should outlast our lifetimes. Keep us posted.
Again that thing looks sweet and will probably be sweeter when it's all assembled and should outlast our lifetimes. Keep us posted.
kevcarr59
Registered Member
Cracking????
Noticing that you're from Michigan what about cold-cracking of a fiber body like that?? does the Line-x help protect it??
Noticing that you're from Michigan what about cold-cracking of a fiber body like that?? does the Line-x help protect it??
I don't know about the line-x helping, but the bodys already been through 4 winters, it was -20 1 day two winters ago. It didn't seem to affect it much. I've asked a few engineers about that, they said don't worry about it. It would have to be -60 or so before you start seeing problems, if it's that cold, you'll have other worries.
I don't know about the new ones, but older Corvettes have some fiberglass body panels.
I don't know about the new ones, but older Corvettes have some fiberglass body panels.
four_by_ken
1/2 ton status
All Corvettes are all fiberglass.73k5blazer said:
darkshadow
1 ton status
i dont think the glass will ever crack JUST do to cold, but if you flexen it when its cold then you have way better chance of crackin it.
my 2 cents
my 2 cents
Updated the pics..
k5floyd
1/2 ton status
are those h2 wheels? if so did you have to modefy them to fit or anything? and how much back spacing do they have?
Yes they are H2 wheels. I'd have to look it up again, but the H2 wheels have like 3" more backspacing than stock wheels for this truck.
They fit without modification. I may need to buy small spacers because one of the front rims just barely barley rubs the tie-rod end boot. I could space them out 2-3" to put them back where the stock wheels should be.
They fit without modification. I may need to buy small spacers because one of the front rims just barely barley rubs the tie-rod end boot. I could space them out 2-3" to put them back where the stock wheels should be.
big83chevy4x4
3/4 ton status
that looks so cool, looks like you need smaller tires to get it in and out of hte garage 
spartan4x4
Registered Member
you can strip line-x off, you have to grind at it with a wire wheel (well, a bunch of them) and then a special abrasive disk but it does come off. you can take it off and fix whatever you body problems you have and then have it patched back up. you can patch line-x really easy and its not noticeable.
$2500 isn't bad, they charged $1400 to do a cj7 while i was there. the worst part about it is labor.
$2500 isn't bad, they charged $1400 to do a cj7 while i was there. the worst part about it is labor.
looks like it's coming together nicely....
Keep the pics updated will ya...Good job....
Keep the pics updated will ya...Good job....BrianDamage
1/2 ton status
man I don't see those bodis on USBodies website anymore ? wonder if they stopped making them since you bought yours ?
in the first pics, it looked like the top on the back was all one piece with the body..did you just cut it off ? so you can't have a top now ?
in the first pics, it looked like the top on the back was all one piece with the body..did you just cut it off ? so you can't have a top now ?
It fits, barley, with the top on, I have to stand on the back and that little bit is enough to clear. Fully assembled, I shouldn't have to stand on the back,big83chevy4x4 said:looks like you need smaller tires to get it in and out of hte garage
BrianDamage said:
They are still there, it just they tried WAY to hard to have a "cool" website, and it's difficult to navigate. You need to go to the left and pick 73-87 chevy trucks, and you'll see it.
The top is the factory hardtop. It bolts on, I had it bolted on for transportation from the Line-X place, but no way was going to lift body on top as one piece onto the frame. I have a soft-top too.
four_by_ken
1/2 ton status
I wheel with a guy that has a CJ5 with a fiberglass body, and the cold doesnt seem to effect it at all. If they designed it right, you sould be fine and not have to worry at all. Oh, and his body is more than 15 years old.
Dude, that is so freakin' cool. I hate worrying about little dings turning into rust/cancer. I'm jealous that I'm too lazy and incompetent to do a frame off!
Is the line-x going to cause problems with the doors or tailgate closing properly?
Is the line-x going to cause problems with the doors or tailgate closing properly?
Mastiff said:
Hopefully not. I planned for it by cutting some of the openings a little bit bigger. I already mounted the gate, she closes up just fine.
