Should I buy sheet metal or fiberglass panals for my 64 Mustang?

Question

Im going to resto mod my vehicle but Im still not conviced by eather. What are the pros and cons that should help me make up my mind?

Answer 1

Pros of fiberglass: it is lighter, it is pretty sturdy,

Cons of fiberglass: usually it is not a direct bolt on part. Some modification will more than likely have to be made for the parts to fit. If you lean on the fenders, or pick up on them, they can shift or even bust.

Pros of steel: Will bolt right on, very sturdy, will have an original look, less body work to fit right, will not bust or shift if any weight is placed on them for any reason such as leaning over the fender to work on the engine.

Cons of steel: heaver than fiberglass.

Answer 2

Yes, surface prep is everything and the exact method depends on if you want to remove the sheet metal later. Keep in mind that all bonds sooner or later can fracture or come loose. Even methods that melt (weld) two pieces of solid metal together sooner or later fail. I am not a big fan of cardboard patterns or substructures, wood is my preferred material. Open grain allows the resin to bond better. A metal mesh works well too, provided fiberglass is applied to both sides. The additional advantage of these techniques is added strength over a long period of time.

Answer 3

Pros: Fiberglass is lighter. It won't rust.

Cons: If you get hit, it's likely to crack and will be harder to repair. Fiberglass often requires a bit more attention to get the panels to fit correctly. Avoid race-weight fiberglass - that stuff is so thin it will flap around visibly. And you can't put magnetic numbers on fiberglass.

Answer 4

What is wrong with the org? If still solid use them... If you are going to do alot of racing (have you checked the price of gas?) fiber will save alittle weight but on the other hand you can just get a bigger motor and run steel. Dude, flip a coin. Just hold the org parts for a back up.

Answer 5

Street\Show car- Metal
Drag\Racer -Fiberglass