If you are leaning towards repairing your Corvette’s fiberglass rather than spending hundreds of dollars to replace particular body panels consider using some of these Corvette Fiberglass Repair Materials. By repairing your original Corvette’s Body Panels you are of course saving money, but you are also keeping the Corvette that much more original. With the older Corvettes, originality is critical; the more original your Corvette is, the more it will be worth. By selling these Corvette Fiberglass Repair Materials Zip offers yet another way for you to keep your Corvette true to form. Many customers call us asking what they need, and the materials can be confusing so here is a quick breakdown of our Corvette fiberglass repair materials.
Corvette Fiberglass Roller
Eliminating air bubbles & excess resin are the key elements in assuring a strong, durable repair. This 1/2″ x 3″ Fiberglass Mat Roller will help alleviate such problems & produce professional results.
Corvette Fiberglass Mat
Corvette Fiberglass Mats are available in 50″ x 1 yard and 50″ x 3 yards. The 1 1/2 ounce fiberglass mats are ideal in weight for all Corvette fiberglass repairs. Insist on quality grade Corvette fiberglass mat – There is a difference!
Corvette Fiberglass Resin
Our Corvette Resin has been specifically designed to provide outstanding adhesion to factory Corvette fiberglass. Fast curing time & high strength makes this the professionals first choice. MEKP hardener, which is a catalyst for all polyester resins and gel-coats is included. MEKP hardener can also be purchased separately.
Fiberglass Spray Gel-coat
Spray Gel-Coat is the only product of its kind currently available that will permanently seal errant fiberglass strands. Spray gel-coat’s unmatched sealing qualities also prevents body fillers from bleeding through to ruin otherwise perfect Corvette paint jobs. MEKP hardener is included with the spray gel-coat.
Fiberglass Bonding Adhesive
Bonding Adhesive has been specifically designed to provide unsurpassed adhesion when bonding fiberglass to bonding strips. Adhesive is formulated to grip even in instances of severe expansion, contraction & vibration. Do not use bonding adhesive as a surface filler on your Corvette.
Corvette Fiberglass Body Filler
This Corvette Body Filler has virtually eliminated intolerable shrinkage, pin holing, & bleed through found in other fillers. Simply stated, this easy-to-use body filler is the best money can buy! Cream hardener, which is great for colder temperatures and will create a quicker cure is included with the body filler.
Corvette Paint Stripper
Auto Spra-Strip Paint Remover is the easiest solution available for removing paint on your Corvette. Spra strip achieves a complete chemical balance with paint on your fiberglass. Simply spray non-aerosol stripper on the Corvette and paint can be removed in minutes. Spra strip will remove epoxy, enamel, polyurethane, acrylic, lacquer, imron, varnish, undercoating, grease, and bondo. Safe on all surfaces except urethane bumpers.
Be aware when you purchase many of these Corvette Fiberglass Repair Materials that they have a shelf life of approximately three months. All this means is when your order the product you should be ready to use the repair materials sooner rather then later.
Inspired by the Carbon Fiber World Challenge Hood, Zip Products is proud to bring to the Corvette industry a street design for your C6 Corvette. Partnered with ACS and ACP, this is an exact reproduction of the Corvette racecar hood but manufactured using RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) technology.
Corvette World Challenge Hood
RTM technology creates a fiberglass part of OEM quality. Fiberglass is injected into a mold and then compressed under high pressure. This manufacturing method creates a panel that is smooth on both sides with a consistent thickness across the entire surface. The controlled fiberglass/resin composition of RTM reduces cure times and eliminates the possibility of “wet” parts being removed from the mold prematurely; all of which is impossible with the standard hand laying process. Panels are then trimmed using a CNC robotic water jet for a clean, smooth cut on every part. The result is better fitting panel, reducing body shop installation and fitment times.
The new World Challenge Corvette Hood features OEM brackets mounted to the inner structure to insure a ready to bolt on part. The hood has another feature not found in most aftermarket Corvette Hoods but is present on the stock hood, reinforcements at the rear of the hood for the hood bumpers and crash tabs. These brackets create the reinforcement necessary in a front end collision to cause the hood to fold in half instead of coming through the windshield. ACS is an OEM manufacturer producing hoods for the SLP Camaros and the GT-40 FORD. Their excellent craftsmanship will guarantee a great looking, and excellent fitting Corvette Hood.
ZR1 Corvette Hood W/O Window
The second hood is a replica of the latest 2009 ZR1 Corvette Hood. Also designed and manufactured by ACS using the same RTM technology. Now you can install a quality ZR1 high rise hood on your C6 Corvette. At just a fraction of the cost from the dealer ($5700), the new ZR1 Corvette Hood is available with the clear poly-carbonate window or without. Purchasing the ZR1 hood with the clear window would be great for additional modifications down the road such as removing the window, painting the window, adding a louvered section and more. The smooth finished ZR1 Corvette Hood without the clear window has the exact same shape and curves just without the clear poly window.
This Corvette Restoration Tip is brought to you by Zip Corvette and can be found in Zip’s free Corvette Parts & Accessories Catalogs - request one online today.
There are three different types of Corvette Body Panels available for 1968-1982 Corvettes. Press molded Panels which are original for 68-72 Corvettes, Hand Laid Panels - replacement for 68-82, and Sheet Molded Composite Panels which are original style for 1973-1982 Corvettes. For more information on each panel and how it is manufactured, continue reading below.
Corvette Pre-Assembled Front End
Press Molded Panels – 1968-1972 factory fiberglass panels were produced in molds that created an exceptionally strong part that were smooth on both sides. To help keep your Corvette as original as possible, Zip offers as many press molded pieces as are available. Panels are manufactured to higher quality standards than possible for hand laid panels, using fiberglass mat and resin placed inside matched male/female molds – then pressed together under high pressure and heat to ensure consistent thickness. Original panels are black in color and do not have a gelcoat surface. Note press molded panels require the use of bonding strips when installed.
Hand Laid Panels – Replacement fiberglass panels are built by layering fiberglass mat and resin into a single mold. Construction of each piece begins with the spraying of gelcoat into a female mold; once cured, alternating layers of fiberglass matting and resin are hand rolled to eliminate air pockets and ensure an overall uniform thickness. Once “popped” from the mold, panels are hand trimmed and ground to final shape. Hand laid panels have a smooth exterior and a rough fiberglass/resin underside.
SMC Panels – 1973-1982 Corvettes were assembled of panels made from a sheet molded composite (“SMC”). SMC panels are formed by a high-pressure mold compressing a mix of fiberglass, resin, catalyst and release agent. SMC pieces are smoother than press molded fiberglass panels and have a marbled appearance – typically gray in color. Note SMC panels require special adhesives for bonding.
