Duck Tail How Do I prep for Paint?
 

I put my duck tail on last night and it needs some work in a couple of areas. On the sides it needs to be sanded down some to make for an even line. I figured the fiberglass is thick enough I can just use a belt sander with some fine paper and work the edge down. But in one place I need to add some material. Not much, maybe 1/16 of an inch and about 3 inches long by 1/4 inch wide. What material should I use? Bondo? Fiberglass resin? I was thinking bondo because it would be easier to shape and work with, but I don't want it popping off later.

I just finished restoring and painting a mid-'70s factory Carrera whaletail, and I used Nitro-Stan for all the small imperfections. It's a one-part, red-lead colored putty, comes in a big squeeze tube, that's very easy to work with. Dries in minutes, very fine-grained. It's typically used to fill the tiny faults in Bondo--pinholes, etc. You simply swab it on with a plastic spatula. You might have to do two or three applications, because it does shrink, but it's so easy to work with that that's no problem. You get it at any body-shop supplier, you won't find it in a hardware store.

Stephan

Steve, thanks for the quick reply. I do have and use Nitro Stan and planned on using that for the pinholes and a couple of scratches, but I've tried using it for building up an area before without much success. One reason, as you pointed out is that it shrinks. The other is that when you have to thick a layer of nitro-stan it takes forever to dry.

Go to a fiberglass shop and buy some "fairing compound" and some surfacing putty. The fairing compound will take a few coats but it sands easily with 320-400 grit paper.

Jeff

"What material should I use? Bondo?"

Yes, that should do it. My suggestions: Clean and rough up the base area so the filler has something to grab on to. Lay on a little more than you need. Once it dries, use a long rubber block sander to shape the edge; the longer the better for a straight edge. Put away the power tools unless you want to remove lots of material.

Sherwood Lee
http://members.rennlist.org/911pcars

When adding to an edge of any FG part, I always lay up some mat and resin to the edge and let it run wild a bit. Then I trim to just a little beyond final edge and add the filler (bondo). This gives some strength to the edge if you happen to bump it. Final sandind by hand with a long block. Polyester primer is also very good for FG parts as it is made from the same resin. Then a coat of sealer before paint beacuse poly primer is very porous and doesn't "float" the paint that well.

If your looking for a body filler like "Bondo" you want to get DuraGlass. Its basically high quality "Bondo". I think you can get it at Sherman-Williams. Its green in color and flexible.

Kurt,

I can't wait to see how my old duck tail on your car. Post pics as soon as your done.