Can you make fiberglass look old?

jbell959 · 05-14-2010, 05:25 PM

I bought a plain fiberglass engine shroud from Series900 a few years ago and I am getting ready to install it. It's the plain fiberglass color (not amber) and I was wondering if there were any techniques to give it the amber color or make it look more aged.

HunterVonWurst · 05-14-2010, 05:56 PM

Place it in a tanning booth...for about 6 months.

ben parrish · 05-14-2010, 06:36 PM

clear coat with an amber tint added

jbell959 · 05-14-2010, 08:17 PM

Hi Ben... that sounds better than 6 months in a tanning booth. Any idea where I could get amber tinted clear coat?

metalman · 05-14-2010, 08:30 PM

Tinted clear does seem to be the best way. You could probably tint with a weak orange mixing color at you local automotive paint supply store. Or you might check out a craft store and see if they have some kind of a tinted varnish.

group911@aol.co · 05-14-2010, 09:19 PM

Dissolve some copperus in water to stain then a light coat of clear.
Copperus is an iron fertilizer that I've used to stain concrete. One of the colors I've ended up with looks a lot like the early RSR stuff. It's cheap so you can experiment a lot - hopefully on something other than your parts - to get the right patina.

Carrerax · 05-15-2010, 02:26 AM

You could also sell it very easily here and have Damon make you an amber one?

ljowdy · 05-15-2010, 03:24 AM

There is another option.
Why not just install the shroud and drive the car.

In about 6 months its appearance will live up to your expectations.

andyjboy · 05-15-2010, 05:41 AM

I used an appropriately-coloured (spirit-based) woodstain diluted with white spirit (don't know what your name for it is over there) & gave the underside of the shroud a few (brushed) coats until it took on the desired shade.

Worked a treat.

jbell959 · 05-15-2010, 07:06 AM

All great ideas... I'll make up a few fiberglass pieces and test with stain, tinted clear coat, and copperus and see how they look. I thought about selling it and buying an amber one but as I recall it's expensive to ship these.

Jim Garfield · 07:30 AM

I talked to Damon about this very issue at Hershey recently. The original renn shrouds started off looking like your's does, and it was the heat in the engine compartment that turned them amber over time. You could either put it on and wait 20 years, or put it in the oven at a low temp (120F?) and watch it carefully. Mind you, I haven't actually tried this, but theoretically it could work.

joefrantz · 05-15-2010, 07:46 AM

Not that you need another option, but you can also dye it. There is a thread on the Early-S Registry on restoring a red shroud with Rit fabric dye.

I used the method to dye some clear electrical connectors to make them look heat yellowed. Mine came out a little darker than I wanted. THe dye takes very quickly, so like the other approaches you have to experiment with strength and timing.

In the picture of the wiring harness below, the amber connectors were clear when I started. This is the result of about one minute in full strength yellow dye, so you can see that the process works pretty quickly. I was only trying for a slight yellowing effect.

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

I think it would be a mistake to put any type of a clear coat on it. First you dealing with the right color, the right finish, then most of all will it stick and stay bonded long term with the engine heat.

If you needed to try and change the color I would go with Joe's idea of a dye, at least you would never have a flaking problem anytime in the future with a penetrating material. Just my 2 cents...

Carrerax · 05-16-2010, 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joefrantz

Not that you need another option, but you can also dye it. There is a thread on the Early-S Registry on restoring a red shroud with Rit fabric dye.

I used the method to dye some clear electrical connectors to make them look heat yellowed. Mine came out a little darker than I wanted. THe dye takes very quickly, so like the other approaches you have to experiment with strength and timing.

In the picture of the wiring harness below, the amber connectors were clear when I started. This is the result of about one minute in full strength yellow dye, so you can see that the process works pretty quickly. I was only trying for a slight yellowing effect.

Joe, Can I ask where you bought that harness? Also, if it is for sale Im very interested. Thanks!

Rot 911 · 05-16-2010, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carrerax

Joe, Can I ask where you bought that harness? Also, if it is for sale Im very interested. Thanks!

Looks home made to me. Very nicely done though!

joefrantz · 05-16-2010, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carrerax

Joe, Can I ask where you bought that harness? Also, if it is for sale Im very interested. Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rot 911

Looks home made to me. Very nicely done though!

Right -- I made it up a few years ago. It's for a 3.0l in a previously CIS T.

jbell959 · 05-16-2010, 07:22 PM

I'm going to try to die a piece of fiberglass this week and see what happens. I didn't think it would take dye well like plastic but we'll see.