Fiberglass
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: sumner, ia
Fiberglass
So I am thinking about scrapping the body of my truck. Was wondering if anyone has done anything with the fiberglass parts. I have done quite a bit of work with offshore powerboats. So i am not worried about that kind of work. Just looking to see if anyone has done something like this and if they have any advice.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,037
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From: Kasson, Minnesota
Check out http://usbody.com/
I would be curious to see the quality of those parts and how they fit. Probably alot of work to get them to look good.
I would be curious to see the quality of those parts and how they fit. Probably alot of work to get them to look good.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2006
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Had a set of glass fenders, and bedsides on my 79', but they eventually broke under the severe pounding they took when the mud went flyin! Fenders did not like to get rubbed by the tires either. Tore them suckers right off!
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Fresno, CA.
Watched a 4x4 Chevy make a jump and landed on his front bumper, and do 4 complete end over end rolls, and every fiberglass panel on that truck jumped ship and was destroyed. The only thing left was the frame. Think I will stick with steel.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,037
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From: Kasson, Minnesota
Hopefully you don't plan on going end over end....I don't think steel would hold up either in that scenerio 
. Fiberglass parts are pretty much made for street racing and not any type of work/off road use because of the beating. But, if your just going to do daily driving, than they would hold up. Just an expensive fix if you ever get "fendered". The entire tilt fiberglass front end might hold up better if you want to go that route.
IMO, if you take pretty good care of your truck and wash it every so often, your truck won't rust out for quite some time (depending on if it sees salt much). If your replacing with new parts, just coat the insides of each sheet metal part with a good coat of rust prevention paint such as rust bullet or something. Those types of paints are supposed to with stand most chemicals and solvents.
. Fiberglass parts are pretty much made for street racing and not any type of work/off road use because of the beating. But, if your just going to do daily driving, than they would hold up. Just an expensive fix if you ever get "fendered". The entire tilt fiberglass front end might hold up better if you want to go that route. IMO, if you take pretty good care of your truck and wash it every so often, your truck won't rust out for quite some time (depending on if it sees salt much). If your replacing with new parts, just coat the insides of each sheet metal part with a good coat of rust prevention paint such as rust bullet or something. Those types of paints are supposed to with stand most chemicals and solvents.
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FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Fresno, CA.
I don't plan on going end over end
and if It were to happen the last thing I would worry about is the fiberglass parts. I was thinking of the fiberglass parts for my '76 because of the lousy gas mileage it gets. However, like a lot of people on this site point out, the only cost effective way to increase gas mileage is a good tune up. Everything else takes too long to get your money back. So, after the camper arrives, and I get the Ranger, I will drive it for mileage, and use the '76 for chapter meets, and campouts.
and if It were to happen the last thing I would worry about is the fiberglass parts. I was thinking of the fiberglass parts for my '76 because of the lousy gas mileage it gets. However, like a lot of people on this site point out, the only cost effective way to increase gas mileage is a good tune up. Everything else takes too long to get your money back. So, after the camper arrives, and I get the Ranger, I will drive it for mileage, and use the '76 for chapter meets, and campouts.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Kasson, Minnesota
Yep...Pretty much what I'm going to use my truck for also.
I do wonder if usbody still has that 8 foot fiberglass bed for sale at $1000. They still show they have one in stock. Normally I think it was over $4000. That's kinda tempting, but I still would rather have steel, even though they claim it is heavy duty.
I do wonder if usbody still has that 8 foot fiberglass bed for sale at $1000. They still show they have one in stock. Normally I think it was over $4000. That's kinda tempting, but I still would rather have steel, even though they claim it is heavy duty.
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: sumner, ia
i was on the site the other day and they still had it. i think that is a pretty good deal considering a good rust free bed will run you around that. well here in iowa they do where i have looked.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Madison, SD
I put one of their one piece tilt front ends on a customers truck. Not the best quality 'glass in the world, but certainly better then a lot of the other fiberglass companies I've dealt with....
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Joined: Nov 2005
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I bought a fiberglass cowl from www.up22.com for me 1973. The hood looks cool but needs minor work to be nice. See my truck at www.highrevsrestoration.com