Thread: Hi Tech Gap Filler

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This is a quest for an educated second opinion. As you can see in the picture, the ends of my new stainless headlight bar is not a very good match for the curvature of the fenders. (same at both ends). I do not want to start tying to bend a polished stainless headlight bar, and I REALLY don't want to mess up the paint on the fenders. If these were metal fenders, I would just snug the bolts up untill everything "conformed", but thats not wise to do with fiberglass. My initial thoughts had been to make a tapered metal shim, but after thinking about it, I think this would be a good spot for some high build epoxy filler. If I can cover the fender with a layer of aluminum foil (plastic sheeting won't work, I had a horror story with that 2 years ago), trowel on some high build epoxy,---something like J B Weld. coat the headlight bar with a heavy layer of paste wax, and then bolt everything up "snug"---. My theory is that the high build epoxy will conform exactly to the gap. Then, after it hardens, I unbolt the headlight bar, and trim the squeezed out epoxy to be an exact match for the end of the headlight bar, and paint it either silver to match the headlight bar or black to look like a "gasket". Opinions please---Spring is coming, and I want to be ready.---Brian

Denny---Which do you think would be better---the epoxy (don't have nuch experience with it) or the fiberglass strand impregnated polyester bodyfiller--the green stuff that sets up harder than the devils horn.---

the fiberglass may work better the amount of fill you want a heavy body filler like the mar glass the Jb could work but would sag out less you make a dam out of masking tape .i would make them out of hard wood then sand smooth coat with reisn and paint if you use a filler it may split with the to big holes holding the bar to the fender if you still want to try filler then try A&B putty it is a very heavy body putty I use it on ports will not run or sag

Pat---Your probably right---There's not a lot of slump to the mar glass.

Originally Posted by brianrupnow

Pat---Your probably right---There's not a lot of slump to the mar glass.

try the A&B putty

You could also make a wedge out of a piece of either flat steel stock or aluminum. You've got that big old belt sander, so you could first make a template out of wood to see how it fits, then duplicate it in the steel or aluminum. Just another avenue to think about.

Don

I will correct this mis matched fit sometime in the spring, and if I can find this old post, I will post a picture. the good thing is, the area is not very visible at all unless you get down on your knees in front of the car, and the headlight bar came with a set of black neoprene gaskets with a raised "lip" around them, which will hide 80% of any filler peice, be it metal or epoxy. ---- I still have to change out the fender support bracket on that side before I do anything involving the headlight bar fit, and the weather has to warm up a lot before I,m ready to go and play in the garage.---Brian

alum would work like 3003 drill and tap to3/8 bolt holes go thru so you have two long handles two hang on two it is going to get HOT with the belt sander action then when done just drill the 3/8 out to the bar bolt hole size i use a 36 belt and a dresser stick on the belt

Doggone it Brian, now ya got me worried if my Gennie light bar really fits as well as I recall - tho I do think it fits better then yours shows. My recollection was that it fit my Wescott fenders nicely after enlarging the mounting holes a fair amount in the 'glass.

A note - I hope you are going to use something like the Lokar wire loom and not those ugly, IMHO, light bolts

Dave---I am running a set of 28/29 fenders on my car. Maybe the V'd Gennie shifter headlight bar is made to fit 30/31 fenders. Which fenders are you running? I know that in the Gennie web catalog the ordinary dropped headlight bar comes in both versions 28/29 and 30/31, but the V'd headlight bar like I bought is not "year defined". and yes, I've been running the ugly headlight bolts for 4 years now, and nobody has ever commented on them.---Brian

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

try the A&B putty

Looks like putty would work nicely. I was thinking 'mighty putty'.

https://www.mightyputty.com

It would work good for that, you can drill it andpaint it also etc ...........

Kitz

Originally Posted by kitz

Looks like putty would work nicely. I was thinking 'mighty putty'.

https://www.mightyputty.com

It would work good for that, you can drill it andpaint it also etc ...........

Kitz

the A&B is sold under manley magic seal epoxy# 40187 the stuff works good and i work it with a small steel pocket ruler with it wetted with lacquer thinner and clean up with thinner. works a bit thicker then modeling clay this stuff works good but try to get it warm first not hot this helps mix the two parts it and work it good make sure it mix well

Originally Posted by brianrupnow

Dave---I am running a set of 28/29 fenders on my car. Maybe the V'd Gennie shifter headlight bar is made to fit 30/31 fenders. Which fenders are you running? I know that in the Gennie web catalog the ordinary dropped headlight bar comes in both versions 28/29 and 30/31, but the V'd headlight bar like I bought is not "year defined". and yes, I've been running the ugly headlight bolts for 4 years now, and nobody has ever commented on them.---Brian

Brian,
I'm using the '30-'31 Wescott fronts with a '32 Brookville shell and a Gennie 6002 V bar "for 'A's with a deuce shell. Interesting that they don't make it year specific as the '28/'29 fenders are a tiny bit different in configuration. They must assume that if your a rodder, you'll figure out a way to make it fit

Nah - nobody would have commented about headlight bolts unless they had something like Lokar looms - I ran the bolts on other cars until the Lokars came out

How about using the aluminum shims used for adjusting pinion angle on rear ends. They are available in different angles of degree. They can be cut to fit and polished. It would be easyer than trying to sand the angle with a belt sander.

I have used JB weld for stuff like this . first thing to remember , JB weld or anything else for that matter loves to run down hill, get the quick set. I used some alum. tape to make the sides of the gap you are trying to fill. You can pull the tape off a little, then fill and restick the tape. This way will leave perfect clean sides once done. I also put the JB weld in a little baggy and cut the tip to "inject" it between the two. Tape everything, even pull the mirror off and tape the 2 surfaces . This way you will have a made shim that will not be stuck to either, unless you want it to be stuck to one side. I have not tried the other stuff.
Or do as ALLEN said use a aluminum shim then polish it up.