Best way to fill the hood ornament holes on a regal header?

[Bonnewagon]

Yes, it is like the Firebird/ Camaro nose- urethane. Flexible so if it gets bumped it dislodges the filler. Oddly, I used the flexible bumper filler all over my Firebird noses and they always stayed perfect. Maybe fiberglass mat to make it solid then the flexible filler on the top like Turna suggested.

 

[Doug Chahoy]

I didn’t realize you weren’t talking about a fiberglass header. As said above, platic welding a piece in would be the best way.

 

[Injectedcutty]

injectedcutty, how long has that been done? Just curious. Most of the people I have chatted with locally who have used several methods, they look good for a little while and then it starts showing through with time. Yours looks good!

Thanks. Tbh, mine has only been painted for maybe a year and a half and only spent maybe 3 or 4 months sitting outside last year. Time will tell how it holds up, but it got rained on pretty good last year. Some other flaws in the bodywork have already shown their ugly faces, but I'm not gonna rant on it.

 

[pagrunt]

Bonnewagon have you looked into Lord-Fusor or 3M bumper repair adhesives to fill the hole? 3M also has/had a flexible self adhesive reinforcement that can be used to on the underside of the hole to support the repair adhesive.

 

[ostrich]

Check these out. May work?
http://ca.proformproducts.com/en/pr...sives/pliogripr-urethane-structural-adhesive/

I've used them on the from nose of my MCSS, IROC and just filled a TBSS instake and smoothed it. Not cheap, and you need a dual cartridge gun. My cousin works at a body shop and use them a lot.

 

[Rktpwrd]

The guys advocating the use of fibreglass filler (tiger hair, the coarse stuff, not kitty hair, the finer stuff) along with bevelling the edges of the hole top and bottom are correct. No need to use fibreglass mat or cloth of any kind unless it makes you feel better.

I think what most of you are losing sight of is the construction of the header panel itself. The headers on our cars are not, repeat NOT fibreglass. While similar in their consistency, they are made out of SMC or Sheet Molded Conposite. Look it up.
Using a regular body filler to fill in the hole will indeed result in failure. The two products are NOT compatible and will eventually separate.

Using tiger hair to fill AND skim over the hole (preferably both sides) is the only way to have a lasting repair. If you really want to do it correctly, get yourself some SMC specific repair compound and use that. Regular body filler should only be used as a very thin skim coat over top of either the SMC repair product, or the tiger hair.

I’m at work and don’t currently have the time to go looking for it, but if one of you would care to consult my Juggernaut build thread, I covered this exact same repair/modification and how to do it.
Guys, the answer has been under your noses and a couple mouse clicks away the whole time.

Peace out.

(Drops the mike)

 

[RegalBegal]

Just checked what my body guy used on mine. Problem Plasic and I have to say it came out beautiful, He also used it reattach the lower stand offs. Strong stuff.

https://www.eastwood.com/sem-dual-m...QHix4AxnT9P_D4zL2Nf-DvyKDFGSqrsoaAtq8EALw_wcB

 

[joesregalproject]

I filled mine with fiberglass filler. I countersunk the hole on both sides and sanded the top smooth. My car is dark burgundy and it is not visible.

The guys advocating the use of fibreglass filler (tiger hair, the coarse stuff, not kitty hair, the finer stuff) along with bevelling the edges of the hole top and bottom are correct. No need to use fibreglass mat or cloth of any kind unless it makes you feel better.

 

[Longroof79]

I also filled the ornament hole on my header panel using fiberglass matt and polyester resin. I applied a few layers of resin to the backside, later used a little plastic filler on the topside and feathered it in.
It's since been primed, painted and on the car with no issues whatsoever.

 

[Ribbedroof]

Evercoat SMC panel adhesive or Kent Chem-weld 45 . I have used both without issue. As stated, you'll want to bevel the surface, and a coarse roloc wheel works well for doing so.

The problem with using traditional fiberglass on an SMC panel (like our header panels are) is that the fiberglass never stops shrinking. While SMC is essentially fiberglass, it is formed with heat and pressure, and does not shrink (less resin) like fiberglass does.

Looks like I should have read all the way to the end Rktpwrd already covered it

Bonnewagon, I like Kent Chem-weld EP for bumper covers better than the 3M products. Also, I second the 3M backer patch (05888) for holes of any size. We have a nitrogen welder at work for that stuff, but nobody uses it.