Rear Valance, Fibreglass Help Options

[7TPorsh]

I have a fiberglass rear valance from Performance parts which worked ok for awhile but I started to mess with it and f'd it up.

There are 4 mounting hole tabs along the top edge. I was required to drill out the holes which i did. Problem is now the upper tab parts of the holes have broken off.

Not home to take a pic but i tried to draw a good one and mine below it. Now there are no holes and no space to drill new ones.

Does this make sense or do I need to post a picture?

[Dave_Darling]

Post a picture.

However, if there is no tab to drill a hole in, you may need to build a new one with fiberglass.

--DD

[rfuerst911sc]

You can take a flat metal washer and JB weld into place. Then do some glass touch up and you'll be good to go. The washer will add strength .

[7TPorsh]

JB Weld works on fiberglass?
That's an idea.

[76-914]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Relax. It's fiberglass. You can't F*&@#% anything up. Just grind it down and add glass/epoxy and sand, file, drill or whatever.

[Van914]

I agree JB Weld. Used to have to redo my front air dam at lease once a year with fender washers and JB Weld.

Van914

[7TPorsh]

Well I tried the JB Weld trick...seems to have worked. After setting for a couple of days it is pretty strong.

Just need to spray it black and mount...hopefully the holes are still lined up.

[RON S.]

All of those solutions will work, but I must call attention to why the ears break off in the first place.

The most common reason is that the fiberglass has a crappy fit in the first place. If you take the valence straight out of the box and bolt it up, you'll probably notice that not much of the valence fits tight up against the body of the car. Then you ratchet down on the mounting bolts which begins to stress the mounting tabs. Add in the day to day bumps and pot holes of normal driving, and the ears begin to break off.


I noticed this with mine when it was new. It looked like a 914 valence, but when fitted, it just didn't follow the rear curve of the car at all.
I took a hacksaw, and made a half a dozen or so vertical cuts across the back of my valence, until it was flexible enough to bolt to the car easily with no stress. Then with no muffler on the car I glassed it up from the back side to put the strength back in, and then cleaned up the front side. A coat of paint later I was done. 5 years on the valence is stress and crack free.

It's the only way to do it with the low quality of fiberglass products one gets anymore. Not saying it happens always, but with every piece of fiberglass I ever bought for my car, serious rework had to be done 1st before it was usable on my car.


Just my 2 cents worth.


Ron

[7TPorsh]

I agree the fg parts are not made well. I would love to have a steel one but too $$$.

This is from Performance Products...and yes it doesn't match well and doesn't seem long enough.

Are the valances supposed to wrap all the way to the wheel opening...mine is about an inch short on both sides.

[mark21742]

I like to make a large, long sheetmetal price to "clamp" fiberglass panels together instead of just bolting fiberglass to fiberglass, or fiberglass to metal......I always hated these tabs on kits......I've done several fiberglass body kits on cars for people and found that is the best way to get them to hold up.....I've also only ever installed one bumper that truly just bolted right up, all the other parts ice done needed fitting, adjusting and more glass work.

Don't get me wrong, I love fiberglass, but it can take some work to get them fitting right and to last the punishment of time on a car