Front lid options and opinions, to fiberglass or not to fiberglass that is the??? Options

[mgphoto]

Looking for a good front lid is becoming a challenge, most are rusted, dented, walked on, frames bent and more rust. After chasing steel front lids for a year or so I am seriously considering a fiberglass replacement.


I would like to hear from those who are using f/g front lids, their experiances, problems, solutions, fitment issues and such.

This a street car the lid will be mounted on, so if you have any photos to share, I would appreciate seeing those images.

Also recomendations for the manufacturer.

I've done some research and would like to know if I am going in the right direction.

Thanks in advance.

[jmitro]

my experience is pretty limited to one brand.
I bought the QRS f/r lids and bumpers. Saves a lot of weight, but requires a lot of work to look anywhere close to OEM in terms of finish.

Fitment was actually pretty good. I bonded the external skin to the frame to keep it from flapping around, and it's pretty rigid. but I would need a ton of work to get the underside of the hood to look as good as OEM. Right now it's raw fiberglass and resin

[mgphoto]

my experience is pretty limited to one brand.
I bought the QRS f/r lids and bumpers. Saves a lot of weight, but requires a lot of work to look anywhere close to OEM in terms of finish.

Fitment was actually pretty good. I bonded the external skin to the frame to keep it from flapping around, and it's pretty rigid. but I would need a ton of work to get the underside of the hood to look as good as OEM. Right now it's raw fiberglass and resin

Thanks for responding jmetro, I am very interested in what you have to say as QRS is a front runner.
Could you elaborate a bit on the fitment of the lid? Your opinion of fit within the body seams? Could you be specific as to what issues were involved in the "ton of work".

I would also like to know a bit more about the bonding of the external skin, is that to the internal frame, is there a gap?

Also any information about the attachment points, lid latch and hinges?
Thanks again.

[Biggles]

my experience is pretty limited to one brand.
I bought the QRS f/r lids and bumpers. Saves a lot of weight, but requires a lot of work to look anywhere close to OEM in terms of finish.

Fitment was actually pretty good. I bonded the external skin to the frame to keep it from flapping around, and it's pretty rigid. but I would need a ton of work to get the underside of the hood to look as good as OEM. Right now it's raw fiberglass and resin

Thanks for responding jmetro, I am very interested in what you have to say as QRS is a front runner.
Could you elaborate a bit on the fitment of the lid? Your opinion of fit within the body seams? Could you be specific as to what issues were involved in the "ton of work".

I would also like to know a bit more about the bonding of the external skin, is that to the internal frame, is there a gap?

Also any information about the attachment points, lid latch and hinges?
Thanks again.

Don't think that grp lids will fit exactly like steel. My uk made panels were good but took the body shop many hours to fit and finish to a near metal standard.

The grp frame sits away from the panel skin and may flex a bit, regardless of the balsa wood inserts.

I haven't fitted mine yet as I'm working on an alternative to using racing style catches (the front latch not being enough on its own)

[Dave_Darling]

Most people have found that using the stock springs for the front lid, even when set at the most relaxed setting, causes the lid to bow up in the middle when closed. The springs are just too strong for the lid. A prop rod is the easy solution.

Either the factory or the shop that did the conversion made a nice prop rod that lived permanently in a bracket on the underside of the lid. I'm sure Armando Serrano's GT site has pics.

--DD

[PanelBilly]

Didn't Bruce Stone have one nice enough for you?

[mepstein]

Fiberglass lids always take a ton of work. Doesn't matter where you buy it.

[thelogo]

If i was where you are now

I would be trying to do it in carbon fibre

Pain in the ass yep

Expensive, hell yeh


But while your there might as well do it as best you can

Or if you like i can recommed a guy who can turn

Your beat down stock steel hood back into perfection
He has done cars featured in hot vdubs mag
And does all the dealer cars that dont have insurance

Did the door on my 914 was great
But out of respect for his craftsmanship
I only pay him in cash


Only guy i ever saw who could just
Hop on a 914 , pull it into his crowded shop
And never so much as grinded a gear .

[ConeDodger]

It shouldn't be that hard to find one that can be restored to as good as you want.

[pete000]

I have a front lid that needs a little work, but would be way easier than finishing a fiberglass lid. Fiberglass lids also should be run with hood pins!

[gandalf_025]

I looked for a good rust free front trunk lid for some time.
Then I really screwed up and trusted an asshole that has a
great reputation on Pelican to get me one.. He paid for
1 with my money And it "got lost" by Greyhound when shipping.
It resurfaced a few weeks later and supposedly
Greyhound wanted storage costs..
Idiot told them to shove it without asking me and then found
a real piece of shit one locally and delivered it to my body shop
Owner of the shop called me and asked what he was supposed to
Do with that rusty piece of crap.
A lot of the exchange is on Pelican 914 Classifieds..
Had to buy another one myself.... It was real clean.

I screwed up and trusted the guy with the reputation.....

Then he shows up here peddling his services and says he
cares about his customers cars...
Yeah, he sure cared about mine.
I keep the hood as a reminder of what a dirtbag he is...

So, be careful where you get 1 if it has the ship..

[jmitro]

Could you elaborate a bit on the fitment of the lid? Your opinion of fit within the body seams? Could you be specific as to what issues were involved in the "ton of work".

I would also like to know a bit more about the bonding of the external skin, is that to the internal frame, is there a gap?

Also any information about the attachment points, lid latch and hinges?
Thanks again.

fitment in terms of body gap to the fenders seemed pretty good; even and straight. The thread inserts for attaching to the hood mounts were pretty well done, except with one being partially obstructed with gel coat. i almost cross threaded the bolt, but managed to ream it out.

In my case, the gel coat chipped off one of the corners, requiring some finish work. also, the edges of the hood required sanding to get them smooth and rounded, similar to the metal hood. Finally, the external skin was only bonded to the frame at the periphery, leaving it really floppy. I bonded the frame to skin with construction adhesive and then overlayed with two layers of fiberglass mat. After paint and clear coat, the hood looks like OEM unless it's opened where you see the ugly raw fiberglass underneath.

[mgphoto]

Well thanks for the replies, I know a bit more.
I see that the post about fb valances got 17 responses, I suppose more of a need of the lower parts than lids.

But I do need more info.

I though I would add the carbon fibre to the mix. Anyone using this? Fitment and quality, different manufactures?


Dansk is selling new 911 front lids for $1600, could a 914 be far behind?