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Project for my 94 YJ: Glassin door pods / armrest

3K views 11 replies 5 participants last post by  Teh Jeep 
#1 ·
Whats up guys. Im new here, I dont have a GC just yet, but its in the works. I currently drive an 04 Z, and im planning on trading it in as soon as I turn it back to stock, lol. I also have a 94 YJ that I toy around with.
The current project I have going for the Wrangler is door pods and adding my own custom armrest since they only have straps.

This is the first step of the project: Building up the panels since all they essentially are is cardboard lol. I ripped off the upholstery, and laid down resin and mat. Let that dry, and added another layer. This is just the back BTW.





Heres are the armrests / door handles in the process. I used some 3/4'' MDF and made a basic handle and armrest, and then stapled my fleece to the areas I want to glass. After the fleece, resin was then added, and I let it dry. Thats where they sit now.








Now for the front of the door panels. The back dried so I flipped it over and laid resin with chopp matt. I didnt have any mat left, but i did have chop mat. Chop mat is much easier to work with then regular matt, but layer vs. layer, mat is much stronger. The chop mat needs more than 2 layers to be just as strong. I only did one layer for the front because after I fleece the speaker pod, ill be adding another layer over the whole panel.




This is to where I got to today: mounting the speaker rings. The rings are made of 3/4'' MDF, 6.5'' on the outside, 5.5'' on the inside. The RED you see is just plastic cut to 1 1/4'' and stapled to the ring, heating it up along the way so it will mold around the ring, otherwise itll snap. This is so the speaker sit in flush.




More updates tomorrow.
 
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#4 ·
Awesome. I dont know what it is but fiberglass work looks awesome to me. Making anything from it, complete custom work. I have yet to try it, but a sub enclosure is on my mind. Amazes me how a bunch of fiberglass strands and resin can end up looking so great after its done and carpeted or painted.
 
#6 ·
Im going to be putting a 6.5'' shallow mount speaker, although I havent made up my mind yet as to what I want to go in there. Itll most likely just be a coaxial, and then Im also going to be doing an overhead sound bar with probably 6x9s.
Resin is US Composites, but I HIGHLY recommend West Systems for everything. From their Resin to their Hardener, its just exceptional. US Composites is cheaper, and decent quality.
I recommend going on sollercomposites.com and getting all your materials. Also a good thing when using West Systems is you can buy pumps and screw onto the opening of whatever it is you are using, and squeeze it out. West Systems is a little on the pricey side, but if you are anal and want to use the best, I think its top notch.
As for the mat, its also from US composites. Its 1 1/2 oz chopped strand mat.
**Not only do you need polyester resin, but you need hardener as well. MEKP is a pretty common hardener.

I would recommend splitting the fiberglass mat into two peices (cut a peice, and split the peice in half, making it thinner and much much easier to work with)

Trust me when i saw, its not just mat and resin, lol. The peice must be fleeced, stapling it where you want the shape and whatnot, then the resin and mat. After thats dry, bondo and sand the hell out of it, lol. Thats if your painting it. If youre wrapping it, I would only go to about 80 grit. Painting is another story. I would use bondo, sand, bondo, sand with 80 and maybe 120, then throw on a coat of dolphin glaze, sand, and then probably paint.
 
#7 ·
Did a little more today. They took forever to dry because it was a little chilly out today.







Trying to dry them in the sun! LOL



And for shits and giggles, I made a box to house some 8w7s, airspace and all. I just forget the calculation! lol







And here is the final peice, just primed for now.


 
#10 ·
I see youve been doing research! Thats the best thing to do though. I feel like ive only touched the surface of fiberglassing. There are so many different types of mat, thickness, brands, etc, etc. What you buy is based on reviews and opinions or suggestions. Once youve worked with more than one, youll realize which one you like better.
Thanks for the comments. Honestly, its hard to **** up when doing fiberglass, cause it can always be fixed. I have a wrinkly in the fleece on one of the doors, but I wasnt worried cause it can be fixed with bondo.
 
#12 ·
Did some more work. I ended up finishing one of the doors today. All thats left to do is attach the armrest, attach some closed cell foam, and then wrap it in whatever I want, most likely black vinyl.










And what you get after all the fiberglassing and bondo work.

 
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