I have some pretty major quarter panel damage, and I dont want to replace the whole quarter, so i was thinking of going to some 15mm overfenders, but I want it to actually look good, and if possible, have no showing hardware. is that something that is possible to do? just make it look less jank, and not like its a bolted on overfender?? I really dont like how hardware looks...

And I dont want the widebody to have basically any major gaps between the bonding, basically just a small somewhat even seam throughout.. any ideas on how i would create that type of install? because almost every video ive watched, there is a single section, or more than one section that has a large gap uneven with the rest

i just absolutely DESPISE the look of hardware... mostly wondering how possible it is to get them bonded together without rivets?? and how i would do that? any suggestions are greatly appreciated thanks!

 

Use rivets and then filler over them. ez.

 

wouldn't there be a big bump over all the hardware though after that?? make it uneven?

 

Maybe 3M panel bonding adhesive? Doubtful it would be strong enough alone, though. That would be a possible way to seal the seams.

 

Yeah, maybe use like one rivet on each corner, and then also 3m panel bonding adhesive?? those together might work to keep the panel on, and the seams small?? I just hate rivets.. feel like even one per corner is way too much for me. just trying to get other ideas I guess

 

Gotta play the devil's advocate here. Depending on what type of "major QP damage" is on this Z, it may be impossible to simply hide all the damage with overfenders. Perhaps if the OP posted a pic of the damage, there might be a more realistic idea of what is possible. OP doesn't want any rivets or seams showing on the conversion means there's a greater chance he won't be satisfied with the finished product. My suggestion is to take it to a custom body shop in his area to get a more realistic idea of what this'll all cost and what methods might be used.

 

totally.. appreciate the feedback, i think its not "too major" but its major enough that I cant just bondo it and get over with it.. but little enough that i could do overfenders if that makes sense.. my phone is tweaking, so i cant drop photos at the moment, but i would love to do that at some point..

and the hard part about a "custom shop" doing it is that I live in meridian Idaho.. and there are not too many custom body shops out here, if any.

 

I have not looked at any on the market.. I'd assume there would be at least 1 set with dimples so they go below the surface and can be easily covered or even sand the mounting spots down to then glaze over once done. Fiberglass n bodywork of this kind is very beginner friendly and a great oppurtunity to learn a new skill.

Slso just rivet it in and paint match the rivets ;p.

 

OK, we get you don't like rivets.

So what are you going to use to affix them to the car? Screws, rivets, or welded to a framework is how these things grip to the car. How else? Cyanoacrylate?

Covering them up like the moulded flares from "back in the day" requires an expert body man well versed in bonding panels using fiberglass matte, a few layers of filler and expert finishing skills. Our cars typically had fenders as clean as this one piece IMSA panel (riveted on) but no matter how good the job was, cracking was inevitable over time given body flex.


My "radical" S30 was built as such (not the one above). It was a thing of beauty but it wasn't cheap - something like $4k in 1979 dollars. Point is, you want the clean, no hardware look, figure on a pro shop, expert bodyman Anything less and if not done perfectly, it will look like crap. Trust me on that.

 

I definitely have experience with fiberglass, as i do quite a bit of repair on my SeaDoos, but i have not found a single 15 mil set with dimples for the hardware... and im actually wrapping it myself, so kinda hard to wrap hardware haha