Yes the shipping would be alot cheaper but unless you are skilled on SMC repair, I would not attempt to make this repair. I am skilled in autobody repair trust me here. If you doubt that check my garage and look at the images from when my car was totaled... The only thing I didnt do on the repair was the final paint work. Oh I can do that as well I just dont have access to a proper paint booth.

Massey

 

How hard would it be to patch the place with fiberglass? Then repaint the door and blend into the fender and quarter panel?

 

Fiberglass and SMC will not like each other. It will hold for a little while but get a good hot or really cold day and you will know exactly where the repair is. The door is NOT made of fiberglass, the material has the same type of glass that FG has but the binder is different. Fiberglass uses polyester or epoxy, SMC is different and needs to be pressure and heat to turn it from a flexable sheet of stuff into a rigid panels.

There are methods of repairing SMC but you will need to use SMC materials. You will prolly spend more getting the SMC stuff than getting the doors you told me about.

Massey

 

Ugh gross! I found a maroon Camaro door on ebay for $150.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/93-97...item4aa73fa3a6

 

Not hard at all if you have body work skills, or have the ability to learn. SMC (Sheet Molded Compound) is a process that uses chopped fiberglass mat and an epoxy based resin, then it's pressed in a mold. You can't use regular fiberglass resin, as it won't adhere well. You can use fiberglass mat, with the SMC resin, and follow up with the body filler (link below) to patch the door. Replacing the door isn't going to be a simple on-off job. You'll need to remove both door panels, remove the accessory wiring harnesses, swap the door locks, hang the door, adjust it, adjust it again, and again till it's hanging right. If you don't find a matching color door, it will have to get repainted anyway, as well as the inside jam area. I'd be tempted to replace the door, if I found an excellent one in the same color, otherwise fixing would make more sense to me. Maybe you're not up to going the fix it route, that's for you to know what your lilitations are.
http://www.ecklers.com/catalogsearch...pound&x=33&y=6

 

So basically sand down the area, fill it with the filler, sand down til smooth, prime, and paint?

 

The first step is to grind the area down, making it tapered deeper at the crack. Then build it up starting with a narrow piece of mat, and a couple more layers each one being wider than the last. Then you can finish grind, sand, filler, and taper it off. If you just sand and patch, you'll end up with an ugly lump. I'll see if theres a good descriptive demo on youtube.

 

Thanks Cam'69

 

I watched your video again. Is the door actually cracked open, or just gouged?
Considering the narrow size of the area, this would be an easier way yet to glass it.
The fix will be every bit as strong as if you layered it....provided you make it pasty and not soupy.
Remember, he's working on a regular fiberglass body, using glass resin.
This guy is a real character, and you may enjoy watching some of his other helpful videos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4BJYvE41a0

 

To me it looks like it is actually cracked through. If so then it would be a good idea to put a layer or 2 of backing to help build the strength back up and not cause it to crack more from the normal abuse that doors get put through.

Massey