How to Build Your Own Fiberglass Fenders

Being in a fender bender can cause a lot of frustration and financial burden. However, you can alleviate some of the financial burden by doing the repairs yourself. You can build your own fiberglass fender at home at a fraction of the cost that you would pay by taking it to a body shop or purchasing a fender from a retail location. Although building your own fiberglass fender can be tedious and time consuming, the task is simple and can save you a lot of money on your car repairs.

Instructions

1

Replicate the design of your stock fender on paper. Pay attention to the areas where the fender will connect to your vehicle. The dimensions of these areas are imperative to ensure proper fitting. You can add any customization you wish to the design as long as the dimensions will allow proper fitting onto your vehicle.

2

Carve the foam block into the exact dimensions of your design. You can use any tool you wish, such as a knife or razor blade, to do so. Sand the foam with 180-grit sandpaper to smooth the surface of the carved edges. Cover the foam with Bondo and allow adequate time to dry. Once dry, use 220-grit sand paper to smooth the surface of the Bondo.

3

Apply an even coat of polyester primer directly on top of the Bondo. Give the primer time to dry. Drying times vary according to the manufacturer, so refer to the directions on the bottle. Sand the dried primer with 220-grit sandpaper and continue to sand with finer grits. Finish the sanding by wet sanding the primer with 1000-grit paper. Allow the mold to sit for three days while waxing it once a day. Waxing will ensure a smooth surface for your fiberglass fender.

4

Apply tooling gel directly on the waxed mold and let it sit until tacky. Once tacky, carefully brush the resin on in one even coat. Separate the fiberglass sheet into small pieces and lay it directly on top of the resin. Use a roller to remove any air bubbles in the resin. Repeat by brushing more resin and laying more fiberglass until you have a total of six layers.

5

Use a wooden mixing stick to pry out the dried fender. You can either sand down pieces of fiberglass that are sticking out or use a razor blade to trim them off.