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Can you use bondo on hard plastic?

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skeptic [JU]

Archived
Part of the dash/console of my Corvette is made of hard plastic with 3/8" V shaped grooves (3/8" at top, point at bottom), as well as some other small 1/4" round 1/8" deep holes. I want to make it all smooth, but I'm not sure what would be best to use. After it's smooth I'm going to cover it with vinyl. Would it work if I roughed up the plastic with sandpaper and filled it in with bondo?

Yes, this is the same thing I was asking a while back about covering with a thin sheet of plastic, but I think it makes more sense to just fill in and smooth the grooves.
 
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ProjectWJ [JU]

Archived
skeptic said:
Part of the dash/console of my Corvette is made of hard plastic with 3/8" V shaped grooves (3/8" at top, point at bottom), as well as some other small 1/4" round 1/8" deep holes. I want to make it all smooth, but I'm not sure what would be best to use. After it's smooth I'm going to cover it with vinyl. Would it work if I roughed up the plastic with sandpaper and filled it in with bondo?

Yes, this is the same thing I was asking a while back about covering with a thin sheet of plastic, but I think it makes more sense to just fill in and smooth the grooves.
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Seems to me fiberglass would be a better fit for your application.
 
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skeptic [JU]

Archived
storydude said:
Seems to me a Corvette YEar One catalog would be better.
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Unfortunately stock has the grooves, and everything I can find has the stock look.

For fiberglass, can you use that to just fill in the grooves, or are you talking about putting a sheet over the whole thing? I've never worked with bondo or fiberglass.
 
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wetdog [JU]

Archived
Skuff it up and use epoxy with some fiberglass or graphite in it as a filler to make it like a paste fill it in, may take two applications, sand smooth, cover with your vinyl. I usually use west system products, as I got started on them while building wood composite canoes and boats but there are a lot of good productss on the market now.

You should be able to get it at any good Ships store read Chandlery.

if not try this link. http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/search.do?freeText=west%20system%20epoxy&page=GRID&history=&engine=adwords!6456&keyword=west+system+epoxy&match_type=

Wetdog
 
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kjk [JU]

Archived
If you rough up the plastic with some 80 grit sandpaper and then wipe it down with some lacquer thinner (or something similar to clean it), the Bondo will stick just fine. Don't mix more than you can apply in about 5 minutes.
 
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stevesmith7 [JU]

Archived
I got some stuff at the auto paint store called 3M #39458 Flexible Polyester Putty. It's made to repair plastic bumpers. I basically asked for a flexible bondo and this is what they gave me.
 
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storydude [JU]

Archived
skeptic said:
Unfortunately stock has the grooves, and everything I can find has the stock look.

For fiberglass, can you use that to just fill in the grooves, or are you talking about putting a sheet over the whole thing? I've never worked with bondo or fiberglass.
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I know. Rather trash a irreplaceable stock piece, or an Aftermarket part?

Because I'll be AMAZED if ANY body filler sticks to the vinyl used by GM.

The Acetone, more than not, will EAT it, making it too soft to support itself, much less any added weight.


What year are we talking about?
 
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Fleg [JU]

Archived
Why not just go down to Vato-Zone or Wal-Mart or whoever sells bondo and read the label? I'm thinking you can use bondo on plastic if it's roughed up but I'd still check the label first.
 
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skeptic [JU]

Archived
storydude said:
I know. Rather trash a irreplaceable stock piece, or an Aftermarket part?
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I know I know, people bitch about others cutting up a stock gauge cluster to install a new stereo all the time on the corvette forum. As far as I can tell, the replacements you can buy from places like year one look the same. The stock styling is ugly, I'm installing a new stereo, I'm covering up what is there, and I have no plans to sell the car anytime soon. If I do ever sell it I'm not going to take it back to stock anyway. The only reason I'd buy an aftermarket one to cut up instead of stock, is if I wanted to sell the stock piece. Just not worth the trouble to me.
Because I'll be AMAZED if ANY body filler sticks to the vinyl used by GM.

The Acetone, more than not, will EAT it, making it too soft to support itself, much less any added weight.


What year are we talking about?
Click to expand...
'81

stevesmith7 said:
I got some stuff at the auto paint store called 3M #39458 Flexible Polyester Putty. It's made to repair plastic bumpers. I basically asked for a flexible bondo and this is what they gave me.
Click to expand...
I just came from the autoparts store, and was looking for something like this. They didn't have any that I could find and getting someone to help appeared to be a lost cause.

FYI, this is what I'm working with (not mine, but same thing), it's all moded plastic. I just want it smooth so I can cover it with vinyl.
 
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storydude [JU]

Archived
skeptic said:
I know I know, people bitch about others cutting up a stock gauge cluster to install a new stereo all the time on the corvette forum. As far as I can tell, the replacements you can buy from places like year one look the same. The stock styling is ugly, I'm installing a new stereo, I'm covering up what is there, and I have no plans to sell the car anytime soon. If I do ever sell it I'm not going to take it back to stock anyway. The only reason I'd buy an aftermarket one to cut up instead of stock, is if I wanted to sell the stock piece. Just not worth the trouble to me.
'81


I just came from the autoparts store, and was looking for something like this. They didn't have any that I could find and getting someone to help appeared to be a lost cause.

FYI, this is what I'm working with (not mine, but same thing), it's all moded plastic. I just want it smooth so I can cover it with vinyl.
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I know the exact bezel. It sucks. EVERY one I've seen is broken, or cracked somewhere. I don;t know what you could do with that to cover with vinyl. Maybe cut a small piece of hard Lexan and route out the guage holes.

On a side note, have a working clock? If so, you can just about write your price on it, and sell it.
 
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wetdog [JU]

Archived
Fleg Said
You might be able to poor some fiberglass resin in those groves then sand it smooth.
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Which is either Epoxy or Polyester - I prefer working with the Epoxy - There are all sorts of fillers to make it thicker for this type of purpose.



Wetdog
 
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