Fiberglass replacement panels

[tdave00]

I am gonna start building a truck this summer and I want to keep it as light as possible. Has anyone used fiberglass body parts and if so, where is the best place to order them from?

Thanks

[crazy longhorn]

www.usbodysource.com

[tdave00]

Thanks,

Has anyone on the board used any of these parts?

[PanelDeland]

I haven't used them but it's my understanding that they are race type parts.This generally means that they are not structurally designed for street use.I "think" they are quite thin and lightweight.From previous discussions the concensus is that if the fibreglas panels were built strong enough for street use they would weigh as much or more than steel.As I stated this is just what i remember from previous discussion.

[crazy longhorn]

They sell both "race weight" & street weight parts.....i have not used them , so I send this thread TTT....crazyL

[Mondo]

truckinfx.com

tilt front end might be nice

[Mordachai]

I have heard that the parts from USBody are really well built.

If you are building this truck to be 'light weight' are you intending to make a track/race vehicle, or do you want to build a streeter?
The two would be very different builds.


There is alot to consider for either build, as removing the metal body panels will remove alot of the structure of the truck(front fenders hold the Rad. support, etc)

When removing these parts, you need to replace them with some sort of metal structure. Usually for race, it'd be chrome moly steel. Usually in a race vehicle, the vehicle itself is rock solid, and the body panels simply cover the metal and give it some aerodynamics (how much in a p/u I don't know)

As said above, if using it for street use, the panels would have to be quite a bit thicker/heavier to resist the normal abuse of a DD. for instance in race weight a simple rock tossed up by another car can cause a nasty crack in that light fiberglass. And that race weight glass will tend to vibrate like crazy at cruising speed, unless it has really well designed bracing supporting the backside. And if you do use the heavier weight panels, you still need to add some steel bracing/supports. So either way, while removing the steel body parts, you will need to add steel to make up for the lost rigidity.


A good trade-off is to get a urethane glass front, instead of a resin glass front. The urethane is much more flexible and forgiving when it comes to the little bumps etc that a streeter will see.

Either way, going to glass panels is a big job, don't let anybody tell you not to do it....


I made my own front end, like a goof, out of urethane. But I might very well use the USbody bedsides if I don't make my own molds. I might even leave it steel, not sure yet.
Just to throw this around, my new front end is around 70-90 pounds lighter than the steel hood alone! I added about 100-175# of steel in the rad support braces(top and angled bottom) and front end hinge, etc. So even adding steel, I probably dropped about 250# of weight off the front. I did not take it to the scales to weigh it before I stripped it down, but I could feel the difference in driving. And my truck still had the heater assembly,radio and amps, big bench seat, power steering(instead of manual r&p for race) All things that a real track ride wouldn't have. So my truck is obviously not a race car by any means, but is simply race inspired!!

[tdave00]

Sorry, been sick for a few days. Thanks for the detailed info.

I was thinking of lightweight fiberglass for one reason - gas mileage. I just want a very nice DD that I can afford to drive . If I need to stick with a steel cab for safety then I will. I will probably give the guys at usbodysource a call to inquire about the structural integrity of their non-race parts.

I have been doing some research for the last few weeks on carbon fiber as well. I am gonna give it a shot at fabricating a frame out of carbon fiber if it makes enough difference weight wise.