Glass fibre composite construction

Glass fibre composite construction
This method of producing complex shapes involves applying layers of glass fibre and resin in a prepared mould. After hardening, a strong moulding is produced with a smooth outer surface requiring little maintenance. Among the many shapes available in this composite material are lorry cabs, bus front canopies, container vehicles, and the bodies of cars such as the Reliant Scimitar. The Italian designer,Michelotti, styled the Scimitar body so that separately moulded body panels could be used and
overlapped to hide the attachment points. This allows the panels to be bolted directly to the supporting square-section steel tube armatures located on the main chassis frame. The inner body, which rests directly on the chassis frame and which forms the base for all internal trim equipment, is a complex GRP moulding. The windscreen aperture is moulded as a part of the inner body, and incorporates steel reinforcing hoops which are braced directly to the chassis. The boot compartment is also a separate hand-laid GRP moulding, as are the doors and some of the other panels. Most of the body panels are secured by self-tapping bolts which offer very positive location and a useful saving in assembly time .Car Repair Talk's forum.