Bright Idea

Creating a shiny metallic-looking part with Barracuda Glass

Story and Photos by Dan Burrill

Most project cars don’t come with every single part you need to complete the vehicle. Sometimes you have to make them yourself, especially if you want a custom treatment. For instance, when we started restoring our old fiberglass hot rod roadster, the body was nothing but a shell. There was just a big empty space where the firewall and dashboard once resided. To fill this area, we decided to create a brand-new mold and make a new part from a special fiberglass product on the market.

Since it’s a vintage roadster, the dashboard would be fairly simple in order to be period correct. After all, back in the day they were basic cars with lots of flat planes. So all this project needed was a rectangular-shaped panel without any curves. It would measure about 38 inches wide, 6 inches tall and about an inch deep. The finished dash would fit into a metal frame in the cockpit, so the top and sides would be left square.

Once the part is free from the mold, the next step is to wet-sand the gel coat on the surface with 2000-grit wet sandpaper. Get it absolutely smooth, and then spray another layer of clear gel coat over the top for a high shine. When that coat is dry, you can polish and wax the part and make any cuts you need to accommodate your dash switches, lights and instruments.

For an item like this one, it’s a good idea to first figure out what is going to be mounted in the dashboard panel and where each piece is going to be placed. The placement of a stereo, engine instruments, toggle switches, keyways, indicator lights and so on will determine the actual size of the dash. The width is somewhat determined by the width of the car, but there is some leeway on the depth and shape.

A narrow, angle iron framework provides much-needed support for the fiberglass dash panel. It also allows for complete access to the back of the instrument panel by simply removing a few screws. If you’ve ever had to crawl upside down into a sports car to get to the dash wiring, then you understand how nice it is to have a removable instrument panel.

Start by measuring the cockpit area to determine the size of the dashboard you need. Also, determine how you want to mount the dashboard in the cockpit. You’ll want to have all your gauges and other features on hand before you finalize the design of your dashboard.

To craft the buck mold for the fiberglass part, start with a smooth and flat piece of wood, checking for any warpage and bends, and shape it to the size you need. Because the top of the dash will fit into a metal frame, you can cut those corners square. But the bottom side of the buck should be carved with your router or some kind of shaper to give it a rounded and smooth look. The key here is to create the exact shape you ultimately would like to see in the final part.

For this simple project, the mold consists of just two pine boards: One that is the actual size of the item we are making, which serves as the buck, and the second that serves as the supporting base for the mold. Note that although the sides of the buck may appear to be straight, or at right angles to the base, they are actually tapered inward from the base by a few degrees. This draft angle prevents the finished mold from getting trapped to the buck when the resin hardens and cures. Also, keep in mind that what you see (and feel) at each stage is what you will get when the finished product comes out of the mold. So sand the buck as smooth as possible. If you are using a soft, porous wood, such as the pine boards specified for this project, seal it with a commercial-grade wood sealer. To keep the wood from warping or bowing, clamp the base to the workbench.

Next, wax the buck about eight — yes eight — times. Any good paste wax intended for automobiles works fine for this purpose. You can never be too safe with this, so be generous with the wax. Next, follow the wax with polyvinyl alcohol mold-release compound. When the mold-release PVA dries, it forms a protective film so the fiberglass does not stick to the wood.

When the PVA is dry, the next step is to spray gel coat on the buck. While you’re waiting until the gel coat is tacky, it’s a good time to cut your fiberglass pieces before mixing and applying the resin. You’ll need a total of 10 pieces of fiberglass cloth and a layer of chopped strand or mat, so there’s plenty of cutting to do. Don’t try to cut this glass exactly to fit. Give yourself some room to make the mold bigger than it needs to be around the edges.

To achieve a nostalgic look, we used a Volvo Penta instrument panel out of an old boat. This style was considered hot stuff back in the 1960s. Looking for something different, custom hot rod builders would often use instrument gauge clusters, and entire instrument panels out of boats and airplanes. For ease of installation, the instrument panel was mounted directly on top of the fiberglass dash panel (rather than recessed).

For the fiberglass part of the project, we chose a metallic fiberglass cloth called Barracuda aluminized glass fabric, which is the trade name for Texalium cloth made by BGF Industries. This material has the unique appearance of moldable woven aluminum with the working characteristics of high-performance fiberglass. Barracuda glass actually looks like a shiny, woven stainless steel when combined with resin, along with a clear gel coat that has been sanded and polished. It’s a nice, unique touch for any highly visible part of a project car.

Now apply the first layer of fiberglass cloth. Follow the first layer with eight additional layers of glass, one layer of chopped strand and a final layer of cloth.

For additional strength, you can laminate small pieces of wood (leftover pieces of indoor corner molding work well) into the back of the mold. Simply add more layers of fiberglass around and over the wood to encapsulate them into the mold. You can add as many additional supports as you need based on the design you’re creating.

Once the fiberglass has initially cured, a leverage tool can be inserted between the buck and the mold. Apply pressure carefully, and the mold should separate cleanly from the buck. At this point, you can set aside the buck and the new mold. Let the mold cure at least 24 more hours before you use it to create the final part.

Once you’ve given it at least 24 hours to cure, inspect the mold for any rough areas or air bubbles that may have been trapped in the layup. If you find any, fill them with body filler with a spackling knife or apply more activated resin. Then fine-sand the inner surface smooth, and apply more gel coat.

Barracuda glass works substantially like standard fiberglass cloth and offers the same appealing features as fiberglass or carbon fiber cloth. Compared with creating parts out of metal (such as engine-turned aluminum, polished steel sheet or brushed stainless steel sheet), Barracuda glass is a fraction of the weight. The Texalium fibers in the cloth are polished to a high shine, which gives the product the look of braided stainless steel.

Be sure you always use clear transparent resins, although some light tint could be an excellent effect. Ditto for the gel coat: Do not use “neutral” colored gel. This would have a gray sheen that will ruin the shine of your part, which is exactly what you want to achieve in the first place when using this compelling composite.