Auto body repair & detailing: fiberglass, fiberglass repair, model a

Question
I have a Model A Roaster (Fiberglass body) The center of the dash is raised in a triangle where the gauges are located. I would like to cut that area away and fill it in. So that the dash is flat across than put new gauges in. Any tips on how to fill this in. It is about 10 inches around.

Answer
Hi Russ,

The way I would proceed would be put a fiberglass patch in. It's best to approach it from the backside if it's possible. You will need to grind the surrounding area where you lay the patch on. Get some fiberglass resin and mat. On the front side bridge the hole where the patch will cover with some masking tape. This will stop the patch from drooping down too far. Saturate your mat with the resin and lay it over the hole on the backside opposite of you masking tape. Allow to cure for a few hours. Once the patch has cured, pull the tape from the front side and proceed to fill over the patched area with a fiberglass reinforced filler like duraglass. Sand smooth and fill any remaining imperfections with a polyester glaze putty. Finish sand, prime, and paint according to your paint mfgr. recommendations. If you need a place to buy your repair products you can try the following link: http://www.repaintsupply.com/cat_spirit_industries.cfm I hope this helps out.