Help making custom widebody / flares

Hey guys,

I'm trying to make custom bolt-on widebody/flares in fiberglass. I have experience with fiberglass and molding making so making the molds and parts is no problem. I'm more trying to learn how to make the initial design (plug) in the first place. I've used urethane shaping foam before but not to this extent.

Can anyone tell me what the most common process and products people use to make parts like this? Foam? Modelling clay? Both? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

My biggest issue is making the nice edges of the parts where they meet the body and the indents for the rivets/bolts.

This is what I'm talking about: [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Ollie125/media/photo2-4.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Ollie125/media/photo4-1.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Ollie125/media/photo3-3.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Ollie125/media/unnamed.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Ollie125/media/unnamed1.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Ollie125/media/94b298ca-f8d3-4c56-a023-be691b6bbce0.png.html][/URL] [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Ollie125/media/unnamed2.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Ollie125/media/037f8422-39b0-4fe8-a10f-463e91f888f7.jpg.html][/URL]

I'd recommend using Styrofoam blocks to mock up the rough shape of the plug (taping them onto the body), then using expansion foam from Home Depot on top of the blocks to create a rough plug. Then sand the foam down to be as smooth as possible, and apply a layer of bondo. Sand the bondo, then use a Dremel bit to create the "rivets." Next, apply another layer of bondo, and sand. Repeat for each fender. Then, pull the plug off the car, and lay fiberglass matting over it. trim to fit, then use Bondo fiberglass resin to have the female mould keep it's shape. Next, lay down two coats of gelcoat on the female moulds so you can pull the final products. Next, apply mold release wax, and lay down the fiberglass to be your fender. Trim to fit, apply resin, and let set. Release from mold and trim again.

I hope this helps.

Www.express composites.com they're local to me. I picked my body guys brain (he's a lowrider builder by trade) and his suggestion was to get high density closed cell foam, like what they sell on that site. Great stuff will actually work, but if you get it somewhere you don't want it, and you haven't taken the proper precaution, its never coming off. I'm actually about to embark on a spoiler build of my own, and was looking into something called Clark foam before I talked to Andy. I also have a friend that has built a custom widebody miata, and he started with clay. Clay is heavy as hell and expensive, and can fall off your panels, but it has the distinct advantage of being imfintely easier to work with. You can add material a lot easier and take it away and be a lot more exacting, with foam you really.can only take material away. Personally I'd do foam just because you can get it a lot easier than you can 300lbs of sculpting clay.