New Project 1971 MTD Mud Bug Trike

teched

New Member
#1
Bought this off Craigslist for $40. Just the chassis, no motor, secondary clutch missing, no body, handle bars bent and tires are shot. Just the way I like them...A challenge. Started by cleaning up the chassis, and making a wood and plastic seat Buck mold for the fiberglass body. I found a couple of pictures online and just wung it from there. I bondo'd and sanded the form as smooth as I could and put 5 coats of carnauba wax on it. I laid up the fiberglass mat(My first time with such a large piece) Looked a little scary on the outside, but not too bad on the inside and inside is what counts. I ordered more mat and resin that just came in. Plan on trying to layup the actual part this weekend. Wish me luck.
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125ccCrazy

Well-Known Member
#2
Welcome to OldMiniBikes.... For a first time making a body I think your doing a darn fine job...I'm looking forward to see the body when you get it made...
 

teched

New Member
#3
I ended up with some air pockets in my mold. I filled them with bondo, but its a PIA to sand especially in the inside tight corners. Can I use plaster? I think it would be softer and hence easier to sand. I think they have stuff called "Faring putty", but not sure what that is. I also plan on waxing the crap out of the mold and then spraying it with Hair Spray, I read it works pretty good for PVA release coat.
 

teched

New Member
#6
Thanks, I have a tendency to take on pretty tough projects. Pushes me to learn more. I would rather spend the money to buy a tool that I will only use once than pay someone else to the job, because I learn nothing if someone else does it.
 
#7
Plaster works fine on a buck if you are only gonna use it once. Just make sure you seal it before you lay over the top of it or it will stick to the part.
 

teched

New Member
#9
Thanks for the confirmation on plaster. I have Bondo in it now, but I will use plaster to finish any more small imperfections. I am having a hard time sanding the Bondo out of the inside corners. I am using a Dremel and trying to smooth it out with a small piece of sand paper on my finger...OUCH!
 

teched

New Member
#10
This is my mold I pulled from the buck. It did not want to form well in the corners. I ended up with some air pockets. I filled them with Bondo and am trying to sand it smooth. Not an easy job. But I will win. LOL


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#11
Nice work...I've done smaller pieces and tried plaster once, and had a hard time with it...pulled out on me. I prefer bondo to clean up the mold. I load my molds with wax and then spray it with heavy duty silicone before starting to lay up. I bought the PVA parting liquid from a 'glass supplier and it was worthless: I guess because I'm not gel coating first.

My only warning to you is that with the tight corners you have, your finished piece might be difficult to remove from the mold. You probably had no problems with the buck parting from your "original," but it was solidly attached to the frame. Persistence and serious waxing in the tight spots.

Love the Fords!
 

teched

New Member
#14
Thanks for the link, I thought about Cooking Spray, but cool to know someone else tied it out. Also very interesting on the PVA sucking without Gelcoat. I do not plan on using Gelcoat or PVA. My plan is to somehow smooth out the Bondo in those interior corners, Fill any minor imperfections with plaster, Sand as smooth as a baby's butt:laugh:, Wax the Hell out of it, Spray with three or four coats of Hair Spray. I going to rip and lay it up in smaller sections so it don't get away from me(It did in the mold)Wish me luck Boys and Girls.LOL
 

125ccCrazy

Well-Known Member
#15
When I started making my own molds I tried the hairspray and it didn't work worth a dime...I also tried the pva mold release with gel coat with terrible results...I tried regular wax and the parts stuck so I bought Meguiars mold release wax and haven't had a problem since.. I highly suggest using good body filler to repair and imperfections then spray the mold with tooling gel coat...it's more work and expense but the better the mold the nicer the part and you will be able to make more parts... Also drill small holes around the mold when you get it ready to make the parts, plug the holes with wax or modeling clay...the holes will be used to blow low pressure air into to help separate the new part from the mold..
 
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teched

New Member
#16
Thanks! I am using Maguire's Carnauba Paste wax. The mold pulled pretty hard from the buck and that had at least 5 coats of wax on it. I painted my Buck with Rustoleum Gloss Black to smooth out the surface and wet sanded with 1000 grit before applying wax, Could that work instead of tooling Gelcoat? I also have some old Acrylic Enamel Car paint with Hardener, that may lay on nice and dry faster the Rustoleum. I'm not looking to pull a million bodies, just one for me and maybe another to sell to make up some of my costs.
 

125ccCrazy

Well-Known Member
#17
cheap paint is a no no..the resin will eat through the wax into the cheap paint and cause a sticking problem,, been down that road before...I've learned a lot of things not to do by trial and error... I now use two part epoxy primer on the bucks followed by a wet sanding and buffing to a near show finish (gloss) before waxing it a dozen times... wax on wax off wax on wax off........ The enamel with hardener should be safe as long as you let it cure long enough...enamel can't be waxed too soon since it seals the paint and won't let it breathe..
 
#18
Yep, you making a buck you have to pony up for good paint (part of what I said seal well if using plaster).

Waxing is the fun part, wax until your arm is about to fall off, switch arms until that one falls off, and put 5 more coats on it.
 
#19
Another thing I've done is take Aluminum Foil Tape (for duct work) and carefully line the mold with it. I then wax and silicone that. Yes, you get lines in your final product, but since it's an impermeable material, the resin can't stick to the buck. Very little sanding before skim coating. This may be impossible for your job, though. 125cc has offered great advice.
 

teched

New Member
#20
I sprayed this with some OLD...I think "TOO OLD" Acrylic Enamel with hardener. It was pretty cold in the garage and the Air Compressor may have some water in it. I got fish eyes, even when I fired up my big air compressor with the air dryer and separator I still got fish eyes. I had to work them out with a brush. Big PIA. I/m going to sand with 800 and work my way up.

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