Rusting bonnet and wings... Fibreglass?

[PaulE]

Hi all,

Not posted here for ages but thought I'd drop one out to see what advice people have?

Noticed rust on my bonnet and wings, which thankfully Ford are going to repair. Body shop talking about new panels, which got me thinking and researching. It seems the panels are aluminium and "corroding" due to foreign particles present on the metalwork prior to priming, which makes me think that even if ford replace and respray the panels the corrosion is likely to return on the new panels? This made me think about fibreglass alternatives and maybe it's time for an upgrade.

What do people recommend? I've seen options from Anderson composites which look nice but pricey! Looking at the wings and the bonnet. Then thinking maybe go the whole hog and go the front bumper too? Obviously is swapping the whole front end can get a more gt350 style look!!

I assume a new front bumper isn't an easy task? Light fitments will need swapping and do the OEM lights fit the new bumpers?

I don't really want to hack the whole car apart so would likely leave the rocker panels alone. Then thinking if I do the front end the back may look out of place. I guess an easy fix is a spoiler and ignore the rear diffuser!

Any and all advice and thoughts appreciated.

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[CrazyHippie]

Hi!

My personal preference would be to replace the bonnet with a fiberglass one that's a bit more aggressive than the stock style. I like the ram-air style bonnets, and particularly the Anderson Composites one. However the AC bonnet is only offered in carbon fiber, which is more expensive than I would be willing to spend. I'm also of the impression that fiberglass is less likely to crack than CF although I really have no solid basis for that opinion. This one has captured my attention:
https://trufiber.com/products/2015-2017-mustang-fiberglass-a72-ram-air-hood

The stock front bumper should already be made of plastic, and unless its damaged, I'd keep it stock. I'm hesitant to make my GT/CS look like a GT500 in any respect 'cause its not a GT500.

As far as the wings go, I'd also keep them OEM. Composites tend to crack over time while metal may corrode and I'm not at all sure which is the better choice.

Good luck with your project -- I agree that upgrades are better than stock when repairs are necessary!

 

[PaulE]

Hi!

My personal preference would be to replace the bonnet with a fiberglass one that's a bit more aggressive than the stock style. I like the ram-air style bonnets, and particularly the Anderson Composites one. However the AC bonnet is only offered in carbon fiber, which is more expensive than I would be willing to spend. I'm also of the impression that fiberglass is less likely to crack than CF although I really have no solid basis for that opinion. This one has captured my attention:
https://trufiber.com/products/2015-2017-mustang-fiberglass-a72-ram-air-hood

The stock front bumper should already be made of plastic, and unless its damaged, I'd keep it stock. I'm hesitant to make my GT/CS look like a GT500 in any respect 'cause its not a GT500.

As far as the wings go, I'd also keep them OEM. Composites tend to crack over time while metal may corrode and I'm not at all sure which is the better choice.

Good luck with your project -- I agree that upgrades are better than stock when repairs are necessary!

Thanks for the reply. Yeah I'm leaning towards keeping the stock front bumper... Just not 100% sure how the car would look with a new bonnet and wings/fenders.

These were the parts I was considering

https://andersoncomposites.com/collections/all/products/gt-350-r-style-mustang-fiberglass-hood

https://andersoncomposites.com/coll...-style-mustang-fiberglass-fiber-front-fenders

Looks like Anderson do a fiberglass ram air bonnet too

https://andersoncomposites.com/collections/all/products/s550-mustang-fiberglass-ram-air-hood

 

[CrazyHippie]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah I'm leaning towards keeping the stock front bumper... Just not 100% sure how the car would look with a new bonnet and wings/fenders.

These were the parts I was considering

https://andersoncomposites.com/collections/all/products/gt-350-r-style-mustang-fiberglass-hood

https://andersoncomposites.com/coll...-style-mustang-fiberglass-fiber-front-fenders

Looks like Anderson do a fiberglass ram air bonnet too

https://andersoncomposites.com/collections/all/products/s550-mustang-fiberglass-ram-air-hood

I like the parts that you're considering. Understated, but unique. I think that they would look really nice!

Thanks also for the AC fiberglass bonnet link! That's exactly what I will do one of these days.

Cheers!

 

[GR11M]

Am I reading that right, those fiber glass wings are twice the weight of the OEM ones ?

* Hand crafted; approximate weight 4.9 lbs. each (OE aluminum fenders weigh 2.5 lbs. each)

 

[PaulE]

Reassuringly robust ;) haha.

Just really don't want to be worrying about the new ones rusting again. The guy at the body shop spotted the rust which I hadn't seen... Said I'd sure as hell see it in 6months time or so.

How many others here have seen the rusting issues in the bonnet and wings?

 

[GR11M]

I have tiny rust bubbling on my wings
The bonnet is aluminium.

 

[PaulE]

I have tiny rust bubbling on my wings
The bonnet is aluminium.

Yeah the bonnet and wings are both aluminium. So not rusting per se... But corrosion none the less.

 

[GR11M]

Yeah the bonnet and wings are both aluminium. So not rusting per se... But corrosion none the less.

So what causes rust looking bubbling on painted aluminium and is it covered under Ford's "warranty" ?

Been looking at the Cervini aluminium GT500 style bonnet, the carbon fiber version seems to be only about 5lb lighter.

https://www.beefcakeracing.com/blog/gt500-style-hood-for-2015-2020-mustangs/

 

[PaulE]

So what causes rust looking bubbling on painted aluminium and is it covered under Ford's "warranty" ?

Been looking at the Cervini aluminium GT500 style bonnet, the carbon fiber version seems to be only about 5lb lighter.

https://www.beefcakeracing.com/blog/gt500-style-hood-for-2015-2020-mustangs/

From what I can read mainly on here and googling implies rubbish storage of the panels prior to primer being applied in the US. I read small amounts of foreign material in the air getting trapped in folds in the aluminium and causing enough moisture for either corrosion of the aluminium or someone even said it's iron particles rusting under the primer.

Not covered under warranty but I complained to ford customer relations and they approved paying to repair as it's a known issue. Did want proof of full ford service history though which thankfully I had.

I'll take a look a the bonnet.

Be curious to know if anyone else has put either carbon fiber or fibreglass bonnets or wings on their UK cars?

 

[PaulE]

I should add I think it WOULD have been covered under warranty if the ford garage had bothered to do the paintwork check every year. But I didn't know about it, nobody told me at any point and the ford garage didn't volunteer the information.

 

[raptor17GT]

I should add I think it WOULD have been covered under warranty if the ford garage had bothered to do the paintwork check every year. But I didn't know about it, nobody told me at any point and the ford garage didn't volunteer the information.

yeah i've seen this argument before but if you've got the service record of Ford inspecting the car yearly then the paint inspection is part of the service check every 2yrs no? Hoping i don't have the need to argue this point as well but i'm sure my paintwork inspection pages are blank as well despite having a near full Ford dealership service history

 

[PaulE]

yeah i've seen this argument before but if you've got the service record of Ford inspecting the car yearly then the paint inspection is part of the service check every 2yrs no? Hoping i don't have the need to argue this point as well but i'm sure my paintwork inspection pages are blank as well despite having a near full Ford dealership service history

Apparently it's a £20 add-on that you need to request otherwise they conveniently forget.

Have you got corrosion appearing on your bonnet and wings as well then?

 

[raptor17GT]

Apparently it's a £20 add-on that you need to request otherwise they conveniently forget.

Have you got corrosion appearing on your bonnet and wings as well then?

Mm we have to ask for an maintenance inspection to take place to validate the warranty, deary me. I haven't noticed any corrosion on the wings or bonnet but that's not the same as I don't have any lol. I should wash it first and see what's underneath.

 

[hinch]

i would recommend selling it and buying something not supported by ford.

i've had 3 new bonnets now and i've just noticed my latest bonnet and both wings are going (bonnet has been on less than 12 months) all full part replace and fitted/sprayed by 3rd parties not ford themselves as in the uk ford dealerships usually outsource anyway.

its not contamination under the paint as then it'd be less common than it is, its sympathetic anodization i believe the term is as its differing metals that aren't electrically isolated from each other and so cause minor current which causes the bubbling.

only way to fix is to replace with plastic/fibreglass/cf or as suggested scrap the whole lot and buy something else. If you really want a horror story look under your car after 6 years of british winters where ford tell you it doesn't need underseal as its galv....... yeah about that ford.

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