[bbfalcon]

Reviewed some great posts on adhesives but specifically looking for stainless to stainless bonding and what did you use that worked well?

I'm getting ready to install the stainless firewall and fender aprons in Cobralcon and saw a car where they bonded the firewall in rather than welding or using any kind of bolt in. It was clean and beautiful. After seeing how it looked I was sold on the idea and I think I have the "right stuff" but wanted to check with ya'll.

As of now I'm leaning toward a methacrylate 2 part system (Partite) which is apparently stronger than epoxy but you work it about the same way. It is used as a structural adhesive according to what I've been able to dig up and has great properties with respect to temperature and resistance to grease, dirt, guck etc. anything you might find under the hood and/or off the road.

With all our experiments with welding there is still some chance of discoloration and the subsequent buff out isn't going to be able to match the original finish I have on the stainless now. The bolts I bought are really neat polished allan heads but I know they will cause a slight depression when tightened and won't be as nice as when bonding is used.

The tensile strength of the cured methacrylate is between 4,300 and 4,750 and the shear strength is between 3,100 and 3,300 which exceeds what I've been able to research for epoxy and on the particular brand (Partite) by Parson Adhesives there is a 15 to 18 minute working time which is more than enough to make any necessary adjustments. The other good thing is it is used to cross bond substrates as well so I could use the same stuff to bond stainless to the underside of the fiberglass hood without having to change the type of adhesive I'm using.

Well, that's where I'm at. Thoughts and experience are appreciated.


Hal R.

[MARTINSR]

I don't know about the exact chemical makeup of most of the stuff I use. And I have to tell you, if you were to use ANY "Structual adhesive" out there be it Epoxy or whatever, your firewall will be there long after you are dead and gone and your great, great grand children are out enjoying your car.

Brian

[bbfalcon]

Brian,
Thank you for the input. I've read your other posts about bonding adhesives and that has given me the confidence in this approach over and above the other options.

Now all I have to do is figure out how to clamp the seams while the adhesive cures. there will be a seam on either side of the firewall where it meets the fender aprons and even using stainless angle as a backer I've still not determined a way to put the seam under pressure for the adhesive to bond.

Actually, that's a technicality and your statement about the adhesive itself removes any doubt about my choice of using a bonding adhesive to complete the assembly.

Thank you,
Hal R.

[deadbodyman]

give it a shot and see for yourself,I was sceptical at first too, just follow the directions,your great grand kids will love ya for it

[bbfalcon]

OK enough with the great grandkids stuff, my granddaughter is 19, finishing her first year of college and does NOT need any added distractions until she graduates!

In all seriousness, thank you

[deadbodyman]

well I see you've got enough to worry about so you can rest assured the glue wont be one of the many problems your about to face in the future.and you thought the teenage years were going to be trouble.I bought an old shotgun and sat at the kitchen table pretending to be cleaning it when the boyfriends came over to pick her up,that didnt work ,nothing works ,worrying dont work or help and if youve done your job right she'll have a mind of her own and you'll be worrying all your life ,my two little girls are almost thirty now and I still see the little girls I have to protect from the big bad world but really its the big bad world that needs to watch out. good luck I feel for ya