ACME Standards…
When you’ve worked with fiberglass long enough, you learn that real strength doesn’t come from simply piling on more material. It comes from placing the right material in the right locations. That philosophy is a big part of how we build our dune buggy bodies.
At this stage of the layup process, we install one of the most important reinforcement materials used in the body: woven fiberglass boat cloth. Unlike the chopped strand mat commonly used in many production bodies, woven cloth contains continuous fibers running in two directions. Those continuous fibers greatly increase panel strength and rigidity while keeping weight to a minimum. It’s the same type of material that has been used for decades in boat hull construction, where durability, flexibility, and structural integrity are critical.
Each section of the body is reinforced with a specific type of fiberglass mat depending on the loads and stresses that area will experience. Woven fiberglass cloth is used in areas that benefit from high directional strength and rigidity, such as the body sides and bottom mounting flange, the rear tail light mounting area, and the front fenders. In areas that require good contour conformity and impact resistance—like the dash and hood corners—we use chopped strand mat, which conforms easily to tight curves and complex shapes. The center section of the hood uses a core mat, which increases stiffness across a larger flat area without adding unnecessary weight. By selecting the proper reinforcement material for each location, the body gains strength exactly where it is needed rather than simply becoming heavier.
Another major advantage of woven cloth and properly layered laminates is how effectively they integrate into the overall structure of the body. When each layer is properly saturated with resin and rolled to remove trapped air, the fiberglass becomes part of a unified laminate structure. The fibers interlock between layers of cloth, mat, and resin, creating a panel that is both lightweight and highly resistant to cracking.
The process itself is straightforward but requires careful attention to detail. Each piece of reinforcement material—whether woven cloth, chopped strand mat, or core mat—is first cut and dry-fitted so it follows the contours of the mold without bunching or wrinkles. Resin is then applied and worked thoroughly through the fibers using laminating rollers, as you can see in the video, and brushes until the material is completely saturated. Extra care is taken in tight corners, mounting flanges, and reinforced sections to ensure the fiberglass conforms tightly to the mold surface and underlying layers. Any trapped air is carefully rolled out so the laminate lays perfectly flat, allowing each layer to bond tightly with the next and become part of a single, solid structural panel rather than separate layers sitting on top of one another.
Building bodies this way provides the best balance of strength and weight. The body remains light enough for proper suspension performance and vehicle balance, while the reinforced areas handle years of vibration, flex, and real-world driving without developing stress cracks.
In short, we’re not just adding fiberglass—we’re engineering strength into the body. The careful placement of woven cloth, chopped mat, and structural core materials is one of the reasons these buggy bodies remain solid, durable, and dependable long after they leave the shop.
– John Mickle
