Pros vs. Cons Fiberglass vs. Steel tub

[CHerold]

I went back to fiberglass for the main reason that I am retiring to an area of the country where there is a year round high salt content... (ocean) and don't have to be as concerned about rust. That being said, fiberglass will flex and pop back into shape, but will/can hide serious structural damage. My plan is to have a rig that I can let it get rained on, take it on the beach, let the salt water hit it, and not worry about much, just hose it down... steel would not fare as well in my intended environment, I think that it is all about what your intentions are... If I weren't moving to an island, I think I would prefer steel...

 

[fordwheeler]

Steel will cost a little more upfront, but I think you will be happier with it. Yea it may still rust, but mine will be in a garage. I debated for a while and made the decision to not go fg. No offense to the fg guys, but your resale value will be considerably less. But if you don't ever want to sell it, you have a positive there, but too each their own!

 

[hawkgt]

I've owned both and prefer steel. The fiberglass EB just never felt like it was a classic truck. That being said, if I lived on an island fiberglass would be an attractive option.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 4

 

[bknbronco]

Funny....as a driver of a bronco with a new kentrol tub and front fenders...after reading the above responses I would have to say all negatives that have been stated above regarding a glass tub are completely false!

I have kept some things original steel and that's what makes my bronco a classic. I never get in it and think "wow I love my non-classic replica of a bronco". Im not sure what that guy above was smoking when he sat in his metal bodyed bronco but obvisously it was better than what he was toking in his glass bronco.

If you go glass youll never regret it. But in my opinion you still need a steal tailgate to get the look and lines of a original bronco. You need to keep the fold up license plate holder and glass domed plate light. You need to keep the factory tail lights (not a stuped round trailer light), you also need a steal grill. I bought a brand new one from JBG. A glass grill is a dead giveaway that your glass. I kept that steal hood just because it was cheep $50 used compared to several hundred for a stock looking glass one. If you want doors and glass then you have to keep the steal doors. Glass isn't strong enough to hold up with glass upper windshields,but you can get soft sided uppers if your a soft top guy. All them things make my bronco an "original" bronco and even a seasoned bronco vet would take a while to notice mine had a glass tub.

For those chanting "steal is real" Save it.... Some other things I kept make mine even more of a "real" bronco than most metal bodied steal is real chanters are things like bumpers, dash pad, and 3 on the tree. Most guys dump them 3 things in the trash first chance they get.

Glass is simple to fix and add or subtract material.

I believe the resale of a glass tubed bronco is higher here in Minnesota and probably most elseware. I have never seen a solid steel tub for sale in my 5 state area...and I looked hard for 10 years. Then one day I called Kentrol and told them if they got a tub and fenders done that im on my way with cash in hand, and I drove 14 hours to get there.

Also I have never ever in my life wanted a original bronco. Who would. Even with my glass tub my bronco is still too original. I HATE my original manual Armstrong steering. Im gathering the stuff for a 4x4x2 swap. I dislike my original 4 wheel manual drum brakes. I have a 44 and the disk stuff from a ford truck gathered. Add in another few hundred mods that make driving a bronco fun and your no closer to a original bronco than my glass bodied one. I love everything that I have done to my truck and I believe some of these things FORD should have done to begin with. But these mods are what make your bronco yours! And if original is what your after then the more things you change to make it your bronco then the more and more original it becomes. I sure would hate to hop into my completely stock, boring, cookie cutter bronco.

If you need steal to be real then go for it. But if your after a solid, never have to worry about rust, don't really care if its glass or steal as long as it looks like a bronco, then glass might be a great choice.

I must add that my glass tub took me hundreds of hours to install, and thank god I was jobless at the time! I did a complete frame off glass bodyed build in like 4 months. But my bronco is a bad ass start to what someday will be a sweet rock basher. And I have won a few awards at local car shows so some people musnt care that its glass!!

Good luck and have fun with it!

 

[fordwheeler]

Don't get angry! I like the passion, but you hit the nail on the head when you said you have never seen an all steel in your area, that's why I believe some may want to keep it all like it came. If you want glass then go for it, I do not believe anyone is going to care that much that you don't want to deal with the rust in the future. But if steel is that RARE in your area, supply and demand is basic economics for those certain collectors. And yea I do it believe most would want one straight from the factory, I believe today's metals are a little better. Just my $.02 but everyone is entitled to theirs.

 

[77bronco_ed]

you also need a steal grill. I bought a brand new one from JBG. A glass grill is a dead giveaway that your glass.

I did not think my glass grill was a dead give away?
*Unless it is a real "Bronco guy/gal", most folks don't know "Glass from Steel". When I tell them it is all glass they are a bit surprised.

One of my trucks is completely glass...tub,all front end parts doors, tailgate, etc...
Each have their own positives and negatives...

I have both
100% glass body
100% steel body


*disclaimer-My father in law backed into my grill, at the moment with the three holes in it, most folks can now tell it is fiberglass

 

[rmiller747]

I'm the same. Have 3 steel rigs and one 100% glass ( grill, windshield frame, everything).

To each his own I say. Each serves a purpose. The glass is my trail rig.

Handles Michigan winters, takes bumps better than steel (my opinion) and easier to fix ( my opinion).

 

[BroncKrawler]

I did not think my glass grill was a dead give away?
*Unless it is a real "Bronco guy/gal", most folks don't know "Glass from Steel". When I tell them it is all glass they are a bit surprised.
QUOTE]

Fiberglass grills are a dead give away, all the slotted openings just dont look right. Another dead giveaway that a tub is glass would be that the rear wheel well openings are already "cut" and the flare is molded into the body. Not to say that people haven't done that with steel bodies... My vote is for a steel body, I've just never been a big fan of fiberglass. Now if they could make a nice 316L Stainless Steel Bronco body, I'd be all over that but the price would be ridiculous!

 

[TheGanzman]

I believe today's metals are a little better. Just my $.02 but everyone is entitled to theirs.

I would VEHEMENTLY disagree with THAT statement! Have you bought any "stainless steel" lately? My wife bought a high-end set of SS flatware; about the fourth trip through the dishwasher - rust spots! Meanwhile, my cheap '50's SS flatware has been through the dishwasher ~1 million times - not a single rust spot to be found!

There's NO question that the metallurgy has changed in the last 15 years - nickel guitar parts begin tarnishing IMMEDIATELY; meanwhile, my '50's nickel parts still SHINE! Virtually ALL metals now are "impure" due to extensive recycling, melting/remelting, etc. Recycling has NOT been good for the discriminating customer with regards to metal products!

 

[77bronco_ed]

I did not think my glass grill was a dead give away?
*Unless it is a real "Bronco guy/gal", most folks don't know "Glass from Steel". When I tell them it is all glass they are a bit surprised.
QUOTE]

Fiberglass grills are a dead give away, all the slotted openings just dont look right. Another dead giveaway that a tub is glass would be that the rear wheel well openings are already "cut" and the flare is molded into the body. Not to say that people haven't done that with steel bodies... My vote is for a steel body, I've just never been a big fan of fiberglass. Now if they could make a nice 316L Stainless Steel Bronco body, I'd be all over that but the price would be ridiculous!

As I said... most folks other than "Bronco enthusiasts" really dont know the difference on your dead give aways. (grill, flares, etc...) In fact... The dead giveaway "molded flares" is what attracted me to the fiberglass Bronco. Nice clean look without the aftermarket pop rivited flares.

Vote all you want...Each have their own strengths.
Fiberglass is a good alternative, nice rust free bodies are difficult to find.
As a sheetmetal model maker by trade, I like steel Broncos...I enjoy and prefer working with steel over fiberglass.

However whenever I am out,I always get a thumbs up with the "Glass" Bronco...Being in the Detroit area, I come across individuals that built the Bronco' on the production line, many did not even notice that it was fiberglass. To the poster of the thread. I have never heard anyone say nice Bronco, too bad it's fiberglass.

I would not hestitate to get a glass Bronco, but do not think that it is any easier, it is a difficult task to get a fiberglass Bronco on the road. Many end up giving up.


-Ed

 

[BroncKrawler]

I would VEHEMENTLY disagree with THAT statement! Have you bought any "stainless steel" lately? My wife bought a high-end set of SS flatware; about the fourth trip through the dishwasher - rust spots! Meanwhile, my cheap '50's SS flatware has been through the dishwasher ~1 million times - not a single rust spot to be found!

Take a good magnet to your wifes high end stainless flatware, chances are it'll be slightly magnet. Higher grades shouldn't be magnet at all. Low grade stainless will rust pretty easy, plus if it comes in contact with any carbon steel it'll begin to rust as well. I used to build stainless tanks for chemical plants and have seen all too many stainless tanks begin to rust immediately because someone used a carbon steel wire wheel to clean up a weld. I believe that the metal today is still as good as it used to be, the problem is prices are too high for quality materials so most companies generally cheap out and buy the lower grade materials to build their products for a reasonable price. I've welded on LOTS of lower grade thin wall stainless steel pipe lines for companies and have had to come back a couple years later to replace that line because it started rusting on them... sorry for the hi-jack on your fiberglass / steel body debate.

 

[BroncKrawler]

re: "Higher grades shouldn't be magnet at all."

You may want to run that past the folks I make 17-4, jet engine parts for. Also be good if you were familiar with passivation of austenitic, 300 series stainless.

If you want to get technical then yes, there are a lot of other grades of stainless (besides the Austenitic 300 series) that exhibit many different properties such as being magnetic. As you already know, the 2 most commonly used grades of stainless in the world are 304L and 316L, which are Austenitic and generally "non-magnetic". 316L being the higher grade of the 2 and also more corrosive resistant. Most flatware should have a stamp on it stating the grade of stainless.
I only dealt with 304L, 308L, 316L and 2205 stainless in my 6 years of being an industrial pipe welder. Sorry I'm not up to date with todays treatments of stainless steel using passivation or have all the ins and outs of stainless but I can scratch arc TIG weld sch. 10 4" 316L all day long making gold welds while the wind is blowing in a 150 ft. man lift and its raining out. hi-jack off