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Steel, aluminum or fiberglass?

Steel, aluminum or fiberglass?
I think that I would have to go with SS with my body and parts just because of the area that I live. I would also go with a SS frame the buses up here have SS frames now the old ones were just steel and only lasted about 10 years before major repair on them.
 
I would go with alum. ....i worked with 6061 t6 alum for about 11 yrs as a welder and it can be stronger than steel ...very lite ... thats my opinion. thanks:chug:
 
GPER said:
My glass body is almost 20 years old and no problems, cleans up nice and has never been painted.:D
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Same with mine, goin on 13 years and still looks great.
 
personally i'd like to have stainless steel but i'd hate to price that.but second to that i'd stick with steel.fiberglass is too time consuming to fix.but thats just my two cents.
 
bigtruckcity said:
personally i'd like to have stainless steel but i'd hate to price that.but second to that i'd stick with steel.fiberglass is too time consuming to fix.but thats just my two cents.
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How is fiberglass too time consuming????? The stock steel body lasted 10 years and the glass is going on 20.
 
Just my 2Cents my fiberglass body is 5 years old has been beat on the trails and is still like new and the gel coat still looks good. It is a pain to cut and drill all the holes though.
 
Stainless is nice, no rust depending on what series stainless it is. However, unless you can tig weld it is more difficult to repair for the regular DIY garage guy. I do a lot of stainless tubing and equipment fab and love the clean welds.

Regular steel is more cost effective and is easier to find pat panels and such if needed. I would strongly vote for steel.
 
Aluminum, it doesn't rot and you can still weld to it.
 
I'd have to say I like steel so much better than Alum. or fiberglass. Just like steel aluminum and fiberglass both rot, just not rust. Alum. oxidizes and gets brittle and fiberglass deteriates and gets brittle. I work in the Auto repair and restoration industry and have seen a lot of rotted Alum bodies and fiberglass that is beyond saving. A good steel body will actually outlast and is more durable than any of the other options in my opinion. Just my 2 cents :p
 
I went with fiberglass, it has held up good, even after a rollover on I-77 in Southern Ohio, had a crack filled and you couldn't tell. Her in Ohio, to much salt and calcium cloride on the roads in the winter time, that stuff will eat a steal body

IMG_0169-1.webp
 
If I wanted a fiberglass car i would have bought one of these compact cars and not a Jeep.

Aluminum was the metal the Landrover was build of- sorry not my type of car.

I prefer steel.
 
after re-reading this post it sounds to me that most decisions were based on where most live as well as weather, and what type of wheeling is involved. I personally still prefer aluminum (the half cab 2 seater) and that's probably due to having one now from an hacked up CJ5 body.
 
Yea, my steel windshield frame is already rusting in a couple places.(only 5 years old) :eek: My fiberglass body is NOT (and never will).:D
 
aluminum would work also, just to much $$$
 
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