Hey guys - HELP!!!!! Spent the last 1 1/2 years tinkering with a Cobra kit. Went in for paint with a shop that didn't have wide experience with fiberglass. Surprise - we have problems. I need the experience of this board to help me get it over the line:
Problem: Fiberglass kit body had little or no gel coat. I guess you could say it was raw fiberglass. Don't ask me the kit builder as I don't know. Car was primed with poly, blocked, painted and buffed. All looked great until it was put in the sun 2 weeks later and the paint "shrunk" to the point you could see scratch marks and spots that lifted. Horrible. Ugh....
Shop Comment (won't name the shop): The shop is a bit confused. They talked to a boat builder that said the fiberglass was too thin which caused the issues. They also said it could be taken down again to the raw fiberglass and gel coated, but no guarantee it wouldn't do it again. The shop is looking to me to help them make a decision and I am clearly not an expert in fiberglass or paint. Very frustrating, but I need to get over it and move this forward.
Questions:
1. Fiberglass - The boat builder said the fiberglass was too thin. It feels strong to me. Would that be a driver of the problem or are we talking to the wrong person?
2. Raw Fiberglass (no gel coat) - Is poly primer appropriate to cover "raw" fiberglass? If not, what should be used? I don't know why it didn't have gel coat and, at this point, I don't care.
3. Primer Curing Time - It was ~ 3-4 weeks or so between primer and paint. Was it not cured enough prior to paint?
4. What to do now? Do we take the car all the way back down to bare fiberglass or just down to the poly primer? Would you use something different on the few areas that lifted.
5. Good Cobra Paint Shops - Any suggestions on good paint shops for Cobras in STL? Anyone you would recommend could consult with this shop?
The shop is vested agreed to do the right thing to get it done right. I would like to stay with the shop if possible. Just finish it correctly and move on. Thank you in advance for your help.
Todd
Problem: Fiberglass kit body had little or no gel coat. I guess you could say it was raw fiberglass. Don't ask me the kit builder as I don't know. Car was primed with poly, blocked, painted and buffed. All looked great until it was put in the sun 2 weeks later and the paint "shrunk" to the point you could see scratch marks and spots that lifted. Horrible. Ugh....
Shop Comment (won't name the shop): The shop is a bit confused. They talked to a boat builder that said the fiberglass was too thin which caused the issues. They also said it could be taken down again to the raw fiberglass and gel coated, but no guarantee it wouldn't do it again. The shop is looking to me to help them make a decision and I am clearly not an expert in fiberglass or paint. Very frustrating, but I need to get over it and move this forward.
Questions:
1. Fiberglass - The boat builder said the fiberglass was too thin. It feels strong to me. Would that be a driver of the problem or are we talking to the wrong person?
2. Raw Fiberglass (no gel coat) - Is poly primer appropriate to cover "raw" fiberglass? If not, what should be used? I don't know why it didn't have gel coat and, at this point, I don't care.
3. Primer Curing Time - It was ~ 3-4 weeks or so between primer and paint. Was it not cured enough prior to paint?
4. What to do now? Do we take the car all the way back down to bare fiberglass or just down to the poly primer? Would you use something different on the few areas that lifted.
5. Good Cobra Paint Shops - Any suggestions on good paint shops for Cobras in STL? Anyone you would recommend could consult with this shop?
The shop is vested agreed to do the right thing to get it done right. I would like to stay with the shop if possible. Just finish it correctly and move on. Thank you in advance for your help.
Todd
