[twilliams3]

Well I do have a question what is the best way to paint fiberglass surfaces without flaking and peeling?

[302 Z28]

Clean first with hot soapy water.
Block sand with 80 grit
Clean with wax & grease remover
Apply two heavy coats of a quality 2K primer/surfacer
Block with 180
Wet sand with 400
Clean with wax & grease remover
Apply base and clear

Vince

[twilliams3]

Hey thanks Vince I didn't realize that you should wax and use grease remover.

Thanks again!!

[46chevyfleetline]

Not wax and then the grease remover. Its called wax and grease remover. Waxing would really ruin your day.

[Cheap5.0]

Hold on a minute tex....read more closely and follow the above mentioned advice....waxing that patch would really set you back some time!

[BondoKing]

If it were mine, I use 180 on the fiberglass, then 2 coats of epoxy.. let set overnight, and come back and 2k.. Be careful with abusing the 2k.. making sure to allow proper flash times. and even a little extra flash if the coats are heavy.. then block it out so you can base and clear..

Everyone does things differently.. This is simply how I would do it.. You have better adhesion with epoxy, plus it seals the fiberglass, where as 2k will soak in

[Irelands child]

Originally Posted by 302/Z28

Clean first with hot soapy water.
Block sand with 80 grit
Clean with wax & grease remover
Apply two heavy coats of a quality 2K primer/surfacer
Block with 180
Wet sand with 400
Clean with wax & grease remover
Apply base and clear

Vince

Since I have some nasty shipping gouges on my Wescott fenders, when do I make filler repairs - before the 2K - or 2K, filler then more 2K. My inclination is before the 2K and use 'glass type filler I'm not planning on using epoxy on these fiberglass pieces. I don't believe that the 'glass will require this added protective step. The rest of the steel car gets epoxy.

Dave

[kenseth17]

If you have a gelcoated surface and you haven't broken through to raw fiberglass anywhere, then I believe 2k urethane alone would be fine after a good job of cleaning and sanding mentioned already. Epoxy primer certainly won't hurt. It has great adhesion to many surfaces. If you have bodywork or raw fiberglass, IMO epoxy primer down first and over bodywork would be a smart move. Raw glass will soak up solvent. Epoxy is a good sealer for the surface and it sticks well and filler sticks well to it. Worth the little extra money spent. I do similar to bk, sand with 180 unless I have something more severe to deal with, or will be applying quite a bit of bodyfiller, then I will go courser. I've noticed fiberglass parts are often wavy when you get them, and some rounds of blocksanding, and even applying bodyfiller or modification is needed. Check your fit of the part first. And new parts It will only help to set out in the sun to make sure the fiberglass is gassed and you hopefully have any problems or imperfections show up before you paint.

[Irelands child]

Originally Posted by kenseth17

If you have a gelcoated surface and you haven't broken through to raw fiberglass anywhere, then I believe 2k urethane alone would be fine after a good job of cleaning and sanding mentioned already. Epoxy primer certainly won't hurt. It has great adhesion to many surfaces. If you have bodywork or raw fiberglass, IMO epoxy primer down first and over bodywork would be a smart move. Raw glass will soak up solvent. Epoxy is a good sealer for the surface and it sticks well and filler sticks well to it. Worth the little extra money spent. I do similar to bk, sand with 180 unless I have something more severe to deal with, or will be applying quite a bit of bodyfiller, then I will go courser. I've noticed fiberglass parts are often wavy when you get them, and some rounds of blocksanding, and even applying bodyfiller or modification is needed. Check your fit of the part first. And new parts It will only help to set out in the sun to make sure the fiberglass is gassed and you hopefully have any problems or imperfections show up before you paint.

Thanks for the reply -
The amount of shipping damage is minimal with the exception of 2 or 3 four inch long scratches which appear to be barely through the gel coat which is why I don't think full epoxy coverage is necessary as a protective coat. Possibly a few of drops mixed up and applied with a brush to seal them off. Patch those gouges w/Rage, 2K, sand and paint.

These fenders have hopefully outgassed as much as they ever will. Wescott produced them in 1999, I purchased them in 2001. They have been fitted, with flange mods made at the running board to fenders and splash shields a couple of years ago, and now they have been thoroughly sanded with 120 rather than 180 (seems to be some differences of opinion, some say 80, others 180 to 220 and I took the middle road and used 120). This has made a nice, paintable surface - and I have not see any waviness.
Dave

[302 Z28]

I prefer the added tooth that 80 provides over 120 or 180. I would personally would never go smoother than 120 and certainly not 180. The 80 rapidly knocks down any high spots, levels quickly, and provides a very aggressive hold for any epoxy or high build 2K Urethane primer/sufacer.

Vince

[Irelands child]

Originally Posted by 302/Z28

I prefer the added tooth that 80 provides over 120 or 180. I would personally would never go smoother than 120 and certainly not 180. The 80 rapidly knocks down any high spots, levels quickly, and provides a very aggressive hold for any epoxy or high build 2K Urethane primer/sufacer.

Vince

Vince
I'll split the difference !!
I'm got to finish "rolling" the edges and need to touch up a couple of spots that still have too much gel coat gloss and will use some 100 grit and go over them completely again (I'm out of 120 but have lots of 100). *0 scares me on 'glass.
Dave

[BondoKing]

Do as you wish, but I can tell you this for sure.. There is no comparison between putting epoxy on your fiberglass first vs using any 2k first.. period

Not being a smart A or anything so don't think that, just aggravates me to no end when people act like 2k is "IDEAL" for everything except just maybe bare metal... Ask Barry Kives which is superior for sealing the substrate, chip resistance etc.. NO COMPARISON...

[302 Z28]

Originally Posted by Irelands child

still have too much gel coat gloss and will use some 100 grit and go over them completely again
Dave

That is the main reason I go with the courser grits. Be sure and clean real good with a wax and grease remover. It wouldn't hurt if you gave it a soapy water wash after you have finished the first sanding prior to the application of your first product. If you do the soapy water wash allow a full day for the surface to dry.

Vince

[Irelands child]

Originally Posted by BondoKing

" for everything except just maybe bare metal... Ask Barry Kives which is superior for sealing the substrate, chip resistance etc.. NO COMPARISON...

Bondo

First of all - most everyone has more experience with body work using todays materials than me. Barry and I did have a lengthy conversation which included epoxy primers (his, specifically) and its uses tho we did not discuss application specifically to 'glass plus I do have a copy of his latest tech manual.

I'm Playing a devils advocate now, just so you don't think I'm an idiot.
As said above, I have NO experience with the current coatings systems, only what I have read here and researched elsewhere.
As long as the gel coat is not breached, with 'glass stranding showing, why would epoxy be better than a 6 or 7 year old cured gel coat - they are made up of generally the same material.
You say chip resistance. There is the gel coat. If something is going to penetrate the BC/CC and the 2K, it's going to damage the gel coat, even with epoxy, and the gel coat or fiberglass wont rust. As far as adhesion, possibly 2K to epoxy may be better than 2K to 80 - 100 grit prepared 'glass, but I'm probably going to cancel that by waitng 2-3 weeks or more before paint. I can agree that an epoxy seal coat after 2K, as Barry recommends, for a show car finish - but for me, at this time may be overkill, but am considering.

twilliams3 - apologize about hijacking your thread - but I wanted to get a couple of issues on the table.

[302 Z28]

Actually the gel coat is basically a sprayed on polyester film, if the body is polyester which most are. I agree, the only time I would use epoxy on a new (unpainted) body or part is if that gel coat has been breached down to open glass cloth. In that respect you need the superior sealing qualities of an epoxy. Otherwise a couple of heavy wet coats of a quality 2K primer/surfacer is quite sufficient to give you a good base to begin blocking.

Vince