Fiberglass Body Score

[project74]

O.k., I have come across a complete fiberglass body and I have never delt with fiberglass\gelcoat before. Everything is in really good shape, one or two small cracks at an edge that I can repair without issue.
Where I need guidence is sanding down the current paintwork without affecting the gelcoat\fiberglass surface. There are spider cracks which I am sure are normal to older paintwork on fiberglass panels so these will need to be reworked.
Are there any paint guru's out there that can offer some advice to a glass-rookie?
thanks, Ed

 

[mtnwhlr]

If it has paint on it now when you are sanding don't sand into the gelcoat. Use a 180 grit sand paper to sand it and when you get thru the paint to the gelcoat stop. If you still have small cracks use a good body filler on them.

 

[bondo258]

A little of topic, but if the tub is from an area with seasonal rain, check to see that the wood (wood was used in most 'glass tubs) in the floor of the tub isn't starting to rot.

A few holes from the previous owner(s) from consoles, seat mounts, accessories, will let water in, and allow the supporting wood to rot from the inside out. Worth checking out, IMHO, before you put some labor into it.

I agree with mtnwhlr's advice. Go slow. Be gentle.

 

[project74]

Thanks for the advice....I picked up a fiberglass tub, front fenders, hood, rollbar, spare tire carrier, two headlights w\trim rings, and a windshield frame and glass (frame rusted) for 600.00 The only defects I could see were the windshield frame, apx. 2 inch crack on the corner of one fender and a corner cracked on the other fender, all of which I can fix without issue.
If I happen to sand into the gelcoat will it be possible to re-gelcoat without too much issue? I want to make sure to do things correctly because a paint job isnt cheap.
Also, what is the best type of paint to have put on it due to the flex of the body, especially the fenders and hood, or can I use metal fenders and hood without stressing the mounting points?
thanks, Ed

 

[project74]

A little of topic, but if the tub is from an area with seasonal rain, check to see that the wood (wood was used in most 'glass tubs) in the floor of the tub isn't starting to rot.

A few holes from the previous owner(s) from consoles, seat mounts, accessories, will let water in, and allow the supporting wood to rot from the inside out. Worth checking out, IMHO, before you put some labor into it.

I agree with mtnwhlr's advice. Go slow. Be gentle.

O.K. I have the tub now and now notice there is some wood rot at the mounting points. Is this an easy enough fix by cutting out the underside area around the wood, replacing the wood and fiberglassing back over the area? Or did I just make a mistake?

 

[73CJ]

You got a deal but you will add labor to make up some of the difference. You can cutout the bad wood and replace.

The gel coat doesn't need to be touched up. If you sand through, you may need to put a coat of Glaze (1 part in a tube) to fill pin holes.

 

[project74]

I've been reading about a product call everglass to use as body filler, glazing puddy for pin holes and a skim coat of bondo to do a final smooth finnish. The last paintwork on the tub was not top notch so it's gonna need some smoothing. The wood I can replace with marine plywood and I have read up on how to do a repair by "scarfing" the surface area and layering the glass work...no problem.
How well do the undersides of these tubs accept products like bedliner or lizardsskin in order to protect them more?
Looks like I'll have a project that will give me something to do through the fall. Maybe I can get the body on this rig early spring next year...?
thanks, Ed

 

[mtnwhlr]

Everglass is a very good body filler and will work fine and as for doing a bed liner or the lizard skin you just need to scuff it up and it will work fine. The Lizard skin will really help with heat and is very lite. The best thing would be Lizard skin on the under side and the bedliner on the inside of the tub.

 

[thistle3585]

Having just rebuilt a fiberglass boat, I'm wondering about using some of the epoxy paints that are specifically designed to fill and tighten spider cracks in boats? You could sand the entire thing down with 80 grit, breaking the gloss on the gel coat, then paint with a two part epoxy. Worked on my boat and I bet it sees as bad conditions. You could also use West System epoxy to reglass the wood. Just a thought.

 

[project74]

Well just wanted to say thanks for all the info offered on the fiberglass tub. I have been thinking on it and have gone back to my original ideas of doing some custom metal work on my metal tub, I would like to keep all of the metal body lines on the outside that the fiberglass doesnt have and I can do my modifications easier with the metal. I have sold the fiberglass to another jeeper from Tenn. who was happy to get it...all in all everyone is happy.
Monday I will order my metal sheets and some 1" square tube and hat channels and start cutting the entire floor out and repair the rockers. I will be restting the left rear well a couple of inches further back behind the driver's seat to give more leg room and build a custom center console of sorts coming off the center portion of the dash to go between the seats...gonna have some fun with it.
But thanks again for the help, Ed