Corvette Image Body Panels

[paintdaddy]

Well,back to the original question.The only thing I can suggest is to sand lightly but thoroughly with a da sander using 180.Apply some polyester primer filler,blocksand until areas of the fiberglass start to show through.Apply epoxy primer and urethane primer filler (compatible with the paint system being used),then block sand until areas of the epoxy primer start to show through.Paint it sand and polish it ,then maybe spray some undercoating on the back side to act as a water barrer.Is this what your looking for?This is my normal procedure and it has never failed me.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Just a thought from another non-expert but I can't imagine how moisture can penetrate plastic. The resin would have had to be foamed to the point of allowing interconnecting air bubbles. The plastic itself isn't going to absorb moisture. If it did every Corvette built in 1953 would not be paintable (hand laid with bare back sides). I have never gel coated anything in the 35+ years I have been slopping resin. Any rough exposed glass areas I find I just brush on a little resin and that's the end of that.

The only paint bubbling I have seen on new repairs was due to gases excaping from the resin when the car was allowed to sit in the hot sun for repeated or extended periods. This was the result of one of the following:

1 Old materials that had passed their shelf life and wouldn't fully cure.

2) Materials that were not thoroughly mixed leaving areas that didn't cure.

3) Incompatible products that weren't supposed to be used together.

4) Too short of a curing time before primer or sealer was applied.

I cure all of my repairs with heat lights. It don't take long. No matter how perfect looking these Image panels are if they have to be resealed there is something chemically wrong going on there.

Tom

 

[BLACK MOON]

Maybe a better idea would be to use someone else's panels.

 

[studiog]

Gelcoating & Corvettes

I found some web pages that relate to gel coating on Corvettes.


http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?dept_id=127&pf_id=10709

http://www.diynet.com/diy/ab_detailing/article/0,2021,DIY_13684_2278594,00.html

http://www.imagemotorcompany.com/1954_corvette.htm

http://www.vettehound.com/geo/classifieds.php?a=2&b=473

Could it be that gelcoating is old school thinking that works and there are also new ways of sealing the glass as well? I'm sure this has been debated many times before. There has to be a definitive answer somewhere. Maybe John Z could check with a number of "experts" and write an article on the subject in Corvette Enthusiast.

 

[JohnZ]

Been there, done that already - check out my article entitled "Fiberglass Production Processes" on page 17 of the Winter, 2002 (Vol. 28, #3) issue of the NCRS "Corvette Restorer" magazine.

 

[studiog]

OOps... After re-reading this thread of posts I realize you (John Z) already answered this question. I look forward to reading the article you mentioned.