flyinfree

I have a couple gelcoat questions.

1. What is the difference between the white gelcoat that is on the one piece front ends such as ACI and the black spray gelcoat you buy from Ecklers? Are the two compatible? Can I spray the black spray gelcoat over the white gelcoat?

Second question is can I use body filler such as VPA over gelcoat once it is applied. It vettes panel adhesive is not recommended what filler if any can be used?

wombvette

The white gel coat used on one piece units is compatible with most any filler or any other gel coat. It is basically polyester resin with filler. Naturally it needs sanding before application. The sprayable gel coats need something to shield if from air while setting up. The Eckler stuff uses a substance that comes to the surface. The other type, which is the same as used on the one piece parts, uses PVA sprayed over the surface to cure. The Eckler stuff is very hard and is a bear to sand.

flyinfree

Where can I purchase the white gelcoat? Can it be sprayed on?

Is the Vette Panel Adhesive a good body filler for both types of Gel coat?

wombvette

I dont know why you are hung up on the color of gel-coat. Color really makes no difference. Evercoat makes a white. You will need some PVA to spray over it.

You really shouldn't be bonding gel-coated items without grinding them down to fiberglass, but if you do, use epoxy. If you grind them, you can use most any bonding agent.

If you are just filling and finishing the surface, then any good body filler, adhesive, is OK.

Dave Tracy

Having been there and done that, I would do things differently. I used the Ecklers gel coat and getting the wax type coating off was a B!$CH. ON this forum you will find many suggest SPI epoxy primer to seal the glass. I would have probably gone that route. Others can chime in on this. Porchdog, who is in the business, highly recommends it. Good luck on your project.

flyinfree

I am not so much hung up on the color other than a way to describe the two. They seem very different. The white seems more brittle on the one piece front end. Maybe it is on too thick. The Ecklers black seems more durable. I have the one piece front end installed. I have two old doors that I sanded to bare glass. I used the Eckler's to seal the fibers exposed in the door skins. I am now wondering do I spray entire car with the Eckler's gel coat. My plan is to go to bare glass on back half of car and was wondering should I use one or the other. I was not aware that they were so different.

The black seems more like what should be on the car the white seems more like what you would find on a boat.

markids77

Why gelcoat at all? Unless the substrate has been sanded too thin for comfort, and adding a new layer of mat and resin is too much work I can see no requirement for gelcoat at all. Block the parts to 120 or so grit, seal using epoxy primer, then build as required using either more epoxy, or Slick Sand; even "Bondo". If it's just fuzzy from exposure a couple coats of decent epoxy will seal it in well, and be a great base to build from.

929nitro

Your original parts from the factory had no gel coat.

flyinfree

I used to follow DUBs post and he always said the gel coat was best method. Not the easiest but unsurpassed in performance and ability to seal not only exposed fiberglass but at preventing any contaminants from leaching out.

I realize there was no gelcoat from factory. Nevrrtheless, I believe it is better than what came from factory. After all the factory never put a 400 small block in a vette either but it sure is a great combination.