Rebuck33

OK guys, these pics were taken for DUB but any help will be appreciated. I recently got a 78 Pace Car. Black paint on all horizontal surfaces was spider webbed really bad! I plan on DA'ing all of that down to fiberglass. While I am there, I have a few cracks in the seams and the pictures are attached. They may be upside down and I can not figure out how to flip them so please bear with me. One of the pics has not been sanded yet and its about 3 inches long just behind the drivers side door handle. The other is also on the drivers side but already DA'ed down and the seam is clearly cracked but only about 1.5 inches. THe other problem area that needs addressed is right at the joint where the door, the rear quarter panel and the roof are. The roof panel is separating from the structure. None of it is terrible but I want some advice on how to fix it correctly. I would also like an opinion on what to with the lower 1/2 of the body. Should that be taken down to the fiberglass or is it OK to be wet sanded? One last question! Where is the best place to purchase a new rear spoiler? THe old one is full of waves and lifted from the body bad. Thanks in advance.

DUB

OK....NOW....when you open up the door...the crack on the quarter panel.....how does it look on the edge of the door opening area and jamb???

A photo of that would be good also.

I have seen this before and it is not a big deal...usually....but the photo and you doing a test will confirm it.

DUB

Rebuck33

ok DUB, thanks for answering these so fast! I barely got my shoes off then put them pack on for more pics! Maybe these wont be upside down.


Let me know what to do with the cracks and if you would take all the gray down to fiberglass or just the surfaces that were spidered webbed.

DUB

I can not see the 'spider-webbing' as you mentioned.

BUT...as for the crack in the jamb...and seam on the quarter...I have seen this MANY TIMES.

QUESTION:

The crack in the quarter panel....when it heads towards the edge of the panel and goes into the jamb....DOES THAT CRACK make the 90 degree turn to the jamb???? I can not see it in the photo....it looks like it does not....because I do not see a thin white line there.

Do you have a grinder??? It will be needed to inspect and check these cracks.

Do you have a Dremel tool??? This may greatly aid you in this also. It provides more precise prepping/grinding with the correct attachment.

DUB

Rebuck33

attached it another pic showing the spider webbing. I have a grinder and a dremel. I will work on following the cracks tomorrow and post some pics. Thanks for the help.

DUB

DO NOT concern yourself on these small 'chicken feet' marks. they are in the PAINT...and NOT the body....I would bet my life on it....and I can see super small bubbles in the lower left corner of the photo...where you can see the white flash....which is also in the paint.

DUB

Rebuck33

I agree they are only in the paint. I have most of them sanded down to bare fiberglass but should I just sand the body all the way down to the middle body line or everything to bare fiberglass all the way down?

DUB

For me...it is ALL. Partial stripping can open up issues that you may regret when it is done.

DUB

Rebuck33

Ok. I was afraid of doing anything else so thanks for pushing me to do it right. Lots more sanding.

Now onto these few cracks.... I found when I took the 3M stuff back today, the paint shop sells VPA. Do you suggest I dremel or grind those cracks out and fill with VPA? The two on the body seam I'm confident on but the one above the door handle on the bottom of the roof panel has me stumped.

DUB

I CAN NOT confirm that is all you would need to do.....you need to verify that there is NO panel separation where these cracks are when you open them up carefully and see if they can be separated with a thin screwdriver.

I need good photos of the door handle crack issue and the T-top also. All I know about is the quarter panel and door jamb area.

Need an answer to the question I asked in post #4 about the crack at the opening

DUB.

Rebuck33

I will get better pics after sanding but the second pic in #3 in the upper left shows the vertical crack by the window above the door handle. It's not on the outside but rather 1/4 inch in which I can only assume is the thickness of the glass panel.

Rebuck33

OK DUB. Here ya go. I used the Drexel until I couldn't find the crack anymore. It seems solid but does appear to be slightly separated from the backing strip. Let me know what you think.

Rebuck33

Damn spell check! Dremel not Drexel!

DUB

If the crack went away....and when you were sanding /grinding on it...the area where the crack WAS.....was on the edge of panel where it stops...then this can be due to the adhesive was giving away its bond ON THE edge of the thickness of the panel it self. I have seen this thin crack line so many times right on edge of the panel where it stops. usually a slight grind and its gone.

IF the crack is gone...taper out the seam and fill it in with VPA. VPA will be fine to use because this is NOT considered a STRUCTURAL repair.

The same hold true for those crack in the door jamb area. The adhesive is letting loose...and often times it is centralized to the end of the panel...and NOT a panel separation. SO...when you dive into hose cracks in the door jamb...STOP and insert a thin screwdriver and twist it to see if it is giving you a lot of resistance and the CRACK is not opening up further.

IF...you do get the panels to separate rather easily...let me know. THIS then becomes a STRUCTURAL repair...where the VPA will NOT be used to get the panel to bond.

DUB

Rebuck33

Thanks! I got days of sanding but I can handle a VPA repair!

DUB

Come on now...you can handle ANY type of repair....not just a VPA repair.

DUB

Rebuck33

maybe if you were my neighbor!!!! The last few days I felt like Dennis the Menis waiting for you to get home and reply. Now I have a few days work that should be question free. Thanks for EVERYTHING!!!