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It was suggested I move this from the C1 forum to this one so here it is. I have a 59 Corvette that I'm in the process of repainting. I've had the car for years and several years ago I did a full, frame-off restoration. The car was painted in 1991 and the time has come to paint it again because of a few issues that have popped up. The car was sprayed with Gel-Coat before priming and painting. The first issue was some small places on the top of the left fender where some kind of oil or moisture would weep out. There was also a couple of small places in the cove on the left side that had bubbled up. I took the area on the fender down to the glass and it was in the Gel-Coat, not the glass. I washed it twice with Dawn dish washing liquid and water. That cured that problem. There was also an area on the left rocker with a small crack I had to fix. Well both have turned into a major problem. As I sanded both areas down to the glass, I started finding an oily like film that I can't get out. It's in the fiberglass. You can see it in the pic of the cove I posted below. I've washed both areas multiple times with the Dawn and water as well as a water based grease remover from SPI since I'm using there epoxy. It goes away but when I back it out in the sun it comes back. The cove is not as bad as it was but still has some of it. Now the rocker never had a problem as far as the paint but the same oily film is in the glass. Where could this possibly come from? I've sanded down into the glass in the cove and it's still there. I've sprayed all areas with the SPI black epoxy. The top of the fender is fine but in the cove and rocker it had some bleed through. I have sanded down some into the glass in the cove and it's still there. I thought I would either spray Gel-Coat over these two areas or lay some more rag over them hoping the resin will seal it off. Of course I'm looking for any opinions or suggestions.
The first issue was some small places on the top of the left fender where some kind of oil or moisture would weep out.
Need to see them. And if you can not heat the panel and get the oil or whatever out of the panel...You need to grind out the contaminated fiberglass and laminate in new material. SO...depending how good you are at doing this. I can help you but it will take many photos and very precise descriptions from you so I can replay as if I were there looking at it myself.
There was also a couple of small places in the cove on the left side that had bubbled up. I took the area on the fender down to the glass and it was in the Gel-Coat, not the glass. I washed it twice with Dawn dish washing liquid and water. That cured that problem.
This does not make sense...unless pieces to this 'puzzle' are not being given. IF the gelcoat was contaminated...it had to get contaminated from either the factory panel being saturated.,..or from the painted surface area. I have never had gelcoat get contaminated all by itself and it being in the middle of the body and paint. That makes no sense...which makes me wonder if you left some description out of this.
There was also an area on the left rocker with a small crack I had to fix. Well both have turned into a major problem. As I sanded both areas down to the glass, I started finding an oily like film that I can't get out. It's in the fiberglass. You can see it in the pic of the cove I posted below. I've washed both areas multiple times with the Dawn and water as well as a water based grease remover from SPI since I'm using there epoxy. It goes away but when I back it out in the sun it comes back.
YEP...which is why you want to use a heat gun an infra read thermometer so you can heat the contaminated areas up and see if you get more oil to come out.
The cove is not as bad as it was but still has some of it.
Leaving ANY contaminated fiberglass....WILL...in time...come back and haunt you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now the rocker never had a problem as far as the paint but the same oily film is in the glass. Where could this possibly come from? I've sanded down into the glass in the cove and it's still there. I've sprayed all areas with the SPI black epoxy.
Regardless if it is the SPI epoxy...or gelocat. If you have a contaminant ON the surface or IN the substrate....you can not expect anything to stick. It may for a while...but it possibly will pop or peel off. And knowing that no one has a crystal ball...I ALWAYS make sure that if the owner is paying me to fix it right...I remove all bad fiberglass.
The top of the fender is fine but in the cove and rocker it had some bleed through. I have sanded down some into the glass in the cove and it's still there. I thought I would either spray Gel-Coat over these two areas or lay some more rag over them hoping the resin will seal it off. Of course I'm looking for any opinions or suggestions.
Applying resin over a contaminated area WILL WORK...but you have to grind out 99% of the bad fiberglass.....so when you build it back up......that 1% of oil soaked fiberglass can not immediately begin to allow oil to migrate into your new laminated area.
AS I have told many customers and forum members. And my comment does not care about judging. My comment is trying to deal with a problem and have it not come back. Ad my comment often times is that you have to STOP the contamination....at all costs....if possible.... at the source. Which means applying gelcoat on the inside of the panel that have oil wicking out of them. I DO NOT trust any of the current epoxies. I use gelcoat...and then would paint over it if needed.
I know many who may read this may say...that I am crazy...but actually...I have replaced perfectly good panels that had NO damage to them EXPECT for oil contamination. It is no different that when I do metal cars that the panel is rusted and the rust WILL come back if I do not cut it off an replace it.
I had a contamination issue on my '67 on the cowl area, top surround left top and side. I grinded the panels down and layered West matte and epoxy. Wasn't a fun project but you gotta do what you gotta do. Full repaint last year. Keeping my fingers crossed. After the area blocked smooth, applyed 2 gallons of Gelcoat to the entire stripped body, 1 coat epoxy primer reduced (used as a sealer) before apolying base coat. You can look up my process if you are interested - it was from from 2014.
10-11-2016, 01:26 AM
Fiberglass Oil Issue
