Who Makes The Best Gelcoat?
 

What brand have you used and how were the results?

I'm told our Vettes don't have a Gelcoat,..only used on boats.

Why do you need Gel Coat? Use a catalyst primer to seal the glass.

use a good quality epoxy instead. i use only epoxy , no 2k primers at all.

He is correct... The epoxy will be the best thing to seal the glass from front and back.. Its the only air tight water proof prime that is used in refinish..

Then you can go over it with a quality 2k or go all epoxy as porchdog has suggested.. Both will work, its a matter of which one you want to use.. The 2k will have much more build and can be worked with in a much faster time frame.. I know porchdog does not like the shrinkage you can get from 2k so he uses only epoxy on all his resto work..

i'm in the process of replacing the rear quarters on my 70. i bought the hand laid panel from willcox (the salesman tried really hard to sell me the pm panels).
the panel manufacturer requires that the panels be gelcoated to prevent water infusion. you say that epoxy will work. do i need to coat the inner and outer sides of the panels? also, what is a "good brand" of epoxy? i didn't think the cars were originally gelcoated. how did gm handle water, or didn't they worry about it?
thanks

i would cure them in the sun and then use spi epoxy , both sides. resin will continue to gas out and dry from the inside. i do mostly older vettes and they are so dry sometimes i use starblast to take off the dead skin as an old friend use to call it. i use nothing on older vettes but epoxy for surfacing.

JMP5101….GM did not have to worry about water in the fiberglass; the press molded original panels from 1968-1972 already have the gel coat on them! In 1973 GM went to the SMC fiberglass (sheet molded compound) which also had an outer coating on it as well.

On the hand laid panel (or any panel for that matter) an epoxy based primer will solve the same problem. Jelcoating is becoming a thing of the past for newer body shops since the advent of the epoxy based primers on the market these days.

The main issue that we have with the new epoxy based primers is that the instructions will tell you that you can sand within 24 hours of application. If you do this you will be making a huge mistake! Let the primer sit and cure out for a week. If you have the ability to put the car outside in the sunlight it would be highly advised! The longer the cure time the less likely a sand scratch will show up! Epoxy based primers were made for metal cars! Metal cars do not expand and contract as much as the fiberglass bodied Corvettes. If you block sand this car too early, the scratches will show in the paint when painted.

As far as water, well I’m lost on this one! Even if you used the old red oxide primer and a lacquer based paint, there would not be any problems with water unless it was from the back side (on a hand laid product). If that is the case, a good coat of primer on the back side of the fender should seal it just fine! Once dry, scuff and shoot with a simi gloss black paint!

You’ll be fine! And on this, it’s just my two cents worth. This is why I have a shop manager. If you need more info on this, please email me direct at willcoxcustomerservice@willcoxcorvette.c om I will be happy to review this with the service and make sure my opinion is correct!

Also anyone wanting to add to this… Feel free.

Willcox Inc.

i apply one heavy coat of spi epoxy in the am, block in the afternoon and let cure overnight to several days. i did 6 coats on the 57 vette i just finished. the car was painted in dec and buffed in march. there was 0 shrinkage or dieback on it. i use epoxy for the surfacing instead of 2k primers . we gelcoated vettes years ago if they were rough because very few products would seal all the repairs. way too much work ,good way to remove fingerprints:D i use lizardskin insulation inside of body panels, doors and the underside on the restomods i build. gives the car a real solid sound and completely blocks the heat and noise. an added freebe is it stops stone stars.
this is a link to the build
http://www.streetrodding.com/index.c...r.view/id/1558

Porch,

I enjoyed the link.

How come use use dcc single-stage and then clear versus a base coat/clearcoat system?

Roger

i just prefer the way ss shoots and performs. base coat is known to shrink a little when hit with the first coat of clear. i've tried just about everything in 35 years and this way just seems to be a little better. i do not consider cost of materials when painting a car. the 57 was a test and it passed with flying colors. i had 0 problems with it. i let it set for 90 days before i buffed it and had no shrinkage or dieback . the spi epoxy outperformed any 2k primer i've tried or even polyester. it gives a gloss to let you see what you have and is lighter in color when you block eliminating the guide coat. not all the vettes i do are this rough but if it worked on this one it will work on anything. i have the new chassis now so it will start getting built soon.

Porch,

Do you sand the SS at all before you clearcoat?

I ask because I just have never been able to shoot SS without some orange peel. But, I don't paint often enough to consider myself that skilled with a paint gun.

Roger

ss is no different than shooting clear. i did 4 coats for coverage, blocked with 600, then 2 coats and sanded with 1000 before clear. 3 coats clear, blocked with 600 , then 3 coats of clear. waited 90+ days and blocked 1000 to 3000, polished with clean cut / wool pad / foam pad. car will be polished again when it's built.

Single stage is easier and can result in a perfect finish, but porchdog nailed it on the head! "waited 90+ days and blocked 1000 to 3000, polished with clean cut / wool pad / foam pad. car will be polished again when it's built. " Time can not be an issue if you want it to look good!

Gel coat is becoming a thing of the past with the new paints and primers. Nothing would hide the repairs! The new primers and paints do a much better job than twenty or thirty years ago!

Willcox Inc.

i waited 90 days to test the product and procedure . no shrinkage or dieback. to my surprise it buffed as easy as fresh clear. i did a job in matrix and this one in spi . the left over matrix will go to the tractor barn:D i have buffed the matrix car twice and still see dieback.