corvette image paint bubbles
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 363
Likes: 60
From: Ma
corvette image paint bubbles
anyone know the cure ? I have a front end by corvette imige that is getting fine bullbles coming to surface I called them to see what they would reccomend Jerry the owner would not call back. car was painted about four years ago. thanks for any help John
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
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this should be good. My dad and I and alot of our car painting friends have been trting to figure the same thing for the last 7 years. talked to alot of people about it, and know one seems to know how to correct it. short of repacing the front clip
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 363
Likes: 60
From: Ma
Originally Posted by Nowhere Man
this should be good. My dad and I and alot of our car painting friends have been trting to figure the same thing for the last 7 years. talked to alot of people about it, and know one seems to know how to correct it. short of repacing the front clip
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 6,359
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From: Seattle Area WA
Do you know if you or the painter applied the 20 mils of Gel Coat before painting? I just installed one of Jerry's clips last fall but have yet to lay down any color. It's still in Gel Coat.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 9,016
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From: Southeast Missouri
I've got fine bubbles in paint that started 15 years after it was painted, base/clear. It stays garaged, no idea as to why it took so long. And only in one place on a fender, about a foot square area.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,480
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From: New York
I have heard that its a problem in the gel coat that Corvette Image uses. They were so over loaded that they needed to ship the clips faster than they could so they didn't let the gel coat 100% cure. Now all of the clips that were rushed when made are bubbling.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Sarver Pa
2021 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
A lot of times that happens when you get oil and water out of your air lines when spraying. Sometimes it doesn't surface till you get the paint hot, like out in the sun on a real hot day at a show. I have had this happen to me.I do my own paint and learned this the hard way. You won't know for sure till you strip it to the gel coat.Something to think about.
Pops
Pops
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 7,106
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From: Newark DE
one of the body panel manufacturers, either Corvette Image or Scherschemins (sp - i don't remeber which one - says their panels need to be gelcoated before painting or they will not gaurantee against paint popping and bubbles. It's something in their manufacturing process that causes it to happen, they are aware of it and that's why they STROINGLY recommend it being gelcoated before painting. If it's gelcoated it's no longer a problem.
If your car wasn't gelcoated before painting that most likely is the problem.
A stock car with the factory fiberglass doesn't need to be gelcoated but the aftermarket pieces should be.
If your car wasn't gelcoated before painting that most likely is the problem.
A stock car with the factory fiberglass doesn't need to be gelcoated but the aftermarket pieces should be.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 363
Likes: 60
From: Ma
Originally Posted by Scott Marzahl
Do you know if you or the painter applied the 20 mils of Gel Coat before painting? I just installed one of Jerry's clips last fall but have yet to lay down any color. It's still in Gel Coat.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,241
Likes: 6
From: Arizona
I have lacquer paint, at least 23 years old. It has always had those fine bubbles and as time goes on it seems to develop more. I was told that it's possible the body was not properly cleaned of the chemical stripper prior to paint and there's nothing that can be done now.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
Had the same problem on a Corvette Image front end we installed, and they WILL NOT return calls. We stripped the front end of the customer's car and added additional gelcoat to it ( about 5 go-arounds) on top of the gelcoat we initially shot. So far so good. I know of one restoration shop down south that rips off C.I. front ends and installs Shermersheim's when they do a restoration. I don't know how a reproduction parts manufacturer can stay in business this way.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,359
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From: AUSTIN Tx
Jim Semerscheim's fiberglass is tops! I use only his glass now. CI has just had too long a history with this problem for me to trust his panels.
I know he says that if his panels are properly gelcoated, that you will not have problems with them, but I would rather do business with Semerscheims, as they have not had this same problem. I always gelcoat my bodies anyway, but why take the risk?
Regards, John McGraw
I know he says that if his panels are properly gelcoated, that you will not have problems with them, but I would rather do business with Semerscheims, as they have not had this same problem. I always gelcoat my bodies anyway, but why take the risk?
Regards, John McGraw
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 924
Likes: 7
From: Northeast Ohio
Originally Posted by John McGraw
Jim Semerscheim's fiberglass is tops! I use only his glass now. CI has just had too long a history with this problem for me to trust his panels.
I know he says that if his panels are properly gelcoated, that you will not have problems with them, but I would rather do business with Semerscheims, as they have not had this same problem. I always gelcoat my bodies anyway, but why take the risk?
Regards, John McGraw
I know he says that if his panels are properly gelcoated, that you will not have problems with them, but I would rather do business with Semerscheims, as they have not had this same problem. I always gelcoat my bodies anyway, but why take the risk?
Regards, John McGraw
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Inverness FL
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by John McGraw
Jim Semerscheim's fiberglass is tops! I use only his glass now. CI has just had too long a history with this problem for me to trust his panels.
I know he says that if his panels are properly gelcoated, that you will not have problems with them, but I would rather do business with Semerscheims, as they have not had this same problem. I always gelcoat my bodies anyway, but why take the risk?
Regards, John McGraw
I know he says that if his panels are properly gelcoated, that you will not have problems with them, but I would rather do business with Semerscheims, as they have not had this same problem. I always gelcoat my bodies anyway, but why take the risk?
Regards, John McGraw
are his panels press molded or hand laid? i know press molded fiberglass is not normally gelcoated as part of the fabrication process, but hand laid usually are. so, are we talking press molded, or hand laid when talking about gelcoating finished panels?
Bill
btw; does Semerscheim have a website, or catalog?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 924
Likes: 7
From: Northeast Ohio
Originally Posted by Joel Falk
No, he is pretty old school and only has a phone. His number is (812) 424-4701.
Last edited by SolidAxle; Oct 20, 2006 at 10:33 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 6,359
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From: Seattle Area WA
Corvette Image panels are press molded and they were shooting Gel Coat on top to finish them. The clip I received looked like cr*p with runny thick gel coat all over it. I blocked the snot out of it with 80 grit and the stuff was definately not cured 100%. While sitting in the sun this past summer, I even had a half dozen pin type wet black spots appear. I wiped it down with acetone and that seemed to clear those up. (I would assume that these would definately cause some blisters as the hydrastatic pressure built up) I have been baking mine with an IR body lamp to see if I get any more repeats and so far not more have appeared. I may block mine some more just to make sure I got all their gel coat off of it. The rest of the car is in Eckler's gel coat which is really nice, a night and day difference.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,078
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From: Riverhead New York
Blisters
Big or small what we are seeing is a Blister. Fiberglass and the associated agents surrounding it can all be contaminated in one fashion or another. Did you know that a can of Armoral cannot be stored in an area where paint is to be applied due to vapor contamination? Yes, even if the lid is on tight. With so many chemical compounds available to make for a better, easier job this problem is a real nightmare for panel refinishers. A good clean coat of Gel Coat product, properly applied and then finished without a time delay is a good idea.
Contaminants do sometimes enter our car finishes through the finish itself. Lacquer is notorious for this type of situation. Hence, clear coat and its molecular density helps prevent penetration. Just think in terms of Oxidation from sunlight and you may understand my point.
Todays " Two Stage" paints area giant step forward for long term, trouble free finishes. Al W.
Contaminants do sometimes enter our car finishes through the finish itself. Lacquer is notorious for this type of situation. Hence, clear coat and its molecular density helps prevent penetration. Just think in terms of Oxidation from sunlight and you may understand my point.
Todays " Two Stage" paints area giant step forward for long term, trouble free finishes. Al W.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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For all who think the paint blisters or bubbles was caused by stuff in the air then why is the problem only on the repro glass , and not anywhere else. Our problem is in the top surround , and parking light panel. To be fair at the same time we replaced the quarters and the lover panel with NOS glass. Those panels turned out great. The car was panted in lacquerer. The person who glued the car together and painted it has been doing this for last 30 years. He painted it like he has been all those years. He did not do anything different when he prepped it to be painted