tgtexas02

Have a 58 which is totally striped to bare glass. Replaced headlight and below and both quarters and lower rear panel with original donor panels to include many other moderate to smaller fiberglass repairs. I really don't want to gelcoat the entire car but would rather seal things with DP90LP. Issue is that the glass repairs I have made have typical pinholes. Can I just cleanup these pinholes and spot gelcoat the repairs only, block sand the gelcoat areas, and then seal with DP90LF and move on to 2K primer and singlestage? Make any sense?

DUB

YES you can do it as you are thinking.

I myself would not apply epoxy primer on the gelcoat due to I apply a polyester primer directly on top of it. SO I am saving on having o apply epoxy primer...which I have found on countess jobs where I use gelcoat. The epoxy is an unnecessary step.

Then I prep the polyester primer...apply my sealer and then paint it.

I DO use epoxy primer when I am priming an SMC car. I apply the epoxy primer and THEN I apply my polyester primer. But that is different than what you are doing. But as I wrote...you can do it as you thought if you want to.

DUB

tgtexas02

As always, thank you so much Dub!

Now I have room in my head to focus on other things instead of constantly wondering would "this" or "that" work.

csherman

I do alot of C1's / aka old fiberglass
I do not use gel coat
one I don't like the mils that gel coat apply
I believe personally that people will use gel coat to hide their sins or feel that it will keep down a marginal repair or prevent a repair from coming back up
That is so far from the truth.
Today polyesters are superior to past primers
as for your pinholes - take the extra time and fix the pin holes and v groove any seams - (pinholes I normally touch them with a fine dremel tip - then fill)
Use a good quality product - and you shouldnt have any problems
Hope this helps

Dave Tracy

DPLF epoxy primer is not sandable. DPLV (low voc) is an epoxy primer that can be sanded. Depending on how straight the car's body is, you may be able to use the DPLF and not use the 2K primer.

DUB

I agree that today's polyester primers are quite awesome and I also use them.

As for me I do not use gelcoat to hide anything.....such as a poor repair. I use it as a level of protection that I feel is a bit higher than the polyester primers.

I can say on all of the early polyester fiberglass Corvettes that I have applied gelcoat to...the mil build of it has never caused me to have to do the job again. Because if I had problems...I guarantee you all that I would have to find another method so I did not have to do cars all over again.

There is no one set perfect ASBOLUTE method of doing these cars due to so many professional restorers have found methods that vary and they ALL seem to turn out just fine. So it seems that although we may differ in our methods or beliefs...the main thing is that we all strive to give our customers a job that will last. Some products that one person uses and swears by will work may be something I am afraid to use due to I have a product that has never failed me and I am fearful in trying a product I know nothing about. It is that 'fear factor' that often times halts us seasoned professionals from changing to new products or products used by others. Have I tried products that others have mentioned...Yes I have.

DUB