Body prep

[Hottrodder427]

What are the guys doing their own body work using for a body filler?

[Gumball]

I used Rage Gold by Evercoat. Here's my complete bodywork thread..... http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?7645-Chris-Bodywork-Thread-Mk3-1&highlight=chris%27+bodywork

[amasciarelli21]

I used Duraglass as a first coat when i ground out imperfections in the body seams and finished everything else w Rage gold, IMO its one of the best body filers out there.
I would note never bother w/ Bondo brand its probably one of the worst fillers yet its the name everyone knows.

Ang

[Hottrodder427]

I used 3m platinum plus, think that's as good? I read on one forum they used a harder filler for the body joints, any thought on that?

[Jeff Kleiner]

No knowledge of 3M Platinum Plus. I use Rage Gold on all of them that I do.

RE: "Harder filler for the body joints". There aren't body joints; they are a single lay up. What you see, which are often incorrectly referred to as "seams", are the parting lines for the molds that the bodies are laid up in. Most likely the hard filler you speak of is 3M High Strength Repair Filler. Mk3s and earlier roadsters often had gelcoat migration into the outermost layers of 'glass along the parting lines which created weak spots and necessitated grinding into the line to remove it and then using the HSRF to restore the lost strength. Aside from an occasional void or anomoly which might require a small amount of structural filling Mk4 bodies do not have the problem and generally I only need to use HSRF when bonding the inner & outer hood layers after cutting out the scoop hole.

HTH,
Jeff

[Hottrodder427]

No knowledge of 3M Platinum Plus. I use Rage Gold on all of them that I do.

RE: "Harder filler for the body joints". There aren't body joints; they are a single lay up. What you see, which are often incorrectly referred to as "seams", are the parting lines for the molds that the bodies are laid up in. Most likely the hard filler you speak of is 3M High Strength Repair Filler. Mk3s and earlier roadsters often had gelcoat migration into the outermost layers of 'glass along the parting lines which created weak spots and necessitated grinding into the line to remove it and then using the HSRF to restore the lost strength. Aside from an occasional void or anomoly which might require a small amount of structural filling Mk4 bodies do not have the problem and generally I only need to use HSRF when bonding the inner & outer hood layers after cutting out the scoop hole.

HTH,
Jeff
Awesome Jeff thanks for the info.so the rage gold is all I need until the scoop cut out?

[j.miller]

We rough in our MK4s with Rage Gold (36gr) once we get the shape we want we glaze it with 3M Platinum (because it's thinner and doesn't pinhole as much as thicker fillers)and finish it with 80gr...da Bat

[Hottrodder427]

We rough in our MK4s with Rage Gold (36gr) once we get the shape we want we glaze it with 3M Platinum (because it's thinner and doesn't pinhole as much as thicker fillers)and finish it with 80gr...da Bat

When I knocked down the mold lines, it sands down and through the red gel coat. That's okay right?

[Kmcallahan]

No knowledge of 3M Platinum Plus. I use Rage Gold on all of them that I do.

RE: "Harder filler for the body joints". There aren't body joints; they are a single lay up. What you see, which are often incorrectly referred to as "seams", are the parting lines for the molds that the bodies are laid up in. Most likely the hard filler you speak of is 3M High Strength Repair Filler. Mk3s and earlier roadsters often had gelcoat migration into the outermost layers of 'glass along the parting lines which created weak spots and necessitated grinding into the line to remove it and then using the HSRF to restore the lost strength. Aside from an occasional void or anomoly which might require a small amount of structural filling Mk4 bodies do not have the problem and generally I only need to use HSRF when bonding the inner & outer hood layers after cutting out the scoop hole.

HTH,
Jeff

Jeff,
Doing some research and came across this. it is very helpful.

[Avalanche325]

I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend that you read everything you can by Jeff Kleiner and Jeff Miller and use what they use.

I did very well by following them and their product list. All proven stuff that works well together.
When I did mine it was Rage Gold, and HSRF for anything the needs strength, or needed to be built up.