Pros and Cons to starting body work and paint first??

[LuckyWinner]

Thinking about starting the bodywork and paint first. Can anyone out there tell me if its a good or bad idea?

[bil1024]

You can knock down the seams and start the inital sanding. But I would fit the body and doors / trunck / hood to the chasis after that.

[skullandbones]

That is good advise. Fiberglass is fiberglass. What I found in racing sail boats is that whenever you can "expose" pockets in the fiberglass (some are so small you can't see them) you are better off rather than leaving them buried until ready to do the body work. So opening the seams and letting them further cure will help. And if you have to look at the body every day, it just looks better.

[Mesa Mike]

I agree with letting the body cure before doing the body work and paint. I know builders that let their body sit in the snow,rain, sun for 6 months before starting the body/paint process.

[Scott7644]

My body has been dinged several times while moving it in and out of the garage to work on the chasis. Plus, I have two little kids. I am happy waiting to do the body work last. Just something to consider.

[LuckyWinner]

Well this seems pretty one sided. Guess Im waiting, thanks for the input guys.

[3kcarbon]

There is so much that has to be fit checked and worked out after the body goes on and off a few times. Not much to be gained. IU know you want to make dust sooo bad but it is what it is. You will find somethings just don't fit without lots of fiddle fussing.

[Pierre B]

The curing process for fiberglass can take quite some time. For instance, in my case, I took delivery of my MKII in late April of 2004, and the body was not finished and painted until Spring of 2007. In the interim, for that first summer, I kept the body outdoors on its buck, covered with black plastic to keep it good and warm in the sun. Thereafter, the body spent all of its time in an unheated barn until it was time to finish it. Fiberglass outgases throughout the curing time, meaning that it releases gas to the atmosphere. If paint provides a barrier to that outgasing, the gas pressure can lift the finish off the body. Despite the length of time spent curing, my FFR body developed two paint blisters, each about the size of a quarter. Interestingly, those blisters took 2 and 3 years to develop!
Now I know that many (most?) builders paint their bodies far sooner than I did, and I wonder if FFR changes in their body fabrications may have done something to ameliorate this situation, or if other builders have had quite different experiences.

[NICK C]

I am a true newbie. Does anyone have any instructions on fabricating a rollable body buck for the MKIV? I'm trying to get things in order as I approach ordering my car. Thanks for the responses.

[skullandbones]

If you have an assembly manual, look on pp 206 and 207. That's where it is in mine (MK III). But it will be in that area. Pay a little more and get good wheels, you will appreciate that if you have to move it around alot like I did. Just for FYI: you can't read the manual enough. In my opinion, I think that is one way of getting oriented to the process. Good Luck!! WEK

[3kcarbon]

I am a true newbie. Does anyone have any instructions on fabricating a rollable body buck for the MKIV? I'm trying to get things in order as I approach ordering my car. Thanks for the responses.
There is a article on the other forum in the FAQ I think on how to do dat. Don't skimp on the wheels unless you have a very smooth surface to roll on.

[NICK C]

Thanks for the info. I have a digital copy of the MK4 manual and will look through it. Thanks again gentlemen!

[NICK C]

Ok so I'm dyslexic, Body Buck. We really can spell here in Oklahoma!

[3kcarbon]

I was working on my Mk 4 body today and the right quarter seam just ahead of the wheel was a little rough. I took the 3" grinder to it and found still soft gelcoat on it just under the surface. That wasn't ever going to cure. Some how the gelcoat didn't get mixed correctly and must not have had any hardner mixed in just a small area.

[Jeff Kleiner]

...found still soft gelcoat on it just under the surface...

I did also, two places in fact. One about 1 1/2" in diameter at the vertical parting line on the RR quarter and another about 1" long and 1/2" wide on the top of the driver's side front fender. I noted them in my Mk4 body work thread and commented that they must have been an anonamaly---with your discovery maybe not. I know your body has been well cured as was the one I was dealing with (#7276, delivered July 2010). I ground both areas out well past the soft spot and into raw fiberglass then filled with 3M HSRF before continuing with Rage.

Jeff

[chrisarella]

Check out this thread here:
http://www.ffcars.com/FAQ/bodybuck02.html

And this is the revised PDF by Laser Stan for the Mk4:
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/2387270-post10.html