Body Work Plan | Roadster | Thoughts?

[Padawan]

Body Work Plan

Step 1) Per JKleiner

My initial cleaning method is:
1) Scrub with wax & grease remover (I use PPG MX190) using green Scotchbrite then wipe with clean rags to pick up the residue (Those heavy blue paper shop rags that you can get by the box or in rolls work great for this). You'll notice that as the wax breaks down it starts to take on a slightly milky appearance---this is what you want to swab up.
2) Second wipe down with wax & grease remover using solvent soaked rags, again following up wiith clean ones to pick up the residue.
3) Scrub vigorously with Comet and Scotchbrite using warm water. This will start to scratch up and dull the gelcoat.
4) Rinse well with warm water.

Note that this is pretty mindless work so feel free to add beer during or between any or all of these steps :beer:

Degreaser: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-SWSS100G-12?rrec=true

Step 2 - knock down seams with die grinder - 40 grit

Step 3 - burr out pin holes with rounded drill bit end using die grinder

Step 4 - apply 3M Marine High Strength Repair Filler on all seams to fill pin holes

Step 5 - apply rage gold over all seams and block down with 80 grit using durablaock and flex sanding block (still unable to locate the link to Eastwood)

Step 6 - block sand rest of body with 80 grit

Step 7 - Attach Door, Hood and Trunk (these will have followed the same progress)

Step 8 - Gap Door, Hood and Trunk

Step 9 - Spray slick sand and sand down with 180 grit

Step 10 - Spray 2 more coats of slick sand and block sand with 600 grit

How does this plan sound?

What products would recommend over the others outlined above???

We’re about to start a new journey!!!!
Thanks

[GoDadGo]

I used Jeff's methods & they worked!

Mold Parting Line Removal:
https://youtu.be/_3sLamdkIFg

Mold Parting Line Smoothing:
https://youtu.be/meBYeI96_A8

Body Work Begins:
https://youtu.be/6QXWP5H8mT0

Body Work Continues:
https://youtu.be/6UK6K2jcwTU

Body Work Complete:
https://youtu.be/po1Bb2_XDDk

Coating The Back Side:
https://youtu.be/FVMCA4_UZHU

Reassembly Begins:
https://youtu.be/ELFJDOVKb4g

Graduation Video:
https://youtu.be/9WEe6-wdNtA

Good Luck & Happy Sanding!

[CraigS]

Do not use the 3M HSRF. It dries very hard, much harder than the gelcoat or fiberglass, and that will mess up your sanding bigtime.

[rich grsc]

Do not use the 3M HSRF. It dries very hard, much harder than the gelcoat or fiberglass, and that will mess up your sanding bigtime.
100% agree. When it sets up, it's like sanding concrete.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Padawan,
You have kind of a hodge podge of info there, much of it outdated, some methods that I have used in the past and no longer do, some I've never done and still others that I currently do. Here's the Reader's Digest version of the order of progression using my current recipe:

With the body off
Knock down the parting lines using a DA with 40 grit then widen the path about 4 inches outward using 80 on the DA. If you uncover any major voids grind to clear glass and fill to just below flush with HSRF (most Mk4s require very little, if any of this but occasionally one turns up that needs an extensive amount---luck of the draw). Cut back the excess wheelwell flashing and clean up the awkward "elbow" where the front wheel opening runs down and under towards the oil cooler scoop (combination of 36 grit flap disc, DA with 80 and hand work with 80). Block the remaining gelcoat with 80. Shape parting lines using Rage Gold.

Locating the body in the proper position on the chassis is a whole other topic which has been covered extensively in other threads that you can find with a quick search so we won't go into that here.

After installing body on chassis
Install windshield and rollbars to verify openings. Install doors, hood and trunklid and make initial (not final) trims. Perform bodywork and adjust moving panels as necessary to get shapes flowing and then trim to set final gaps. Install sidepipes and modify cutouts as necessary for proper clearance.

With body off
Apply 2 gallons of Polyester high build (Evercoat Slick Sand is my product of choice). Block smooth with 150. Apply 3 coats (1 to 1.5 gallons) of 2K catalyzed Urethane Primer Surfacer (I use PPG Shopline JP202). Block smooth with 320 dry followed by 600 wet. Apply 1 full coat of catalyzed sealer (Shopline JP335 or 337 or a cocktail of both depending on the paint's undercoat color requirement). Nib sand with 1000 as necessary then move immediately to base and clear.

Hope that helps get you started!

Jeff

[Padawan]

Padawan,
You have kind of a hodge podge of info there, much of it outdated, some methods that I have used in the past and no longer do, some I've never done and still others that I currently do. Here's the Reader's Digest version of the order of progression using my current recipe:

With the body off
Knock down the parting lines using a DA with 40 grit then widen the path about 4 inches outward using 80 on the DA. If you uncover any major voids grind to clear glass and fill to just below flush with HSRF (most Mk4s require very little, if any of this but occasionally one turns up that needs an extensive amount---luck of the draw). Cut back the excess wheelwell flashing and clean up the awkward "elbow" where the front wheel opening runs down and under towards the oil cooler scoop (combination of 36 grit flap disc, DA with 80 and hand work with 80). Block the remaining gelcoat with 80. Shape parting lines using Rage Gold.

Locating the body in the proper position on the chassis is a whole other topic which has been covered extensively in other threads that you can find with a quick search so we won't go into that here.

After installing body on chassis
Install windshield and rollbars to verify openings. Install doors, hood and trunklid and make initial (not final) trims. Perform bodywork and adjust moving panels as necessary to get shapes flowing and then trim to set final gaps. Install sidepipes and modify cutouts as necessary for proper clearance.

With body off
Apply 2 gallons of Polyester high build (Evercoat Slick Sand is my product of choice). Block smooth with 150. Apply 3 coats (1 to 1.5 gallons) of 2K catalyzed Urethane Primer Surfacer (I use PPG Shopline JP202). Block smooth with 320 dry followed by 600 wet. Apply 1 full coat of catalyzed sealer (Shopline JP335 or 337 or a cocktail of both depending on the paint's undercoat color requirement). Nib sand with 1000 as necessary then move immediately to base and clear.

Hope that helps get you started!

Jeff

Thanks for the update....I know many folks rely on your guidance with all things bodywork. Have an amazing day!!!

[thebicman]

Is this what your looking for?
https://www.eastwood.com/autobody/sanders/flexible-sanders.html

[Padawan]

Thanks for the update....I know many folks rely on your guidance with all things bodywork. Have an amazing day!!!

Jeff,
Quick Question:
Do you still degrease the body prior to block sanding?

In the Go Daddy Go video’s he does not mention degreaser in the process.

Thanks

[GoDadGo]

Jeff,
Quick Question:
Do you still degrease the body prior to block sanding?

In the Go Daddy Go video’s he does not mention degreaser in the process.

Thanks

We washed and degreased the entire body before starting the bodywork process.
After the initial wash and degreasing, we wiped down the body between each application of filler with Isopropanol Alcohol.
Why did we use Isopropanol Alcohol, it is because the bodywork was being done at the very beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
At that time we didn't know if the China Virus could be spread from surface contact so Sammy split our efforts with him working on Saturdays and me working Sundays.
For the record, it really sucked having to work that way, but nobody knew how this bug was getting passed, but all thought it was airborne.

[Padawan]

Jeff,
100% spot on 3M stuff is hard as concrete.

I over did it, but it was good to lean how to use the product — less is more :)

How much rage gold do you apply to the seams? Do you tape off the sides prior to applying?
Thanks,
Mat

[Kodiak]

What HSRF is being used out there on these body’s ?

[Jeff Kleiner]

Jeff,
100% spot on 3M stuff is hard as concrete.

I over did it, but it was good to lean how to use the product — less is more :)

How much rage gold do you apply to the seams? Do you tape off the sides prior to applying?
Thanks,
Mat

We tried to warn ya' about overdoing it on the HSRF :p Lesson learned, right? ;)

As for how much Rage Gold---it depends. If the body was laid up with good panel alignment it doesn't take as much to shape up the mold parting lines (again, they aren't seams) as ones that have some offset.

This is an example of one that was well aligned:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=148967&d=1622730695

And here are a couple of bodies that had some misalignment:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=148968&d=1622731143

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=148969&d=1622731524

Clearly you can see that it required more "mud" to work in the shapes and compensate for the mold panel offsets in the second and third photos. Sometimes you get a good one, other times not.

If you're asking how much product it will take typically I'll use about 3/4 of a 3 Liter (0.8 gallon) container per car.

And no, you don't tape off before applying the filler. The idea is to fair it out and feather it to nothing; tape would leave an edge.

Hope that helps,
Jeff

148967 148968 148969

[rt.collinsjr]

Padawan,
You have kind of a hodge podge of info there, much of it outdated, some methods that I have used in the past and no longer do, some I've never done and still others that I currently do. Here's the Reader's Digest version of the order of progression using my current recipe:

With the body off
Knock down the parting lines using a DA with 40 grit then widen the path about 4 inches outward using 80 on the DA. If you uncover any major voids grind to clear glass and fill to just below flush with HSRF (most Mk4s require very little, if any of this but occasionally one turns up that needs an extensive amount---luck of the draw). Cut back the excess wheelwell flashing and clean up the awkward "elbow" where the front wheel opening runs down and under towards the oil cooler scoop (combination of 36 grit flap disc, DA with 80 and hand work with 80). Block the remaining gelcoat with 80. Shape parting lines using Rage Gold.

Locating the body in the proper position on the chassis is a whole other topic which has been covered extensively in other threads that you can find with a quick search so we won't go into that here.

After installing body on chassis
Install windshield and rollbars to verify openings. Install doors, hood and trunklid and make initial (not final) trims. Perform bodywork and adjust moving panels as necessary to get shapes flowing and then trim to set final gaps. Install sidepipes and modify cutouts as necessary for proper clearance.

With body off
Apply 2 gallons of Polyester high build (Evercoat Slick Sand is my product of choice). Block smooth with 150. Apply 3 coats (1 to 1.5 gallons) of 2K catalyzed Urethane Primer Surfacer (I use PPG Shopline JP202). Block smooth with 320 dry followed by 600 wet. Apply 1 full coat of catalyzed sealer (Shopline JP335 or 337 or a cocktail of both depending on the paint's undercoat color requirement). Nib sand with 1000 as necessary then move immediately to base and clear.

Hope that helps get you started!

Jeff

Just saw this....with Slicksand, do you need wider door/hood/trunk gaps?
Thanks
Rich