What is the proper shake down period in gel coat?

[ThreePointTwo]

I put my car together and am currently logging miles and smiles. I figured I would drive it in gel coat for a while to find out what needs fixing when I take the body of for paint. Most everything is easier with the body off so I am keeping a list of all those things I need to fix. So far, I have things like install remote brake reservoir, reroute clutch cable, shorten top radiator hose, etc.

I also wanted to see if I liked manual steering, if I wanted to insulate the car, if I wanted to install windwings and visors, etc.

I have 300 miles so far and just yesterday one of the two bolts holding the shifter handle worked its way out and I lost the ability to shift (hmmm, new note, add loctitie).

How many miles is enough to get most of these issues to show themselves?

[bil1024]

I did approx 500, then went around and rechecked / retightened all suspension / Driveshaft hardware

[AZPete]

Like bil1024, I did 500 miles in gel coat before I was confident I had no problems. And, like you, one of the 2 bolts of the shift lever got loose so I added Locktight. If you have not already expanded the driver footbox, add it to your list. I didn't so I later had to do it with the painted body on . . . a pain in the butt. Don't have doubts about insulation, just do it. It makes a huge difference in noise and the "feel" of the car. And, I also had a professional alignment done in gel coat. Hint: buy gas only a few gallons at a time because then you get to make more gas stops. Each stop is a fun car show.
Pete

[tjo]

I had the body painted before I licensed it, so I had may 2 miles on the go car before paint. I then drove it to and from work for a couple of weeks, a total of about 500 miles, then took it down the California coast for 2K miles. That was three years ago and I am still tweaking things, and probably always will be. Does that answer your question? Probably not, but just paint it when you want, drive it how you are comfortable, and fix and tweak as you go. It isn't that hard to do most things on a completed, painted car, you just have to be a little careful.

Tim

[TOM K]

I put 5,000 on mine before the first winter came and I decided it was time to go ahead and take it off for paint. Way too many miles but I was not about to stop driving while the weather was good.

[STEVO]

I didn't drive mine in Gel Coat... I figured that I spent 2 1/2 yrs building off and on and I felt that a short time longer didn't hurt... So when I was all done and painted all I had to do was to enjoy... I did the body work and paint in my garage and did it with the body on.... I didn't want to go back and mount it and run the risk of having an accident putting it on......... The stripes were done first then the body, hood doors and trunk.

[Bobasaurus]

I had almost one mile on mine in gelcoat.

[Greg_M]

Same as Bobby. 125 miles as a gocart, one mile in gelcoat because it took me a year to get to paint and the body was on/off the buck most of the time during that process.

Greg

[Joe]

Practice parking in a parking lot for 30 minutes.. You'll decide that you want power steering! Also think about if you ever want to auto-cross. You'll want power steering. I have manual and now have to go through the process of converting, 13,000 miles later. I wish I had just gone power to begin with. Don't make the same mistake! IMHO

[ThreePointTwo]

I've been driving it for a whe now with manual steering and I know what you mean. I already have the power steering pump installed to run the hydroboost brakes so the switch would be pretty easy. I may make the switch.

[Chepsk8]

Six years in Gel coat. (and a second body after the wreck!)

What's paint?

[sharkx]

My advice is to enjoy your days in gelcoat. Once it's painted, you'll find that you are a lot more cautious about where you drive, where you're going to park, etc.

Bruce

[riptide motorsport]

500 miles of shakedown should work out any issues that might arise........your good to go........Steven

[Jim]

Around the block a couple of times then off for paint.

[frankeeski]

One year and just under 2000 miles. I am in no hurry to paint. I want to still do an engine swap and a bunch of body mods before I even think about paint.

[Arch]

Probably 30 miles in gel, another 200 in paint, then headed out for a 3,000 mile trip. It all worked out great.
Arch

[Howard]

Put the body on, did one trip around the block and then straight on to the trailer to take it to the painters! This winter I pulled the engine and fixed the stuff I wanted to.

[Jeff Kleiner]

1 mile as a go cart, 2 miles in gelcoat, 10,000 and counting in epoxy.

Jeff

[Pierre B]

Nobody has mentioned this so far but, to my understanding, one of the major considerations involves insuring that the body in gel coat is properly seasoned before painting. The epoxy resin will outgas for some time after the body clears the molds. That time can be measured in months, it seems. I bought my MKII in April of 2004, and it wasn't painted until spring of 2007, just prior to being registered. Especially the first year, I had the bare body outdoors on its buck, in the sun, under black plastic as often as I could, just to hasten the stabilization of the fiberglass. Even with all of these precautions and others, after final paint, my FFR body developed a few paint blisters over a few years' time: one about 5/8-inch long! I should think that, the sooner a body is painted after molding, the greater the chance something like this can happen. And yet, GM certainly doesn't keep its Corvette bodies around for years prior to painting...

[Olli]

Zero. I did drive the go-cart up and down the driveway a couple of times.

Olli

[ChadK]

Untill you have the $$$ for paint.

[NAGA]

Ding Ding Ding. Hold your calls, Pierre has the right answer. If you've had the body for a while during the build, you're good to go. Ninety days is probably good enough, especially if sat outside the whole time.
And if you put such an expensive paint job on your FFR you're afraid to drive it, you missed the point. I didn't build Naga to be a lawn ornament or for the next guy to drive.
He took me to work twice this week.

d

[Kevin Davis]

And if you put such an expensive paint job on your FFR you're afraid to drive it, you missed the point. I didn't build Naga to be a lawn ornament or for the next guy to drive.
He took me to work twice this week.

Another reason I'm doing my own paint. I think if I had $12k into my paint job I'd hire a bunch of body guards to watch it while I went into wal-mart. ;-> But since it's mostly labor on my part (which is just getting started, btw), and it's insured, I won't be so anal about it. At the end of the day, it's still just a car.

[CapeCoralCobra]

2 miles as go cart, 2 miles in gel coat. 2X what Kevin said - With less than $1K in DIY bodywork & paint, wouldn't hesitate to do a repaint if it ever needs it. Actually enjoyed it.

[AC Bill]

Because of the winter weather, I haven't been able to put many miles (675 so far) on my car since insuring it.
I have decided to continue driving it in gel-coat through spring at least, just to make sure any bugs are worked out. Hate to get it freshly painted, and then have to pull an engine, or some darn thing...
Hopefully the gel-coat won't break down, and cause problems for the painter..?

[Brandovibe]

Like bil1024, I did 500 miles in gel coat before I was confident I had no problems. And, like you, one of the 2 bolts of the shift lever got loose so I added Locktight. If you have not already expanded the driver footbox, add it to your list. I didn't so I later had to do it with the painted body on . . . a pain in the butt. Don't have doubts about insulation, just do it. It makes a huge difference in noise and the "feel" of the car. And, I also had a professional alignment done in gel coat. Hint: buy gas only a few gallons at a time because then you get to make more gas stops. Each stop is a fun car show.
Pete

How does the insulation change the feel of the car, just more "solid"? I dont want to hijack this thread, but what are people using for heat/sound proofing? I have come across so many out there and im at the point that i need to get it.

[donpny]

I agree with Wantin2b. Do it when you are cash ready. YOu will always be tightning a bolt or 12 and making all the tweaks you want. Also be ready for the responsibility of a fully painted car.... all the attention, careful places to park, covering it at night, and now buying wax.
Enjoy it, it is your car, built your way.
DONPNY

[Glory Bound]

My 2 cents-Make sure you have your foot box mods done to your satisfaction then get it painted. More tweaks will come up as you drive it and not many of those need the body off to get done.

[OCCPete]

I've been in gelcoat for three years. I finally took it to the paint shop last month.

Pete