To Paint Now or Wait and Drive Unpainted in the Spring

[Jim S]

I'm looking for some advice / suggestions.

I have my roadster completely assembled and it could be registered at this point. While I would love to start driving it, the driving season is over in the North East. That leaves me needing to make a decision: Do I disassemble the car and paint it during the winter months... or do I leave it assembled and wait for spring to drive it (paint later)?

I am thinking I would like to put some miles on it before disassembling for paint. That way, if I found rattles, things I don't like, or build problems, they would be easier to fix with the body off.

What do all of you suggest?

What problems have you encountered during your first drives that would have been easier to fix with the body off?


Jim S.

[gbranham]

For what it's worth, I built my MkIII in 2006 in 4 months, and got it on the road before bodywork/paint. My most significant issue to resolve was ultimately blown head gaskets on a donor engine I rebuilt for the car...I reused the stock head bolts, and that proved to be a big mistake. After fixing that, I drove it for a bit, then decided it needed a bit more spice, so I tore it apart and put new heads and upper/lower intake on it. All this was done before paint. I'm glad I sorted all this out before paint, because leaning over those wide front fenders to swap heads and intakes was tough, and I definitely would've buggered up my paint doing it. If you're OK driving in in gelcoat, I'd say drive it for another driving season sans paint, sort out the bugs, then go into bodywork and paint knowing you have a well-sorted car.

I'm on build #2, and I'm going to register the car before bodywork and paint, and drive it in gelcoat for as long as it takes to get things running perfectly. I'll likely identify some upgrades and modifications I'd like to make before paint.

[scrubs]

Agree

[Gilmore]

Wait on paint.

[RJD]

There's no down side to driving it in gel coat for a bit. It's just as fun driving it in gel coat as it is in finished livery. You'll still get the thumbs-up and you won't have to worry about rock chips.

That said, also check with your paint shop. If they have a backlog of work, it might be prudent to secure a place in the queue while you're diving in gel coat.

[efnfast]

There's no down side to driving it in gel coat for a bit.

not true; i left mine in gel-coat for a few months; some contamination got into the gel coat and ruined my first paint job. The bodyshop blamed it on me and then did a half-assed repair, which got worst over the years so I ended up having to get it re-painted a third time, and at that point it was such a mess that the shop gave up on it and had to sandblast it to get right back to square 1.

based on my miserable experience I either leave my cas as sanded/polished gelcoat (my sl-c, 917, 968) or go-kart w/o body to shake out the kinks then bodywork/paint.

[AC Bill]

I drove mine in gel-coat for five years. I sanded the parting lines and spray canned them to seal, with a alkyd paint. No fear of scratching an expensive paint job if any work needed doing. I rec'd a lot of compliments even as it was. A few people figured it was an original because it was so rough looking, compared to all the shiny replica's they would see.:)

[GoDadGo]

Steve's Stupid Questions:

1. Have you driven at least 200 miles yet?
2. Have you done a proper alignment yet?
3. Have you driven at Interstate Speed for at least 10-15 miles yet?
4. Have you made a few hard passes on the car at the Drag Strip?
5. Have you done any Auto Crossing and/or Open Track Days?

If you can say "YES" to question numbers 1, 2 and 3, then I'd say paint it.
Otherwise, I'd title it and drive it for a while before painting it.
Just some suggestions from the Peanut Gallery.

Good Luck!

[Jeff Kleiner]

I get cars for body and paint with zero miles. I get cars for body and paint with as much as 20,000 in gelcoat. The cars that I build have anywhere from 1 to 5 miles on them before I do the body & paint and send them off to the owner. The gist of it is that there's downside to driving in gelcoat for a while---as long as the guy doing the body & paint is capable off properly preparing it (sorry about your luck EFN Alex). But if it's been built well there's no reason to wait either.

Jeff

[CaptB]

As always, great words from Jeff. I had 2.7 miles when I had paint and body done, now I have several hundred miles without incident. I'm sure there's stories of the opposite but that's mine.

[CraigS]

Drive it. The new bodies look much better than the old ones and I think that the red is a pretty nice shade. You can sand the big parting lines smooth and I believe FFR will even sell some of their gelcoat if you want to cover them. Also there are body shop suppliers who can mix paint and put it in rattle cans for you. Maybe Jeff can chime in on these options. The nice part is no need to worry about an expensive paint job and you can take your time getting doors, hood and trunk lid fitted.

[Kbl7td]

You can also do some minor prep and then shoot plastidip for a few hundred dollars if you want.

[egchewy79]

Drove mine in gelcoat for 2 yrs while waiting on paint. Ironically, the first major mishap occurred shortly after I got her back from paint. My fan relay stopped working, coolant got hot and blew off a radiator hose.
It's much harder working on a painted car then gelcoat.

[Jeff Kleiner]

...I sanded the parting lines and spray canned them to seal, with a alkyd paint...


The new bodies look much better than the old ones and I think that the red is a pretty nice shade. You can sand the big parting lines smooth and I believe FFR will even sell some of their gelcoat if you want to cover them. Also there are body shop suppliers who can mix paint and put it in rattle cans for you. Maybe Jeff can chime in on these options.


You can also do some minor prep and then shoot plastidip for a few hundred dollars if you want.

Just leave them alone. Please! You can cause all sorts of issues by trying to make them look "better".

Jeff

[Jim S]

Steve's Stupid Questions:

1. Have you driven at least 200 miles yet?
2. Have you done a proper alignment yet?
3. Have you driven at Interstate Speed for at least 10-15 miles yet?
4. Have you made a few hard passes on the car at the Drag Strip?
5. Have you done any Auto Crossing and/or Open Track Days?


Steve... All good questions and the answers are No to every one.

[Jim S]

It seems like the overwhelming response is to drive it now and paint later. That is just what I am going to do. Thanks for the feedback gents!!!

A couple follow up questions... I see some concern about fiberglass contamination when driving in gelcoat. Are there any steps I should take now to lessen this risk? What do I need to do before body work / paint to remove any possible contamination? I'm assuming this goes beyond removing the mold release wax, washing with a detergent to remove any organics, followed by a wax / grease remover and / or acetone.

I have experience doing body work and paint on metal (I have restored a few muscle cars). I do plan on doing the body work and paint myself. I am a fiberglass virgin though. Any insights anyone can give me would be appreciated.

Jim

[Pmieras]

I would agree with the above. Paint later.
My silly nature would write on it with sharpie since it would come off easy prior to painting.

[KDubU]

Driving in gel coat is always a good idea. You get to address any issues that come up and tinker a bit with to dial her in. All the while not worrying about your beautiful new paint job! Yes, once painted they look phenomenal so it’s always a tug a war between paint now or later.

[Jeff Kleiner]

A couple follow up questions... I see some concern about fiberglass contamination when driving in gelcoat. Are there any steps I should take now to lessen this risk? What do I need to do before body work / paint to remove any possible contamination? I'm assuming this goes beyond removing the mold release wax, washing with a detergent to remove any organics, followed by a wax / grease remover and / or acetone.



As I said above, leave it alone. When you start grinding on the parting lines, etc. and crack open the gelcoat that's when you invite contamination of the 'glass below. Once you start the bodywork process that's when you clean it and take it off the road.

Jeff

[GoDadGo]

Driving in gel coat is always a good idea. You get to address any issues that come up and tinker a bit with to dial her in. All the while not worrying about your beautiful new paint job! Yes, once painted they look phenomenal so it’s always a tug a war between paint now or later.

NOTE:.. I wanted to Auto-Cross my car before I painted it, but now the thought of scuffing my paint has kept me off of the Auto-Cross pad.
............Only one time have I made a pass at my local drag strip, but that is another story because of NHRA rules.
............If you want to play on the Auto-Cross pad, then don't paint it for a while.

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

[Jeff Kleiner]

...If you want to play on the Auto-Cross pad, then don't paint it for a while…

You can autocross the heck out of it. Just don’t hit the cones (which is the whole point) :p

BTW, I had 38 miles on mine the first time I autocross it, most of those were put on driving it there!

Jeff

[Blitzboy54]

I painted mine right away because of the same reason as you. I finished in the winter. I do have regrets. I should have driven it a full season in gel coat. Lots of bugs to work out and there are spots where the paint shows it.

[DW66]

Drive it around your neighborhood for 20 miles and paint it.

Dave.

[rich grsc]

Drive it around your neighborhood for 20 miles and paint it.

Dave.

Sorry, that's not how most of us handle it. Mine was in gel-coat 3 yrs, Jeff had no issues painting it, and I got to play hard without worrying of paint chips.:o

[GoDadGo]

You can autocross the heck out of it. Just don’t hit the cones (which is the whole point) :p

BTW, I had 38 miles on mine the first time I autocross it, most of those were put on driving it there!

Jeff

You haven't ridden with me yet.
Your day will come.

[efnfast]

As I said above, leave it alone. When you start grinding on the parting lines, etc. and crack open the gelcoat that's when you invite contamination of the 'glass below. Once you start the bodywork process that's when you clean it and take it off the road.

Jeff

yep, that was my mistake - had bodywork done up until almost ready for paint, took it back for a season to finish it up and drive it around, then a total multi-year **** show after it got painted.

[chmhasy]

I have been driving my car since 2019 in gelcoat, I sanded and gelcoated the parting lines and buffed the body, got the red gelcoat at Mertons in Springfield MA he had the correct color for the factory five roadster.
192548

[Ian G]

I drove my MK3 with black gelcoat for about 8000 miles. There were no issues when paint time came. Like AC Bill, I also got lots of compliments. Some said the car looked like it had a "history".

[Jeff's First FFR]

I have been driving my car since 2019 in gelcoat, I sanded and gelcoated the parting lines and buffed the body, got the red gelcoat at Mertons in Springfield MA he had the correct color for the factory five roadster.
192548

I did exactly the same thing (in 2019; still same). I STILL get people asking me if it is an original. Ground down the parting lines. Finished the lines with HSRF and Rage Gold. Sprayed red gel coat from Merton's with Poly Vinyl Alcohol after (there is also an additive to make the gel coat cure with air). Washed, buffed and waxed (sorry Jeff). Car looks 20/20 (great at 20 miles per hour 20 feet away). (My garage still has a red tint to it). However, Merton's no longer has the red gel coat. A boat yard may be able to mix it.
Enjoy,
Jeff

[Jeff's First FFR]

I have been driving my car since 2019 in gelcoat, I sanded and gelcoated the parting lines and buffed the body, got the red gelcoat at Mertons in Springfield MA he had the correct color for the factory five roadster.
192548

Looks like a show car! Great job!
BTW be sure to keep it waxed with marine wax; gel coat does not like UV.