Question about driving in gel coat

[MB750]

Hello

Now that I'm essentially road-worthy, I'd like to put a few miles on my Cobra thru this winter and next summer, then focus on paint next winter. There's multiple reasons for this, mostly to work out the kinks without worrying about damaging a fresh paint job.

Is there anything I should do to the mold seams during this time? I was just watching a video on a Type 65 build where the fella (Kyle Brandon) is sanding down and cleaning out his mold seams, then re-applying gel coat because he's not painting right away as well.

Thanks everyone.

[Kbl7td]

I know I commented on the YouTube video. But here’s what I would have done differently in more clarity….

Clean out the wax with a wire brush and mineral spirits.
Use a rol-loc 36g or some type of burr, to grind down the mold parts. Imperative to not go more than a 1.”-1.5 width.
You do however want to go deep and make sure you get all of the air bubbles out.
Mix up the red gel coat with some cabosil, that will make it hard as a rock and add some strength.
Fill only the cracks/part lines, slightly high.
Make sure you use wax in the gel coat or pva on top so it cures.
Then after cure come back with a 180/320/400/600 etc you get the point.
Then you can buff/polish.

Key thing here is to not use any filler unless it’s a polyester gel coat or even epoxy filler is fine. You just don’t want it exposed without covering.

The gel coat I linked to you will be a fairly close red.

Edit. When you go for paint all this **** will be knocked down and covered by filler in the end. It just needs to be good from 5ft.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Hello

Now that I'm essentially road-worthy, I'd like to put a few miles on my Cobra thru this winter and next summer, then focus on paint next winter. There's multiple reasons for this, mostly to work out the kinks without worrying about damaging a fresh paint job.

Is there anything I should do to the mold seams during this time? I was just watching a video on a Type 65 build where the fella (Kyle Brandon) is sanding down and cleaning out his mold seams, then re-applying gel coat because he's not painting right away as well.

Thanks everyone.

Ideally just leave it alone but if you do anything to open up the glass by going through the gel coat it must be covered otherwise to the porous raw fiberglass can take on moisture, road grime, oils and other contaminants. Same applies if you add any fillers. It doesn't need to be gel coat as Kbl7td describes; you can use a catalyzed urethane sealer. Note that I said sealer, NOT primer which are permeable.

Jeff

[egchewy79]

I knocked down my mold lines prior to paint. Drove it this way for almost 2 yrs before I was able to get it over to Kleiner.
In hindsight, when you grind down the high points, it makes the body look pink in those areas. It would be less noticeable just driving it w/ the mold lines in place.
Give yourself plenty of shakedown miles to find all the bugs you'll need to fix before final body/paint.

[OB6]

Good thread. I was wondering the same as it will be a while before I bring mine to Jeff.

[Waterman]

Call me crazy but I plan to have my almost complete MK4 painted in peelable Liquid wrap next month, with just the seams knocked down, no filler.. This is TEMPORARY so that I can get more accurate quotes from local or distance painters, so that I can get thru NYS registration process quicker and to protect the body while I get the bugs out of the car. Yes I am wasting $4k but I may save that on the paint because local guys are quoting high due to the unknowns. Body work required will show thru the wrap. Plus every painter is backed up and the I want to drive. More durable than vinyl wrap as it has several layers of clear on top. No seams which are needed on our curvy cars. Total thickness is a bit more than paint. Can even play with the color to see if this blue is what I really want long term. Search Liquid Lab Wraps if interested.

[MB750]

I know I commented on the YouTube video. But here’s what I would have done differently in more clarity….

Clean out the wax with a wire brush and mineral spirits.
Use a rol-loc 36g or some type of burr, to grind down the mold parts. Imperative to not go more than a 1.”-1.5 width.
You do however want to go deep and make sure you get all of the air bubbles out.
Mix up the red gel coat with some cabosil, that will make it hard as a rock and add some strength.
Fill only the cracks/part lines, slightly high.
Make sure you use wax in the gel coat or pva on top so it cures.
Then after cure come back with a 180/320/400/600 etc you get the point.
Then you can buff/polish.

Key thing here is to not use any filler unless it’s a polyester gel coat or even epoxy filler is fine. You just don’t want it exposed without covering.

The gel coat I linked to you will be a fairly close red.

Edit. When you go for paint all this **** will be knocked down and covered by filler in the end. It just needs to be good from 5ft.

Oh, that's your video? Cool, and thanks for the tips, and the link.