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Sat Apr 28, 2007 7:44 pm

I was given a fiberjet dune buggy with awful paint. It is totally worn out and must be repainted. The paint is metallic. Do i have to strip it off totally or can I sand it smooth and prime it with sealer and paint? What primer and paint should I use? I want to use single stage paint. How can I keep the paint pliable so it doesn't crack when the fiberglass flexs from driving? Thanks for any help. Steve

Sun Apr 29, 2007 3:47 am

Ask your question in the paint section also.
I have in the past just used a good primer sealer and a good paint.

If you are going to abuse it off road you might have to add a flexing agent into the paint?

A body shop or the paint fourm here might help you out more.

And Yes the smoother you get the body the better the paint job :D

Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:26 am

"Search" can be your friend.....

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=218183&highlight=

Sun Apr 29, 2007 10:00 am

thanks for the search reply. When i did search it must have been to broad. i got way to many unrelated answers.

Tue May 01, 2007 7:03 pm

Make sure that your "paint" is not simply metallic gelcoat. Surface prep, primer, and final coat stages are all different if you are overtopping old gelcoat on FG with paint. Plenty of info regarding all this already here on thesamba...Just poke around a bit.

I've posted a few photos here. Mine is still in the primer surfacer stage until I finish filling holes and poking new ones...

Here's what it looked like after one coat of surfacer and some wetsanding:

Here's where it was before I got too far:

Wed May 02, 2007 6:08 pm

My "Paint" is metallic green gelcoat much like yours. I thought at first that you had the same body. Mine is an old fiberjet. How should I paint it? Do I have to sand off all of the gelcoat? That would be a huge job. I do have to sand it down some. Can I sand it down some and primer like a metal car? It is worn and feels rough. I have already fixed some wholes with west systems epoxy and or tiger hair. any suggestions would be good

Thu May 03, 2007 6:46 am

Mine is a VegasBuggies body. I too used West Systems epoxy resin, with both fiberglass and carbon fiber composites to do some repair and alterations.

In places, all the gelcoat was sanded off, in others, not. You don't have to take it all the way down to the FG. Just make sure you sand it to the point that any impurities on the surface are taken off. You do not want to put any paint on a surface you have NOT sanded. Make sure you properly repair cracks before applying primer.

The second photo was taken after a coat of primer surfacer was sprayed and the body wetsanded. Think of this paint like thin, spray on, bondo...it takes care of filling many small imperfections.

With a fiberglass surface, you should use additives to the primer and paint to help it deal with being applied to a flexible surface. Your local auto paint dealer can help you choose the best additive for the job.

After primer SURFACER, you need to spray primer SEALER, especially going over old gelcoat. Lotsa sanding in between coats of surfacer. A good paint job is made or lost in the prep work.

Good luck with your project.

Thu May 03, 2007 4:13 pm

thanks for your help