How do to paint Westy Fiberglass top

[email protected]

I am getting my Westy ready for FunFest in Effingham, IL this coming weekend. If weather permits - I was planning on painting the pop-top on my '72. I have removed all the paint (prior owner applied) with 80 Grade sand paper (no chemicals used). The top is as clean as I can get it and I have heard Marine paint is best??
My questions are...what paint should I use? Can it be applied with a brush or small roller and still look good? I don't have a spray booth at home but would like to do a good job as anyone who has sanded a top can appreciate. (lot of freak'in work).

Your advice as alway is appreciated.
Darrell
p.s If the Westy is running good - drop by and say hello. It is White with freshly painted rims. I may vend if I get everything done in time.

trackwesty · Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 10:38 pm Post subject:

I took mine off and painted it with a 2qt. spray gun/pot from harbor frieght ( they sell allot of tools from china) about $40. Its a pressurized pot so you can spray with the gun at any angle. Then I used a white epoxy enamel for metal. It turned out nice. Infact I did the whole car in my garage with the gun and allot of plastic sheating. Wink

and a fan ot the window of my garage.
See the pic in my gallery Idea

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cree · Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 11:15 pm Post subject:

If you want a great product that you can brush or roll on with a mohair or lamswool roller that is a water-borne product (water clean-up) that is safe for your health, look at this.
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/ak/Paints/Top...index.html
I would just go ahead and paint. I think that you have done enough to the surface for ahesion. It may not hide all the scratch marks using that heavy a grit sandpaper but you can be the judge of that or sand more with a finer grit. Cree

OB Bus · Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 6:14 am Post subject:

Just did it this weekend. Scrubbed with "Soft Scrub", sanded with 400 wet/dry (should have used 200 but didn't have it!), painted two coats with polyurethane marine deck paint ($11/qt at Home Depot; $23/qt at West Marine), rolled it on with a 4" short nap roller (and smoothed with the tip of a foam brush), and it looks wonderful. Total time: 5 hours.
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69 Westfalia and 2002 Eurovan Camper.

jtauxe · Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 7:35 am Post subject:

Why do you all paint your tops? Why not leave it bare fiberglass?
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"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD

Richard Carey · Samba Member Joined: January 11, 2004 Posts: 73

Hello everyone,
I have found that the best method for restoring the old fiberglass tops is to shoot the top with a thinned out spray on bed liner (glossy white). This has several advantages. First, the bed liner paint, does not soak in as much as traditional auto paint which will get soaked up by the dry fiberglass. My first experience with painting a poptop ended up adding 20 pounds worth of paint to get a good coverage.
Second, the spray on bed liner is a very hard paint and therefore very durable.
Third, and this answers the previous post, the bed liner has built in UV protectant. Over the years, the UV built into the gel coat of the fiberglass degrades and eventually the UV will damage the fiberglass, weakening it.

I did sand the top out with 100 grit before having it shot.

Hope this helps,
Richard

cree · Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 8:18 am Post subject: Painting top of Westy

The white bed liner is a great idea. Probably the best and least expensive way to go. I'll bet it will hold up even better than the Marine paint and sure will hide the scratches from that 80 grit sanding. I never thought of that. Great idea Richard. Cree, 79 Bays

Richard Carey · Samba Member Joined: January 11, 2004 Posts: 73

Thanks Cree,
I have done this with about 8 Westfalias including bays and Vanagons. It is easy for the shop to shoot since you can pull the seals and tape off the body so easily (I pay about $150 to have this done and do the prep myself). Just be sure they thin it out so it lays out nicely. The ones I have done 5 years ago still look new and clean up nicely with soap and water when they get a little dirt (read bird droppings) on them.

Lui · Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 8:31 am Post subject:

Richard Carey · Samba Member Joined: January 11, 2004 Posts: 73

I hope this worked. This is an 84 Westfalia that I did last summer.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=209735

Lui · Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 8:55 am Post subject:

Richard Carey · Samba Member Joined: January 11, 2004 Posts: 73

I had a local shop here in Madison, WI do it. I don't know where he got the spray in liner paint but I do know that we worked the kinks out with the first couple of tops we did as the coat was a little too thick on the first two tops.

I will ask him about it next time I see him.

Thanks again,
Richard[/code]

Lui · Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 9:47 am Post subject:

[email protected] · Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:52 am Post subject:

'72 Westy Update - plated Camper yesterday and drove for 10miles. More adjustments required on carbs...therefore, there is a slim chance I will take it to Effingham, IL (Mid America FunFest).

Engine bay seal arrived today and I will work on her tonight.

Cheers,
Darrell

cnskate · Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 7:58 pm Post subject:

http://faculty.ccp.edu/faculty/dreed/Campingart/vanagon/top.htm

rattle canned, looks great
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obieoberstar · Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 8:56 pm Post subject:

i did my top over a three day period using Rust-Oleum eurthane enamel which i found at the local ACE hardware. 3 coats. 2 with brush and final with roller.

not too bad considering i did no prep work at all. not sure about longevity, but it looks a hell of a lot better than the oversprayed Mexican Beige it had when i got it.

Hatchet Face · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:15 pm Post subject:

I tried to brush the paint on with a roller. It looked like sh!t.
I used spray (rust X, true value!) and it looks sweet leet.
My 2 cents, yo.

renobdarb · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:42 pm Post subject:

I have a couple small cracks in my top, and was wondering how others have patched/repaired those before painting?
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tellis · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:06 pm Post subject:

Dead 1 · Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 12:56 pm Post subject:

Sand with 150 grit, use tack cloth to remove dust, clean top with paint thinner, tack cloth again, marine primer (two coats sanding and tack cloth between coats), marine topside paint as the final coat (2-4 coats)

Total cost of the project $50.00

http://www.1shop2.com/ace_paint/Valspar-Marine-Topside-Polyurethane-Enamel--3214-QT----4-Pack.html
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