Brittle gelcoat?

[rodjr]

I have a brand new manx clone body and it seems that whenever i am working with it, the gelcoat is constantly cracking. Is it common for gelcoat to be really brittle? Kind of reminds me of the shell on an M and M.
I try to use a gentle touch when working with it, i am still constantly chasing cracks and repairing them. one step forward two steps back.

[Hot Air]

Where did you buy the body from..have you contacted them? Is the body flexing or really thin..?
When you say cracking is it the fiberglass or can you see cracks in the gel coat.
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73' Bug
85' Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2

[Letterman7]

Definitely contact whomever you bought it from if it's a brand new body. Gelcoat by itself is brittle. Once applied to the fiberglass it should bond with the glass to a point. If it's cracking now, it'll be 10 times worse if it ever sees the road. Sounds like it (either the gel or the fiberglass) wasn't prepped right.

[Wetstuff]

As a kid I shot decks on the evening shift at an OMC boat plant. Even in that Pleistocene era, using really cheap bulkheading and thin skin, we didn't have that problem ..."that we ever heard."

Sound like a production anomaly. Please report back what the supplier says.

Jim
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Manx #2614

[andygere]

That does not sound normal. If the glass bonded correctly to the gel coat, which is shot first, it should be pretty tough. It sounds like a bad bond to me, so I’d contact the manufacturer.

[woodoctr]

I'm a plastics and fiberglass moderator at another web site. Gel coat, of all things, should be stable and sound IF applied correctly. Bad thing could be that the gel coat is fine but the fiberglass underneath isn't right or just not cured fully. If the body is still off you might try sitting it out in the sun and flipping it a few times over a few days/week. I would definitely call the manufacturer though. Was it made in the US?

[rodjr]

Glass is fine, good thickness and pretty even. Particularly the hood gelcoat is very brittle. No cracks in the glass anywhere, gelcoat only.
I already bought a gallon of the correct gelcoat and have fixed every hairline crack that has popped up, may just strip and recoat the hood myself.
The body is a tribute buggies i purchased from their add here in the classifieds.
My experience was less than terrific with getting the body and parts shipped and i don't think i would be interested in contacting them, prefer to just take care of it myself.