refinishing fibergalss top, fiberglass showing

xjnation · 09-29-08, 08:19 PM

Are the tops coated in a gel-cote? The coating is worn off in quite a few places to where the fiberglass matting is showing. The fiberglass is in great shape, otherwise. Thick coats of resin to refinish it? Can you buy gel-cote? I was just going to cover it in Line-x but we quit spraying a while back so no-go there. Suggestions? Thanks. Tim

JohnnyC · 09-29-08, 08:39 PM

go to your nearest boat shop...they will have the stuff you need in small enough quanities to not kill your budget.

JohnnyC · 09-29-08, 08:46 PM

there is a type of filler ...cant remember the name and also there is gel-coat

here are some guys that come up that sound like they would have the stuff:

TOP GUN MARINE 417-725-1887
2019 Michael Ln
Nixa, MO 65714
11.2MI from Springfield

B & C BOAT REPAIR 417-724-0424
1404 S Main St
Nixa, MO 65714
11.2MI from Springfield

B J BOAT REBUILDERS 417-725-1792
1228 N Kelly Ave
Nixa, MO 65714
11.2MI from Springfield

xjnation · 09-30-08, 12:26 AM

Now thats service. Thanks.

MarcoPolo · 09-30-08, 01:01 AM

I'm sure this would be helpful down the road for someone looking to do the same or similiar.

EDIT your thread title : galss

Otherwise, this should probably be in schat............................................. ..maybe with 35% for the gal's

kbill45 · 09-30-08, 09:35 AM

Where a resperator.

LSUfj · 09-30-08, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kbill45

Where a resperator.

over your nose/mouth....

xjnation · 09-30-08, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LSUfj

over your nose/mouth....

I was gunna, but I didn't.

MarcoPolo · 10-03-08, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xjnation

I was gunna, but I didn't.

Can only mean one thing...

Certain death...

..of course it may be decades down the road

mano002 · 10-03-08, 11:50 AM

I used to Fibreglass for a living and you can re-gelcoat the glass that is showing, but you need to sand any of the old gel-coat that you are going to cover with the new stuff, as there is wax in the gelcoat that will casue the new stuff to not stick properly. we used to buy all out material from an Industrial plastics company, that can sell you the wax and some powder to add to thicken up the gelcoat to do a better job covering all the hairs on the mat.

Christeon · 10-03-08, 12:27 PM

So is the top gel coated or painted from the factory? I was going to sand mine re glass it, then paint it. I have done some gel coat repair before on a boat and was pretty straight foreword.

mano002 · 10-03-08, 12:50 PM

The Gelcoat was likely sprayed into the mould they made the roof in. It's pretty hard to spray gelcoat on a fibreglass part and make it look good. When we were doing repairs on boats, we would spray the gelcoat on really thick, and then sand it smooth with a really fine grit paper, then use some wax on a polisher to add a protective layer. Toyota could have done it this way, but it's pretty labour intensive.

When you appply gelcoat, it usually has wax in it, so when it heats up and cures, the wax comes to the surface and creates a seal. you can get wax-less gelcoat as well, for spraying in moulds, so you can fibreglass onto the and the gelcoat comes with the fibreglass and doesn't stay on the mould.

I want to fibreglass on some structure to my hard-top, so it has built in roof racks, and then do the same thing, maybe it'll be a winter project.

1.25Ton · 10-04-08, 08:05 PM

Interlux (boat coatings supplier) yachtpaint.com makes a product called brightside that is enamel paint for fiberglass. This works great for cruiser tops. I brushed 2 coats on my top that had exposed fibers and the brush strokes went away. It looks like it was shot with gelcoat.

09-29-08, 08:19 PM	#1
xjnation IH8MUD Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 403	refinishing fibergLAss top, fiberglass showing Are the tops coated in a gel-cote? The coating is worn off in quite a few places to where the fiberglass matting is showing. The fiberglass is in great shape, otherwise. Thick coats of resin to refinish it? Can you buy gel-cote? I was just going to cover it in Line-x but we quit spraying a while back so no-go there. Suggestions? Thanks. Tim __________________ 1973 FJ40 currently frame off, getting 4.3 CFi/4L60E/NP-205 and FJ-62 power steering. SOA, 35x12.50 MT/Rs, FJ62 FDB. Brought back from the grave(traded a shotgun for it, if that tells you anything). Turning out to be a sick 40!! Buildup Thread: ALMOST DONE!!!!! http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series...up-thread.html Sanity is over-rated!! Last edited by xjnation; 09-30-08 at 08:01 AM.

09-29-08, 08:39 PM	#2
JohnnyC IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: albany area, ny TLCA# 2231 Posts: 3,145	go to your nearest boat shop...they will have the stuff you need in small enough quanities to not kill your budget. __________________ 1974 FJ40 OEM Soft Top (1) Child boy version (1) Child girl version (1) New boy Child, done as of 11/6/08 197 Wife TLC FST Canvas & Maint: http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series...soft-tops.html

09-29-08, 08:46 PM	#3
JohnnyC IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: albany area, ny TLCA# 2231 Posts: 3,145	there is a type of filler ...cant remember the name and also there is gel-coat here are some guys that come up that sound like they would have the stuff: TOP GUN MARINE 417-725-1887 2019 Michael Ln Nixa, MO 65714 11.2MI from Springfield B & C BOAT REPAIR 417-724-0424 1404 S Main St Nixa, MO 65714 11.2MI from Springfield B J BOAT REBUILDERS 417-725-1792 1228 N Kelly Ave Nixa, MO 65714 11.2MI from Springfield __________________ 1974 FJ40 OEM Soft Top (1) Child boy version (1) Child girl version (1) New boy Child, done as of 11/6/08 197 Wife TLC FST Canvas & Maint: http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series...soft-tops.html

09-30-08, 12:26 AM	#4
xjnation IH8MUD Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 403	Now thats service. Thanks. __________________ 1973 FJ40 currently frame off, getting 4.3 CFi/4L60E/NP-205 and FJ-62 power steering. SOA, 35x12.50 MT/Rs, FJ62 FDB. Brought back from the grave(traded a shotgun for it, if that tells you anything). Turning out to be a sick 40!! Buildup Thread: ALMOST DONE!!!!! http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series...up-thread.html Sanity is over-rated!!

09-30-08, 01:01 AM	#5
MarcoPolo Sssmmmokin! Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Washington...(the Muk) Posts: 477	I'm sure this would be helpful down the road for someone looking to do the same or similiar. EDIT your thread title : galss Otherwise, this should probably be in schat............................................. ..maybe with 35% for the gal's __________________ 76'fj40 - Rancho Lift (kidney belt required), Detroit locker up front, Skyjacker Nitro 8000 shocks 2F 76,000+miles, comphy 2002 Celica seats Thank_a_Vet_young_&_old Allowed to run wild, neglected, or cultivated .... A man's mind brings forth... If no useful seeds are put into it , an abundance of useless weed seeds will fall into it , and will continue to produce their worthless kind ... James Allen

09-30-08, 09:35 AM	#6
kbill45 IH8MUD Addict Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Prescott, Az. TLCA# 11643 Posts: 507	Fiberglass Where a resperator.

10-03-08, 11:50 AM	#10
mano002 Great White North Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Calgary AB Canada TLCA# 17052 Posts: 87	I used to Fibreglass for a living and you can re-gelcoat the glass that is showing, but you need to sand any of the old gel-coat that you are going to cover with the new stuff, as there is wax in the gelcoat that will casue the new stuff to not stick properly. we used to buy all out material from an Industrial plastics company, that can sell you the wax and some powder to add to thicken up the gelcoat to do a better job covering all the hairs on the mat. __________________ 1978 FJ40, SR & SUA Fr, SOA Rr, Stock PS Summer: 34x9.5 TSL. Winter: 35x12.5 BFG AT Rocky Mountian Landcruiser Asssociation

10-03-08, 12:27 PM	#11
Christeon Relaxation Therapist Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tuscaloosa, AL Posts: 38	So is the top gel coated or painted from the factory? I was going to sand mine re glass it, then paint it. I have done some gel coat repair before on a boat and was pretty straight foreword. __________________ 1971 FJ40 frame off in progress, no name, color undecided.

10-03-08, 12:50 PM	#12
mano002 Great White North Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Calgary AB Canada TLCA# 17052 Posts: 87	The Gelcoat was likely sprayed into the mould they made the roof in. It's pretty hard to spray gelcoat on a fibreglass part and make it look good. When we were doing repairs on boats, we would spray the gelcoat on really thick, and then sand it smooth with a really fine grit paper, then use some wax on a polisher to add a protective layer. Toyota could have done it this way, but it's pretty labour intensive. When you appply gelcoat, it usually has wax in it, so when it heats up and cures, the wax comes to the surface and creates a seal. you can get wax-less gelcoat as well, for spraying in moulds, so you can fibreglass onto the and the gelcoat comes with the fibreglass and doesn't stay on the mould. I want to fibreglass on some structure to my hard-top, so it has built in roof racks, and then do the same thing, maybe it'll be a winter project. __________________ 1978 FJ40, SR & SUA Fr, SOA Rr, Stock PS Summer: 34x9.5 TSL. Winter: 35x12.5 BFG AT Rocky Mountian Landcruiser Asssociation

10-04-08, 08:05 PM	#13
1.25Ton IH8MUD Rookie Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nashville TN Posts: 39	Interlux (boat coatings supplier) yachtpaint.com makes a product called brightside that is enamel paint for fiberglass. This works great for cruiser tops. I brushed 2 coats on my top that had exposed fibers and the brush strokes went away. It looks like it was shot with gelcoat.

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