Hello all. I am getting ready to paint the hardtop on my 40. Anyone have a recommendation for the best paint to use? Looking for a clean smooth satin white finish.
Fiberglass hardtop paint recommendations please.
- Thread starter Kringle
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Satin or shiny? I just used automotive single-stage white paint on one of my project trucks. I did not add any flex additives or things like that. I'm sure a paint shop could add a flattening agent to make it less shiny.
This……. would have liked it to be less WHITE but it turned out pretty good 
I did Rustoleum gloss white on mine and also the bezel. Used 6 cans for 4 thick coats on each. I like the contrast of the bright white and the green body paint plus gloss white looks more like the original gel coating to me.
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- #7
Beautiful! I'm never too great with gloss for some reason. Always gets blotchy on me. Maybe if i color sand and buff after. Any clear coat? Or just straight white? I'm wafflling on white or off white. My cruiser is light blue. Top was bright white. I actually think the previous owner did it with roof coating .... it was sand finish. Going smooth now.
Straight white over grey primer. I had a couple blotchy spots I didn't like at first. I put turtle wax over it a few months later after it fully cured and it hid them well.
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- #9
Thanks for all the input from those who commented. Restoring the top was a fun project. Really took my time. Lots of sanding, fill primer, some jb weld and bondo. Went with a new gutter from ccot, did aluminum pop rivets, seam sealer, then the 2 part epoxy 3m self leveling seam sealer. Then i finished it off with rustoleum 2x bright white satin spray paint. Color sanding between coats and several layers of sealer over last coat. Can't wait to get the headliner in to finish it up. Very happy with the results so far, thanks again for all your input. Heres a before and after shots 
.... oh and i don't know if this helped or not, but a little gorilla glue in the holes before the rivets. This top will outlast me for sure.
.... oh and i don't know if this helped or not, but a little gorilla glue in the holes before the rivets. This top will outlast me for sure.
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Your top turned out great. I really like the satin white! 
Beautiful. Can you talk a little more about the sealer you used? Thanks!Thanks for all the input from those who commented. Restoring the top was a fun project. Really took my time. Lots of sanding, fill primer, some jb weld and bondo. Went with a new gutter from ccot, did aluminum pop rivets, seam sealer, then the 2 part epoxy 3m self leveling seam sealer. Then i finished it off with rustoleum 2x bright white satin spray paint. Color sanding between coats and several layers of sealer over last coat. Can't wait to get the headliner in to finish it up. Very happy with the results so far, thanks again for all your input. Heres a before and after shots
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- Thread starter
- #12
The sealer over the paint? After the final color sand on rustoleum, it actually left me with this beautiful eggshell finish. It almost looked like some sort of factory finish. But I knew I needed something over it. So, my son brought me Meguiar's product he had in the cabinet. I just kept wiping it on an buffing it off. First 5 coats were with a Harbor Freight buffer and micro pads Probably have 10 coats of that stuff on there. After the final coat, the finish was kind of glossy and super smooth. The Meguiar's is supposed to be a hydrophobic sealant. When I take the top back off to do the headliner, I'm probably going to try to find something that has a UV protectant and go over it again. Just to give the paint some protection from getting a sunburn.