How to sand and paint FJ40 top?
- Thread starter Jay-
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yep, if you start to see the fibers, you have probably gone a little too deep. It's not a super big problem, just back off a little.
Just because it was a good picture to illustrate it - the OEM Cygnus'y paint is a slightly more tan color than the gelcoat, so if you watch carefully while sanding you can do pretty well. If you start to see that spotting like near the "gelcoat" arrow, that's another indicator you're getting the gelcoat thin.
Sand through the gelcoat and you'll have some pores to fill - not the end of the world, but good to keep it to a minimum. :-D
Sand through the gelcoat and you'll have some pores to fill - not the end of the world, but good to keep it to a minimum. :-D
That’s a great illustration, thank you!
Dug thru my old photos couple other similar views. In the first, I dabbed a spot of new Cygnus white (where I'm pointing) just to compare to original. The second is just a bit better view of the tan of the cygnus and the white of the gelcoat.
Mine was painted blue as touch-up in the 80s. Blue roof and blue rockers, with the rest oem white.
We lovingly called it the mail truck.
(Guessing yours may be a primer type material though from when it got its own touchup.)
We lovingly called it the mail truck.
(Guessing yours may be a primer type material though from when it got its own touchup.)
Checking in for any updates on your FJ40 fiberglass top refurb. My '75 goes into a boat repair shop later this week for their recommendation on top repair and coating. Assume the bright white on mine is an old PO top coat paint with gray primer. It's cracking and flaking off per photos. Is the bone color underneath Cygnus paint? I don't think it's the gel coat...anyone able to confirm? No fibers showing. So Toyota painted the tops after gel coat - correct?
Look up rivet shavers used on air planes. They shave heads off without damaging roof. Look like these.
It looks like it may be body filler to me.
Couple more shots of worse of cracking above driver's door. I took a Scotch-brite pad and 320 grit to it to see what's under the bright white / gray undercoat. Didn't go very deep, to the bone shade
I don’t think this is an out-and-out hi-jack of this thread. I assume it would be the first step in a restoration/repair.
What are suggestions for cleaning a fiberglass top ?
Mine has spent a year under a birch tree. Before I can refurbish, I’ll have to give it a good cleaning.
What are suggestions for cleaning a fiberglass top ?
Mine has spent a year under a birch tree. Before I can refurbish, I’ll have to give it a good cleaning.
I ended up sanding everything down with 80 grit to fully restore the hard top. Also got a new drip rail and working on that too. Plan is for a high build primer before paint. Trying to decide if I’m going to do the paint work myself.
Short strand fiberglass body filler also works great. Sand with 80 grit. Apply shortstrand in trouble areas. Sand with 80 grit. Feather in. Spray with high build primer, guide coat, block sand smooth. Repeat high build if needed. Spray with paint system (single stage) or base/clear.
Nice work! So is the bone shade material the gel coat? Guess maybe doesn't matter....just avoid grinding into glass - correct? I've seen recommendations using 3M marine high strength repair filler for the short strand filler repairs. Follow up w/ 3M marine premium filler for fine tune. Then high build prime? Will be interesting what the boat repair shop says. I will propose to do most of the sanding if it won't void warranty of their work. Looks like using an electric DA sander works fine.
Darkwing58
SILVER Star
So the PO of my 1972 FJ40 bed lined the topside of the roof cap, it’s rough and yellowed. Any ideas to get the Bed liner off so I can restore?
Yes look at post #24 above. @zerotreedelta made an illustration of where the gelcoat layer is. I’m sure sanding the top yourself will save you a bunch of money. It took me a few evenings. Also it’s very very messy unless you have a good dust control system (I don’t).
Thought I would share where you can get these rivet shavers and rivet squeezing tools. You can also buy river squeezers that fit air hammers.
Thought I would share where you can get these rivet shavers and rivet squeezing tools