Rain Gutter and Top Restoration

[Wildcat Walker]

Question: since the original gel coat is compromised, should a guy remove all of the old gel coat by sanding and then prime and paint? I would think that after riveting and seam sealing, another topcoat should be applied to seal the drip rail, filler, rivets, and top alll together.

 

[jvincig01]

Question: since the original gel coat is compromised, should a guy remove all of the old gel coat by sanding and then prime and paint? I would think that after riveting and seam sealing, another topcoat should be applied to seal the drip rail, filler, rivets, and top alll together.

How bad is it compromised? I would avoid removing all of it if you can.

If you do remove the old gel coat, have a professional redo it BEFORE you rivet it down and seam seal it.

 

[jvincig01]

The seam sealer went down easily. I have never used it before, but it has a good consistency. I used almost two full tubes but had to lay it down heavy because my rivets were high in some points. I didn't want any of the rivets exposed, so the sealer is just barely covering them. I can feel a small hump of sealer right above every rivet.

There are some sports where I messed up, or it didn't flow very well. There are also a few air bubbles. Any recommendation on what to fill those and some of the ugly areas with?

I think I will sand it down just a but to improve the gutter depth at points. I just do not want to expose the rivet heads if I can avoid it.

 

[zerotreedelta]

I had to sand one corner where there was a ridge and pop a couple bubbles as well...I just used a little glazing compound after to smooth any bits out or fill the bubbles.

It was fairly slow to sand compared to other bodywork, but it does get there.

 

[jvincig01]

I had to sand one corner where there was a ridge and pop a couple bubbles as well...I just used a little glazing compound after to smooth any bits out or fill the bubbles.

It was fairly slow to sand compared to other bodywork, but it does get there.

Cool. I will give it a shot this week.

Oh, and thanks for posting your videos about the process of laying down the material. I followed your advice and did a series of small runs so the material didn't firm up at the transition points. Worked great!

 

[OlYellr]

Well done! Thanks for the heads up too. I just ordered 1/8th rivets too. Need to finish the rust repair.

Cheers

 

[jvincig01]

Been doing some work on the gelcoat and purchased a repair kit from Western Marine. I just laid it down and will wet sand tomorrow. There are also some hairline cracks I need to dremel out so I can repair them properly. Sof of the gelcoat was compromised because it had a little bubble under the surface scratch. I picked the bad coat out and then scruffed it a bit so the new stuff would adhere nicely. Blue boxes are big gouges, and green is hairline cracks.

 

[jvincig01]

Been using 600 grit and then 1000 to wet sand the gel coat. What are each these colors? The glass is tan so I know I’m not hitting it.

Any of these materials lead? I would think so but figured I would ask.

 

[jvincig01]

Getting really close to having it painted! @zerotreedelta, which headliner adhesive did you use? Are you happy with it and how many cans did you use?

 

[zerotreedelta]

I used 3M Headliner adhesive. It had a nice stick if you let it tack up correctly, and was available locally. I needed two cans.

I'd recommend picking up one of the small paint rollers with a foam roller pad - it worked good to "roll back" the headliner without getting "hotspots" from your fingers.

FoamPRO® 6" x 3/8" Slim Trimmer™ & Reacher Foam Paint Roller Cover - 2 Pack

This two pack of Slim Trimmer™ and reacher refills will come in handy when the roller cover wears out on your roller. These roller refills make painting smooth and semi-smooth surfaces quick and easy. Don't be caught without a spare roller cover for your next project.

www.menards.com

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/3m/3m-18-1-ounce-headliner-adhesive/mmm0/38808

 

[Wildcat Walker]

Has anyone completely removed the original gel coat layer from their top? Mine has so many fissures I wouldn't want to top coat over them. My approach would be to DA the gel coat down to the glass, have the top re gel coated, rivet top to gutter, seam seal, then topcoat with epoxy primer and a quality base coat clear coat in the appropriate color.

 

[middlecalf]

If gelcoat is redone ”professionally” why paint over it?

 

[Wildcat Walker]

If gelcoat is redone ”professionally” why paint over it?

Because the gelcoat is not as UV stable as a quality base/clear paint.

 

[middlecalf]

If it‘s real gelcoat its very UV stable

 

[Wildcat Walker]

If it‘s real gelcoat its very UV stable

What about the seam sealer in the rails? It needs to be colored somehow.

 

[jvincig01]

@zerotreedelta, how much paint do I need to lay down the color on the top? I am guessing a quart?

 

[zerotreedelta]

I picked up a quart of white for mine, and it was enough for the top and bezel with a bit to spare.

 

[Scota4570]

I just finished mine. I replaced the rivits on a large flat table. I put the sealant on, on the same table. The gutter twisted and made reassembly a bear. IF I were to do it again I would do the sealant on the vehicle after assembly.

I fussed over it for a long time. Installing the top on the sides dry, doing the sealant, then taking it off for touch up paint would have been a time saver.

Also the head liner installed, I paid a "pro", he waded up excess headliner on top of the gutter rather than trimming it the way Toyota did originally. He ignored my instructions on how to do it and refused my request to help or be present. The extra fabric, not glued down, thank goodness, caused reassembly issues. So, I properly trimmed it, which went badly in one place.

People are so frustrating! : )

 

[h82crash]

I just finished mine. I replaced the rivits on a large flat table. I put the sealant on, on the same table. The gutter twisted and made reassembly a bear. IF I were to do it again I would do the sealant on the vehicle after assembly.

Also the head liner installed, I paid a "pro", he waded up excess headliner on top of the gutter rather than trimming it the way Toyota did originally. He ignored my instructions on how to do it and refused my request to help or be present. The extra fabric, not glued down, thank goodness, caused reassembly issues. So, I properly trimmed it, which went badly in one place.

People are so frustrating! : )

I cringe whenever I hear, "I'm a pro." Whether it is automotive or construction trades.

 

[Scota4570]

I cringe whenever I hear, "I'm a pro." Whether it is automotive or construction trades.

Yeah, maybe it is everywhere, but around here there are very few real tradesmen left. They have retired and been replaced by newcomers who may or may not be any good at what they claim to do. In this case it was a real upholstery shop. They one who did the work was young.