Nice job on the top.You have a real classic! Good luck on your next hunt. Oh, I always carry A backup pistol for unexpected bear poop droppers!
Roof Restoration - Tar Baby
- Thread starter middlecalf
- Start date
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Nice job...that old girl looks great!
Hope you come back and finish this thread, if and when you decide to get the head liner installed.
How does she sound now? With the extra attention you gave her, I would thing there would be less rattles and stuff, and "feel" more snug.
Oh...nice touch with hitting the bezel with some paint to match
Hope you come back and finish this thread, if and when you decide to get the head liner installed.
How does she sound now? With the extra attention you gave her, I would thing there would be less rattles and stuff, and "feel" more snug.
Oh...nice touch with hitting the bezel with some paint to match
- Thread starter
- #43
Thanks all. Hope that some of the info in this thread is useful, in any fashion.
This top had several places where the integrity of the substrate was in question. I did overlay several layers of glass and epoxy to help restore it's strength. These roofs aren't made with layed in or sprayed in fiberglass, they're fiberglass over a foam mold. Once the outer (or even inner layer) of fiberglass gets compromised, the foam mold can lose it's integrity. It makes for a nice light weight and stiff structure but is not as durable as the layed/sprayed-in fiberglass layups.
also likes it a lot (important!). Unless my dusty road conditions change, I doubt I'll go to a headliner. The new seal up front works great and helped with some vibration up there. Most of the noise in this truck from the roof comes from the bifold doors, specifically the rollers in the channels, which I've been unable to source (currently using 1-1/8" diameter roller bearings, about 1/2" thick). And most of the noise overall in the truck comes from the motor/drivetrain, followed by the rattling of tools in the tool box or banging of fence posts in the back.
But overall it's an improvement and shouldn't leak, the goal of this restoration. I'm checking on cows, and the brittanies are checking for birds (one more day!)
As long as it's overcoated with a UV protectant (Finish Coatings) of some sort (e.g. gelcoat). I knew I wouldn't be good at restoring the gelcoat finish coat on this large of an application. I've done small gelcoat restoration (a few inches in size) and it's easy to get that smooth glassy look (using release paper or mylar). Without returning this to a form that's been sprayed with the gelcoat I didn't think I could get anywhere near the original finish. I also live in a very dusty climate, so I would have needed to create some sort of clean room to keep impurities out.
This top had several places where the integrity of the substrate was in question. I did overlay several layers of glass and epoxy to help restore it's strength. These roofs aren't made with layed in or sprayed in fiberglass, they're fiberglass over a foam mold. Once the outer (or even inner layer) of fiberglass gets compromised, the foam mold can lose it's integrity. It makes for a nice light weight and stiff structure but is not as durable as the layed/sprayed-in fiberglass layups.
Thanks, I like it a lot better and the
also likes it a lot (important!). Unless my dusty road conditions change, I doubt I'll go to a headliner. The new seal up front works great and helped with some vibration up there. Most of the noise in this truck from the roof comes from the bifold doors, specifically the rollers in the channels, which I've been unable to source (currently using 1-1/8" diameter roller bearings, about 1/2" thick). And most of the noise overall in the truck comes from the motor/drivetrain, followed by the rattling of tools in the tool box or banging of fence posts in the back.But overall it's an improvement and shouldn't leak, the goal of this restoration. I'm checking on cows, and the brittanies are checking for birds (one more day!)
Roofs back on, "aligned" and bolted up. Also painted the bezel. Doors returned soon and some touch up of paint around the seal on the outside. Ready to
Is this the BusKote? That looks sharp! I was considering BusKote as well, it sounded like a good choice, flexible, white, cooling, sound-dampening, and considerably cheaper than pigmented gelcoat.
My fiberglass top needs finishing, and has been bare for 2 years, exposed to the Southern California harsh elements!
It's been on my list of projects...
My plan is to put on a layer of resin top and bottom to seal any tiny cracks in the glass, and then sand it down to smooth. Then primer. Was considering the Marine Topside line of products from Rustoleum. They have a line of products for boats and supposedly made for fiberglass. I imagine this means there must be some flex in it? Anyways, they have a primer, and a white. But, then I also found the Bus-Kote, which also looks like a good option.
For the headliner, I'm planning on spraying Zolatone.. that should look nice, but I need to buy a special wide-caliber spray nozzel for the Zolatone beads to spray correctly.
Would love to hear more about what you thought of the Bus Kote and the Elastomeric Clear coat.
Looks great!!
- Thread starter
- #46
yes, BusKote and clear coat. Thanks for the comments. I like it, but see some of my previous comments, ref smooth versus texture. I rolled on the buskote and it has some texture to it, so if you're looking for that smooth glassy look you might need to spray it on (it will need a wide-caliber spray nozzel like the zolatone), but I don't know if that will help smooth it out. Sounds like the marine product stuff would be good option as well. So far the top is holding out, with several snow coverings and lots of recent rain.Is this the BusKote? That looks sharp!
For the headliner, I'm planning on spraying Zolatone.. that should look nice, but I need to buy a special wide-caliber spray nozzel for the Zolatone beads to spray correctly.
Would love to hear more about what you thought of the Bus Kote and the Elastomeric Clear coat.
Looks great!!
I think I might go for Caribbean Sand.
RustOleum.com
I love their "Application Tip": Apply one coat.
Nice job though.
Hey, this looks great!? at least on the tiny swatch on my screen.. seems much easier to apply than Zolatone.
I'm thinking of using Zolatone, or perhaps this textured Rustoleum, instead of a headliner.
Thanks for the tip...
I just noticed you PM'd me months ago about the Zolatone.. sorry if I didn't reply. Work all of a sudden got crazy and I was MIA on Mud. Looks like you made way more progress on the roof than me (none).Nice looking top