• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Hardtop Restoration

Share this page

Good news/bad news, Paul... Good news is you've got it stripped as far as needed. Bad news is you'll have to sand down into the 'glass in the area of the cracks and a bit more beyond (outside) them about half way thru the shell. Then layer more new material onto the thing and shape it to original contour. The cracks will otherwise keep showing up.

"Stress cracks". After it's sanded to shape, a high solids epoxy primer is best. Block that to finish shape and shoot the topcoat. Mondo work, and "fiddly". But that's the only cure for the issue.

37 years of Lotus ownership, many MANY hours spent at this task.
 
Doc
By "New material" do you mean new Fiberglass/resin or a thin layer of fiberglass (short or long fiber) impregnated filler?

I've read about using a dremel tool to cut through the gel coat and then fill. You seem to suggest a wider removal of the gel coat.


Thanks

Paul
 
Yup. The whole area of the damage and an inch or so beyond. Then 'glas & resin a "blanket" over the whole thing. Shape, prime and shoot. That "filler" is NOT structural, NOT truly compatable with the parent material. Mix some up, spread it on a piece of cardboard, let it cure then break it... you'll see what I mean.

Chasing spider cracks with a Dremel is gonna let you down. Six months later you'll see things you missed.

Sorry, no "magic bullet" on this'n.
 
Here are photos of one of mine as we were restoring it....notice we also did the underside...Doc's correct, filler alone will crack again in a few years.

vermilliontop01.JPG


vermilliontop02.JPG


hd03.JPG
 
I agree with Doc on this one (well when don't I agree with Doc) gots me tinkin.

I had mine done at a vette shop many moons ago and am still very happy.
 
It doesn't take years, rather weeks or months. Dissimilar materials, they'll separate right at the boundary.
 
Looks like I'm going to learn a new skill! I'll need to get some heavey grit sand paper and get to work. Thanks guys! I'll keep you posted.

Paul
 
Yes, please.

One of my boat builder pals (also an Elan owner) calls th' stuff "frozen snot". With a little time and imagination you can fab up about anything with it, too. :wink:
 
3070112284_39ddffcd69.jpg

Lots of sanding, a new blanket of fiberglass and gel coat and the hardtop is in its first coat of primer. Another layer and then some more sanding and glazing before we roll (yes roll) on the the poly U top coats.

Paul
 
Why would you roll the poly coats?
 
3070451995_061e94d490.jpg
:nonono: :nonono: A big nono in my garage at home. I'll be using the roll method discussed on the BCF earlier with Interlux Brightside. White is available in pints at about $16 locally. https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcforum/ubbthreads.php/topics/498393/1
Nice temperature controlled room, but attached to the house. Since it is a small job it should be a good test case. If it does not come out to my satisfaction, the paint removal portion of the project was the easy part.

Paul
 
Ah, understand...& that's a good reason.....except you can spray outdoors on a day without wind & not have any overspray anywhere.
 
Tony
Modesto Weather
Tonight: Areas of fog. Low 44F. Winds light and variable.
Tomorrow: Morning fog, then cloudy in the afternoon. High 64F. Winds light and variable.
Tomorrow night: A few clouds. Low 44F. Winds light and variable.
Tuesday: Partly cloudy skies. High 64F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 60s and lows in the mid 40s.
Thursday: More clouds than sun. Highs in the low 60s and lows in the mid 40s
This Ain't So Cal :laugh: :laugh: Lots of fog=clouds and humidity in the mornings is high. The hardtop is just like an upsidedown boat......LOL

Paul
 
Yep, if it didn't have windows, it'd float....my California geography isn't so good...to guys here in Alabama, everywhere in CA is warm & sunny....hehehehe
 
hmm... I shot mine outdoors, in Florida humidity. Catalyzed polyurethane goes off kinda quick so it looks fine. I did the whole car outdoors, actually. A panel at a time. That kept the inclusions to minimum.
 
Back
Top