Body and paint....reality

[John Rose]

O.K. Here we go. I am looking for the straight scoop on getting a '61 body ready to paint. I have been reading some of the archives and I am kind of getting an idea of where many of the paint and body afficionados are coming from, but I still have a lot of questions. First, at the risk of getting some of you P.O.'d let me say that this is a full C4 conversion car, so being technically correct is not an issue. I just want to get it right the first time. Some of my questions are:
Is it acceptable to use Ecklers bonding adhesive as a base filler? (Yes, I know that it is hard to sand)
If I am trying to fill holes in the firewall and I back up the inside with 3 layers of glass & resin, can I use the same bonding adhesive to level out the exterior side?
On the stress crack issue, what are the thoughts of using a dremel with an 1/8" cutting bit to chase the crack, followed by an application of Fusor epoxy?
Who makes the best replacement lower front panel (center of the headlights down)
Gel coat. I am no stranger to hard work. It sounds like there are some of you who say this is the fix for all evils. What is the truth?
If I chose to for go the hard labor sentence, does anyone have a reference for paint and body in the greater D.C., MD, PA, VA, area? Thanks for the help, John

[Wayne W.]

Re: Body and paint....reality

101 hits and no replies. OK I will take it. I dont know which Eckler product that you refer to. If it is the black polyester with the fiber srtands, it will do for most any thing on a C1 assuming the panels are original type. If you back any hole with three layers, you should be able to fill with anything, except maybe on a top surface where shrinkage might be a consideration. I would rather see you use a small grinder and V out the cracks a little more and use a little glass fiber in there. It will be a better repair. Using polyester gel-coat is the most compatable product with original polyester glass. The newer type gel-coat is not that hard to sand. The old stuff that Eckler used to sell is like sanding on concrete. I dont know what they have now. There are many good products, mostly urethane based, that are also good. Most any manufacturers match moulded parts will do nicely for your lower panel.

[Frank H.]

Re: Body and paint....reality

I suggest you do all the repairs on the 61 with mat and resin and a nice added touch is to tint the resin with gel coat toner available at many paint stores,or they can order in for you,I get it in tubes and use black and white a lot for c1 c2 c3 repairs and mix to match for gray repairs, grind or sandblast behind panel at stress cracks apply a coat of mat/resin,now you can dremel or die grinder the stress cracks in outer panel and taper all edges of all repairs out the width of 3 times the thickness or more of the panel being repaired
(as specified for mat/resin, fusor,duramix,kent and 3m adhesives) with the exception of replacing a panel at the factory seams you may want to use your vette adhesive and not taper out edges of seam and fill as was done on the original panels.
Fusor ez101 and ez127 and most other urathane adhesives are for installing SMC and many types plastic body panels are not suggested for filling surface defects,it is said they(generally) will not feather-edge and are prone to bond edge show thru any time later.
(check their site on products and uses, as well as others like systems)
almost all have different products for cosmetic repairs,surface defects,like filling seams like fusor 102 it dries fast, it sands and feathers easy with about a 20 mins window then becomes harder to sand as it cures becoming very hard.

If you use one of these urethane adhesives for bonding on panels,the panel are always destroyed during removal Vs vette panel adhesive you can many times remove the panel for two sided repairs.

With all fiberglass resin/mat repairs, resin/chopped glass filler or resin/micro-sphears filler. repair show thru and shrinkage is eliminated with same material.
future paint stripping won't remove all your repairs

gel coat is mostly needed for cars or panels with excessive exposed glass fibers from being sanding to much or from setting in the elements.

repair products
fusor
durabond
evercoat