filler over epoxy or under for fiberglass?

S

SmokeyHaze

Hi guys, I'm restoring a 1973 corvette for my grandfather. I know for corrosion resistant purposes to lay down epoxy on bare metal before doing any mud work, but what about for fiberglass? The car has been in a pretty bad accident at some point in the late 70's and has some panels sectioned in. For the most part the car is really straight, and almost completely stripped down to the glass. It had previously had about 7 good heavy paint jobs over top of the factory silver.

The car needs some work yet to the body before I start priming and blocking. I have a bag of upol fibral, and a gallon of upol dolphin filler. Should I use these before laying the first couple coats of epoxy, or the same as bare metal, epoxy first, then lay filler down? Thanks for the help and input.

-Derek
 
With old vettes always do any major repair with things like fiberall or resin types over the bare glass.
then any minor items use the filler or dolphin glass over the epoxy for expansion and contraction.
For over kill on these vettes what I like to do is when time to apply epoxy, I will do 3 or 4 coats and week later just smooth out with a 180 da (holding flat, not blocking) and then apply another coat before going to primer.
 
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Barry, whats the logic behind flat DA opposed to blocking? Not questioning your advise, Just interested in why or how this works.
 
Any structural repairs need to be done on bare glass. Barry is suggesting the use of a DA to just follow the contour-no need for blocking at this stage because the epoxy applied is just for a barrier. You'll apply more product/surfacer after this for blocking.
 
I had a chance to tow the vette into work today and apply 4 coats of epoxy. I didn't want to start a new thread, but was curious as to whenever the time comes, do you recommend reducing the epoxy as a sealer, or just spraying black sealer? My original plan was once the body work was done, to add a nice final coat of epoxy, let sit a few days, block with 800 and shoot Ppg envirobase overtop. But then I realized I haven't really seen anyone spraying water overtop, or saying in the book that it was alright. Most people are shooting solvent I believe.
 
Your plan to shoot a final coat of epoxy and final sand with 800 is good but I'd still shoot a sealer coat of epoxy before the color is applied.
 
Outlaw;n76140 said:
Barry, whats the logic behind flat DA opposed to blocking? Not questioning your advise, Just interested in why or how this works.
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Because the epoxy when cured is stronger then a gel coat, I don't bock because i want the mils, all I'm doing is protecting the fiberglass.
 
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