U-Pol Raptor bed liner over SPI Epoxy Primer

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Charlie D

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This is my first post to this outstanding forum. I am sold on SPI epoxy primer and have ordered up a gallon of 2K primer for my project. I am in the process of preparing to paint a 1955 Studebaker Sedan. I decided several months ago to use the U-pol Raptor Bedliner tinted Saginaw Green to match the main color of the car. Since joining the forum a few weeks ago I have gone back and scanned all the threads and have learned a lot about the SPI products. Andy has been very helpful on the phone when I’ve had a question.

About one year ago there was a discussion concerning the Raptor bed liner and whether or not it could be applied over SPI epoxy primer. That got me attention. Sure enough the tech sheet recommends the use of a self-etching primer. Having spent quite a bit of time working on the undercarriage of the shell (it is on a rotisserie), the last thing I wanted was to use a product over another product that were not compatible. I decided it best to perform a mini-test of my own to determine if I wanted to proceed with the Raptor bedliner.

I cut up a few pieces of 18 gauge sheet metal which is what the Studebaker consists primarily of. I went and bought a spray can of self-etch primer and I already had the SPI epoxy primer. I primed a couple of the pieces with the self-etch and three with the epoxy primer. Twenty four hours later I mixed up a mini batch of the bed liner material in a pill bottle and brushed it on three of the test panels. Each panel had been prepped two ways. Some had no sanding and other were sanded with 80 and/or 180 sand paper.

I let them set for three days then started doing various things to them. Scratched them with a pretty sharp regular screwdriver, Banged on them with the rounded edge of a ball peen hammer; first on the table and then with a roll of tape under them so it would deform the metal. Pounded them back to pretty flat then put them in a bench vice and pounded a couple of 45 degree bends in them. Then I pounded a 90 degree bend in them and had not got down to metal on any of them. The last bit of destruction was using the screwdriver as an ice pick and trying to get down to bare metal. This is when the self-etch met its match. Almost every slash got down to bare metal. The SPI epoxy primer prevented any of the slashes from getting to bare metal. The two halves which did the best were both prepared the same. SPI epoxy primer over metal sanded with DA with 80 grit and no sanding before the bed liner was applied twenty four hours later. Now I know how I want to prepare and paint the undercarriage of the car. I was so happy with the results.

If I would have known about SPI bed liner several months back I may have gone with it. I am taking a collision refinishing course at the local vo tech and I tell everyone that I am impressed with the SPI epoxy primer and in a few days I will find out how the 2K primer works.

Charlie D.
 
Wow, good testing!!!!

All iI know is you cannot put the SPI over the Raptor as it won't stick long term and I do know people have applied The Raptor over the SPI epoxy before in 24 hours but never got any long term reports.
 
Welcome to the forum!

If you think the epoxy was good after 3 days, you should see it after a month! Keep in mind the epoxy recoat window is 7 days, which means it doesn't start curing in earnest until after those seven days are up.
 
The bedliner on the undercarriage has been completed.

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The undercarriage was stripped with an angle grinder, sandblasted, buzzed with a DA with 80 grit, cleaned with a wax & grease remover. It then received 2 coats of the SPI epoxy primer. Twenty four hours later the bedliner was applied. It came out very nicely on my 1955 Studebaker President State Sedan.

Charlie D.
 
looks real classy to me. i just think the bed liner looks better under the cars. hides all the stuff they did not worry about from the factory. i use the spi bedliner on all of mine.
 
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