Fix for bubbling roof
04-26-2009, 01:45 PM
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Fix for bubbling roof I am a body guy for around 11 years now. I too have a bubbling roof. I am trying some things in my shop to fix this without replacing it. I will let you all know if this works. As you know Gm used the wrong urethane which over the hot summers caused this urethane to degas and since the top is smc/fiberglass it is porus. So I stripped my roof down to bare smc/fiberglass and I am letting it sit in the hot summer for 1 week expossed. The urethane can only degas for so long before it is done. Then I am coating the whole thing in 2 thin coats of polyurethane filler and then 3 heavy coats of urethane 2k primer sealer. Then I will let this sit for another few days then wet sand then apply paint. I believe once the panel has degased all the way and then I apply the sealer. It should hold up. I guess we will see. I will keep you all posted. Later, Jared
04-28-2009, 07:29 PM
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i always wondered if using some type of epoxy or something would seal it. this sounds like a pretty good idea. just have to wait a few years to see if it works or not...
04-29-2009, 09:46 PM
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Well It sat out in the sun for 5 days and Tonight I filled it in and smoothed and primed. I used 4 coats of 2k sealer primer and so far it is the smoothest it has ever been. Looks like glass. Oh and on another note after the 2nd day of sitting in the sunlight it stopped ozzing out of the holes. So I will paint it is 2 days and I will let you guys know how it looks and how it holds up over time.
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04-30-2009, 10:32 PM
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ive had mine repainted 5 damn times and it keeps coming back cause the dumbass dealership i bought the car from are freakin idiots!! my friend had a WS-6 and had his replaced and hasnt had a problem since i wish i could get mine done!
05-01-2009, 08:28 PM
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Well the correct fix is to replace it, but before I spend 500-700 for a new one I will try this method and see how it works. So far with everything i have only spent 85 dollars. It looks like to me what happened is the glue they used ate through the panel and destroyed the gel coat on top of the panel and that is what was ozzing, the gel coat. After I grinded the gel coat down to fiberglass and let it sit it dried up. Then I reapplied fiberglass and smoothed it, then a thin coat of plastic filler followed by 4 coats of 2k primer. It is the second day and primer still looks like glass. I am painting it tomorrow after I get off of work. I will let you all know.
05-02-2009, 04:57 PM
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How much is it for a new T-bar? I was thinking of getting something done to mine. Does it come off the car? I took it to a bodyshop and they were not sure if it would come off. They sugested to buy a new one and get it painted...would that take care of it?
05-03-2009, 05:31 PM
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The new panel is around 450 and around 250-300 to install and get it painted. No you can't remove without ruining it and yes it breaks into pieces when you remove it.
05-03-2009, 05:54 PM
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There really is no way that GM will man up and replace these panels? Or at least give us the part at cost or something? Knowing you improperly built something, and not fixing it is one of the worst things a company can do in my opinion.
05-03-2009, 08:52 PM
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If somebody made a replacement sail panel that would fit over the existing panel and it attached with 3M tape, they would sell a bunch of them. I think the problem with this is that it would cause the replacement panel to set to high. Just throwing a thought out there, it sucks to have this problem.
05-05-2009, 01:15 PM
#18
Well the correct fix is to replace it, but before I spend 500-700 for a new one I will try this method and see how it works. So far with everything i have only spent 85 dollars. It looks like to me what happened is the glue they used ate through the panel and destroyed the gel coat on top of the panel and that is what was ozzing, the gel coat. After I grinded the gel coat down to fiberglass and let it sit it dried up. Then I reapplied fiberglass and smoothed it, then a thin coat of plastic filler followed by 4 coats of 2k primer. It is the second day and primer still looks like glass. I am painting it tomorrow after I get off of work. I will let you all know.
Last edited by BMR Tech2; 05-07-2009 at 09:06 AM.
05-05-2009, 05:34 PM
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I am did the very same repair that you did. It looked great for 3-4 weeks. Down here in florida the summer sun is brutal. After 3-4 weeks it started to bubble again. I did the same steps that you did and used the best material available with no luck. I wound up replacing the panel with no issues. Its been 2 years since the replacement.