Brian2006

iTrader: (42)

I have a sunoco hood and SS spoiler that I have received and they are both gel coated. What sort of prep work is needed before the base coat for something like this?

davidfre21

iTrader: (3)

If its big enough (like the hood) DA it 180 and then scuff with 220 until smooth. Then go buy a gallon of water born primer (40-50bucks ) and burry the ******... Then if u want to ad the extra touch, guide coat it and block it down with 220. Then re primer. Once dry again DA with 600 and it should be good to go.

Brian2006

iTrader: (42)

I talked to vfn today and the receptionist said all I need to do is "rock sand" it with 320 grit? Does this sound right?

davidfre21

iTrader: (3)

it kinda of depends on the paint you are using, sanding it with 320 works also.. But u still need to primer it and re-sand with 6-800 if u want it to match your basecoat clear coat paint.

Brian2006

iTrader: (42)

I'm using sherwin williams paint

Pheonix

iTrader: (16)

Sand with four hundred grit, primer, block sand, then base clear. done.

Brian2006

iTrader: (42)

you make it sound soo easy

Pheonix

iTrader: (16)

Its not that hard...If its gel coated you have it made, unless you can see the fiberglass stranding underneath then you need to do some serious blocking and primer surfacer. But most of the times things that come gel coated come in good shape and all you have to do is wet sand with 400, primer, then block sand with four or six i prefer 400 and then base,clear, then wet sand with 1200 or 1500 and buff with a foam pad and 3m 5936 or 6060 extra cut buffing compound and you do all the buffing in one step. It takes off all the swirls and leaves it show finish.

gd1996

iTrader: (9)

I bought a us exotics hood and it looks great, but he reconmended hitting it with 80 or 120 grit... I cant see how it would possibly need it, things near perfect! I plan to do it with 320 and prime/block and thats it. My cars white so less concern that its perfect. But the gelcoat is black and shiny, so you can see if it has flaws.

Brian2006

iTrader: (42)

So once I have painted everything I should buff with my PC and orange pad/menzera intensive polish II? Does this sound right?

Also, how long should I let the car sit before it's ready for the streets again?

gd1996

iTrader: (9)

I was also told to put the hood on the car and let it run for a while or drive it, so the gelcoat gets some heat in it.

Once the paints fully cured your ready to go.

transmaro93

iTrader: (4)

i also bought one of the us exotics hoods for my 97 formy and mine needed a crap load of body work to get it to be strait so i dont you know you got the one special one that is strait but if it came from the mold that mine did id get a second opinion... and you will see the wavieness in a panel if it is white probably just as much as a black car... im not patronizing you... just warning you if you want to pm i can send u a picture if i still have it of my hood during its bodywork to show you how much i needed


and as for the reason of this thread... this is what i would do but u can take anyones advice that you want... run the hood for at least 2 weeks on the car to make it settle... take it off and hard block it with 180-220(i like 220) make sure its a hard block so that you can see low spots.... if you have low spots or its just not strait then do your bodywork or have someone that knows how to do it....after its strait use a decent high build primer surfacer and put at least 2 coats on... i did 3 on my hood to be safe... then add a guide coat you can do this with a can of black spray bomb just mist the paint over the primer really fast to just mist it... then dry block it with 320 to get the heavyness of the primer out... use hard blocks on the flat surfaces so you dont create low spots... after the 320 wet sand it smooth with 500-600... if you still see some black from the spray bomb thatmeans you havent sanded enough keep going or you have low spots that need attention... after its wet sanded where you want it... seal it... base coat it.... clear it.... you should have a showroom finish if you take the time and do it like i said... i had about 20 hours into my hood from start to finish when i got done but i wouldnt have it any other way... sorry its so long but i hope this helps you

gd1996

iTrader: (9)

My hoods a 98+ hood, so not the same mold. I do body/restoration work for a living, so I can clearly see this hood is straight. I'm not saying its perfect, but for a glass hood, nicest I have seen. I didnt see any of the older style there and I dont believe he still makes them.

transmaro93

iTrader: (4)

yea i looked to i dont think he does... i donno i didnt know that u were a body guy to i was just warning you in case you had the same one i did cause mine was rediculous how not strait it was... good luck wiht your man post pics when your done...

hammrman31

listen to this guy. he knows what he,s talking about.

GM Muscle

iTrader: (9)

I second that. I did my sunoco hood identicle. My hood was a lumpy mess and after I blocked out the gel coat I put the hood in an epoxy sealer, skimmed acouple of nasty spots, then went at it with the polyester primer. I think I went through a quart and a half of Evercoat Slick Sand and had about 15+ hours in the hood to get it straight (i'm a hobbiest and work slow, lol). I did two heavy coats of polyester primer at a time and then blocked it out while using a guide coat.

I would head over to your local autobody supply store and check out some blocks. I've really like using Dura-Blocks.

gd1996

iTrader: (9)

I found one low spot that will fill in with some high build on mine. Maybe hoods like yours is why he quit production on the older models. I know ideally I should do as you stated, but the cars just going to be a nice driver. If it looks straight as it does in black gelcoat, by the time I prime and block it, then bc/cc and wetsand again, in white, I'm sure it will look great. Most glass hoods do need what you said, the only reason I went with this hood from him is because they were highly reconmended by quite a few people. I didnt look at his superhawk hood, he had one about done, but I can say the ws9 hoods are very nice.

transmaro93

iTrader: (4)

yea that polyester primer works wonders... but i had the time to just use filler on my hood but taht stuff is awsome for minor flaws and what now really good stuff for like pin holes and things of that nature too.... and yea i use dura-blocks every day i love em and at $50 for a set of like 7 or somthing cant beat that best block on the market in my eyes hard block at least....



yea i donno maybe his molds where that bad that he said screw it i donno mine is like an 02 style ws6 ram air hood looks good ill post pics soon came out nice after the work id still recomend his hoods i mean it was $400 compared at $800 or somthng liek that for a suncoast hood... most fiberglass parts need body work before paint as it is... which is why ill never in my life restore a corvette for fear that i will be bald when its done... hehe thanks for the postive feedback on my reply guys