Hardtop Body Work

[Fancy]

I am about to start restoring my hard top inside and out. It has already been sanded smooth on the outside. I have seen where people have filled in the grooves on the outside before painting. I think it just looks way nice and clean without them. I was told in order to do this without it cracking and falling apart or out you need to grind the grooves open and larger and then use like bondo with glass re-enforcement.

Has anyone done this or have any advice or recommendations on how or what to use?

 

[76zimmer]

start grinding the seam out with a 36 or 40 disc and go 1/4" deep at the seam and feather it out 2" on each side, then build up the seam with mat and resin, progressively getting wider with the mat until its flush with the rest of the top. use a skim coat of filler to finish off the seam.
Wear long sleeves and a respirator because fiberglass gets EVERYWHERE and itches like hell.

 

[Fancy]

Thanks for the reply. I have never actually done fiberglass layup but i have been around it and it seems easy enough. Any recommendation for materials? I was thinking this stuff linked below as i've heard good things or does it not matter.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cmpages/3733.php

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cmpages/westepoxy.php#review_tab

 

[76zimmer]

I like the glass mat better than the woven cloth, IMO the edges of the mat are more easily worked into a repair area than the woven cloth is, but you could use the woven cloth into the deep part of the crevace, then either separate the woven cloth so the fibers are more loose, or finish the final couple layers of glassing with some glass mat. Its important to get any trapped air out while laying up the glass, so use a somewhat stiff bristle brush, or a fiberglass roller to lay in the glass.
Here is a simple video showing the basic steps and techniques of laying up the repair.

@ryoken could best guide you through this as he works with it probably on a weekly if not more frequent basis in the marina.

 

[Chief Brody]

Would like to see photos of this process.

 

[Fancy]

Sorry guys i have been traveling for work which i do frequently

@76zimmer Cool! that looks like a perfect little kit! i think i will try it out for this project. Thanks for all the help and video!

@Chief Brody I will do my best to document it and post pictures of the process

 

[tenderfoot]

Wouldn't cats hair work for filling in seems? As long as it's cleaned real good after grinding out and air bubbles rolled out good