Paintwork on my Elite roof

[richardw]

I've posted in various topics about the problems I have with blistering along the lip at the rear of my roof. I took the car to Smith & Deakins, a fibreglass specialist in Worcester, who concluded that the original paintwork had been applied too thickly and/or the undercoat along that recess had not been prepared well enough for the paint to key to it. So it looks like I'm having a full roof respray by a specialist they recommend.

I'm hoping the results will be able to be viewed at the NEC in November.

ATB Richard

[richardw]

I had a 'gulp' moment today. I received the estimate for repainting the roof from a shop that previously did work on my daughter's car very reasonably, and who were also recommended by Smith & Deakin. Suffice to say it was four figures, which rules it out for the time being at least.

Unfortunately I don't have the facilities or skills to do this work to a high enough standard myself, so I'd like to ask if anybody has any advice on whether this sounds reasonable. The gelcoat under the blisters is intact, the paint just needs flattening to a point where new paint will key on. They seemed to think the whole roof needed taking back to the gelcoat.

If I can't find a reasonably cost-effective way forward, I'm going to revisit the possibility of fitting a vinyl roof - dark blue would, I think, be the best colour.

I'd be grateful for any advice and comments.

Thanks, Richard

[Hawaiis0]

Have a word with Lee1 -he knows someone not too far away either

[Lee1]

Hi Richard ,I have to agree with the paint shop ,you need to start again from the gell coat. This needs a seal coat, primer coats, base coat colour and then lacquer. The primer will need to cure and be blocked to give a flat,riple free surface . Unfortunately fiberglass substrates demand more time . Personally I think it would suit a vinyl top.

[richardw]

Thanks Stu - pm sent

[richardw]

Hi Richard ,I have to agree with the paint shop ,you need to start again from the gell coat. This needs a seal coat, primer coats, base coat colour and then lacquer. The primer will need to cure and be blocked to give a flat,riple free surface . Unfortunately fiberglass substrates demand more time . Personally I think it would suit a vinyl top.

Thanks - ignore my pm it crossed with your post!

I'll pursue the vinyl route then.

[don.hasi]

. Personally I think it would suit a vinyl top.

Definitely

Do you have experiences with this as well?

[richardw]

. Personally I think it would suit a vinyl top.

Definitely

Do you have experiences with this as well?

No I don't but I've found a place to buy a roof kit and I'll find a shop that applies vinyl and talk to them. My concerns, as before, are finding a trim strip to sit inside the rear lip of the roof, and being able to at least slightly tuck the vinyl underneath the alloy windscreen trim rail.

[Pete Boole]

I've also been thinking about the vinyl roof option - black in my case (white car) - not because of the paintwork (although it is crap), but because I really like them. I've just stated removing the paint from my Elite. As Lee has said, I'm taking it back to the gel coat. It's had at least one poor respray in the past - lots of micro-blisters. It's going to take a long time! I'll wait 'til you've had the roof done and come down and look at it and you seats .

Pete

[IanM92]

My experience is limited to having my Excel's front bumper resprayed. I took it off reinforced an area of spider web cracking on the back, sanded back through the cracked gel coat, replaced the gel with resin filler bought from Halfords and after using some elbow grease achieved a surprisingly good surface. A local spray painter sanded the overall existing paint surface to obtain a good key and applied two coats of colour and two of clear. He stressed the use of the correct paint type (not water based from memory as this can cause micro blisters). The end result was on a par with the original paintwork, shows no signs of distress after six years and cost under £170.
I would think the advice you have received will result in a superb product and finish, it is all about what you want to achieve.

[richardw]

My experience is limited to having my Excel's front bumper resprayed. I took it off reinforced an area of spider web cracking on the back, sanded back through the cracked gel coat, replaced the gel with resin filler bought from Halfords and after using some elbow grease achieved a surprisingly good surface. A local spray painter sanded the overall existing paint surface to obtain a good key and applied two coats of colour and two of clear. He stressed the use of the correct paint type (not water based from memory as this can cause micro blisters). The end result was on a par with the original paintwork, shows no signs of distress after six years and cost under £170.
I would think the advice you have received will result in a superb product and finish, it is all about what you want to achieve.

I'm tempted by this approach, as there is a guy who does spray painting locally I could use and I could potentially do the preparation with resin filler. That's a good point about being wary of using water based paint.

I've done some checking on the vinyl roof approach and this will definitely involve removing the top windscreen rail, which almost certainly means a new one.

Decisions!

Richard

[Pete Boole]

Mike at LB is in the final stages of getting the upper and lower screen trims re-made. First set weren't quite right he was saying.

Pete

[Simpatico]

Vinyl roofs are the work of Satan.

On the Elite the original textured vinyl roof was lapped under the brightwork including the hefty rain gutters, Frankly you don't want to be disturbing that stuff if you can help it.

[richardw]

Vinyl roofs are the work of Satan.

On the Elite the original textured vinyl roof was lapped under the brightwork including the hefty rain gutters, Frankly you don't want to be disturbing that stuff if you can help it.

Well they'd be boring if they weren't controversial!

I'm resigned to removing the brightwork. This would be necessary for a quality respray of the roof anyway. The removal of the side rails necessitates removal of the rear quarter windows (I think), which are bonded in, but the rails themselves are secured by screws. The front 'spider' pieces are riveted, and the windscreen rail is bonded. I'll replace the rivets with screws both on the spider pieces and on the windscreen pillar trims while I'm about it.

This isn't a job for my driveway so I'm trying to figure out where and when it can be done. Bit of a b....y nightmare really!

Richard

[amarshall]

This isn't a job for my driveway so I'm trying to figure out where and when it can be done. Bit of a b....y nightmare really!

I know of a nice big workshop near Birmingham. Next available in March 2018