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AGUESS
08-05-2000, 08:26 PM
Ok, I need some help. The deck on my 66 classic 18 has lots of cracks from the FL and NC sun. These are not small spider cracks, but are about 2-3 inches long.

There are also small cracks where ever there were any screws.

I hoped that they were just in the paint ( painted in 1974), but they are in the gel.

So, I have sanded down to the gel and now look for advice. Do I recoat the deck with epoxy? Do I fill them with bondo? What would be best.

I am going to repaint with Imron.

Thanks for the tips in advance.

Alex.

oldLenny
08-05-2000, 10:16 PM
The "crazing" that you describe in the glasswork is very common around stress points. The gel coat is "moving" and its cross-link binders are set to eqil-ate (I made that word up myself) along the unbroken surface. By giving it an opening or changing the characteristics of the surface tension of the coating you have created a "new" reference for stress points along the longitudinal axis. This creates crazing/contracting/pulling as the surface says HELLO to the sun and all the UV you have in sunnysville. That said, the surface will again balance, eventually...crazing in place. I have used glazing putty on top, then a 150 grit wet rub, water running over the surface as this will sound out any imperfections in the lines you are recreating as you watch the reflection of sun on water. Then when dry, I apply a 2 part paint. Up here I use an epoxy, a green primer that loves to be re-applied and wetted out, then a top colour topcoat that binds and cross-links to the primer. I am sure you people have the same or better. It works for me, a few times, 10 years of visual and no change. I am not a body man though. I don't own a 'Vette either. It is just something that seems to be successful. Any chemical engineers out there? The other part of coatings info comes from cabinetry finish applications and UV retardants...sunny there?