Respray After Repairing GRP: Necessary to Wait?

[Stevie-Heathie]

If a bodyshop said they could turn around a repair to damage like this http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/lotus-chassis-f36/bother-t37475.html within 3 or 4 days does that sound okay?

Or is there a requirement for the GRP repair "go off" for some time before it's painted?

Cheers
Steve

[nmauduit]

GRP hardens via polymerization, there is no wait time due to solvant to "go off" per se.

That said the subsequent layers above GRP would need to dry according to the specs of the maker (starting with a sealer between GRP and primer then paint, that I always try to buy within the same "paint system"), but nothing that would prevent a proper procedure within the quoted delay in my opinion.

[Stevie-Heathie]

Brilliant, I was hoping that's what the answer would be:-)

Thanks for the prompt response.

Steve

[RichardHawkins]

Steve,

I am no bodywork person, but had some minor repairs done to my Elise by an alleged expert, after it had been vandalised. The repair has shrunk after the paint was applied.

I think Grissly is a paint man and may comment.

Richard Hawkins

[gus]

while modern things take less time, more time is usually better

[UAB807F]

I repaired similar damage on my car over a week and that's not come back to haunt me. That was stripping paint, grind away crazing (which went underneath the paint & so not visible prior to starting) and then repairing with resin & tissue. 3 days seems quick to me as I was leaving each stage overnight, but I'm not a pro in this game.

Without wishing to insult your body shop, I'd ask to check that they're repairing that with resin/tissue and not just rubbing down and using body filler.

Brian

[Stevie-Heathie]

Top tips all, thanks. It's booked in for next week so I'll call and check their proposed methodology.

Best
Steve

[Grizzly]

If it was me i'd want to leave each stage 24 hours to fully cure as you can't Low bake hand laid fibreglass without major issues.... so Grind out and repair the GRP then leave 24 hours to fully cure before getting ready for the sealer / high build Primer stage (again 24 hours to cure each), when you get to the top coat i'd want at least 2 days to cure before polishing. Doing it this way i've never had a sinking or trapped solvent issue, I'm sure you can rush it with UV lamps etc but i found the best results are gained when it's left to fully cure on it's own.

When i do GRP repairs for customers similar to yours i'd get them to drop the car off on the Monday morning (tell them it will take a full week) then time it so i paint the car Friday afternoon (so it can left untouched in the booth over the weekend) and polished Monday morning for pick up Monday night.