Preparing a fiberglass body for paint

OK MAXIE, here we go. When you preparing a fiberglass body for paint there are a few things to consider, such as what materials you are going to use and what the your skill level is. I am going to assume that your skill level is average. Preparing a fiberglass body for paint is not as difficult as it is time consuming. Once all of your bodywork is done, you must make sure the body is straight! A guy that I worked for when I was painting years ago told me this; " you can put the best paint job in the world on a car, but if its not straight, then it's a just a shinny piece of crap!" I have always remembered this and it motivates me to work harder and make sure it is straight. That translates to BLOCK SAND, BLOCK SAND, BLOCK SAND! So when you have completed the bodywork, I suggest you take 80-100 grit paper on your DA sander and rough up the whole body being sure to knock all the shine off the gel coat without going through the gelcoat. Oops, I forgot to mention before you start any work on the body at all, wash it down with good ole dish soap and warm water and scrub it real well to make sure there is no release agent from the mold that the body came from! That said let's continue. After you sand the body its time for a coat of primer, gray, red, black you decide because it doesn't matter. Use a urethane primer, follow the directions for mixing and apply your first couple coats. Now this stuff is self-leveling to a degree because of its high solids. Wait overnight, then come in with your board file and some 80-100 grit again. Now a little trick here, use a light gray primer, then take a spray can of black (preferably lacquer) because it dries fast, and dust a coat over the whole body. Then when you sand with your board file you will see all the low & high spots so you can work them out. Do this every time w/each coat. After all this prepare for your second coat of primer after which you are going to change to 180 grit, and repeat above process, sometimes you may have to use the same grit again, it depends on how its looking. Now remember you can never block sand enough so do it until you are satisfied with the results! Once you're sure it is straight you can to begin to fine sand process which may also require recoating with primer. To fine sand the body suggests a rubber sanding block use some 320 grit, recoat and then 400 grit for your final sanding. When you get to the final sanding this should be done as wet sand. Use a spray bottle (buy a new one for 2 bucks to avoid contamination) and put a little dish soap in the water to make it more "slippery" this will help you glide the paper across the surface without sticking, just keep it wet and don't sand through the edges. Now after you have repeated this to your satisfaction you are ready for sealer. Sealer is applied before your first coat of paint on the day you are going to paint the body. Sealers come in a variety of colors and talk with your paint store counter man or woman and get a sealer that is a color that will serve as a base coat for whatever color you are using. Dark colors dark sealer, light colors light sealer. I know this is long but so is the process, take your time, the paint job is the first thing they see! Good luck! Any questions email me at TMHLAH20@AOL.COM and I'll try to help! TOM H