Body Matters

[brdee]

I have now ordered my GTR Body (whooppeee!)which will be prefitted in September (seems years away - ahh-well!).

I intend to have the body sprayed, so I have ordered a nice grey colour!...and now I am turning my attention to exploring some of my ideas for one or two minor mods for individuality reasons more than anything else.

I am somewhat useless at GRP work, wish I was, so questions:

1. Does anyone know any recommended bodywork specialists or GRP/ Fibreglass fabricators up their sleeve that do a good job and can help me with my ideas ? - nothing radical, I just want to revisit the air scoop layouts, the vents in the rear canopy and things like that!

2. Can anyone recommend a good GRP body sprayer?

I live in Gloucestershire but will go much farther afield if necessary. Quality is what I need, and somebody who knows his stuff!


cheers

brdee

[peterpsg]

brdee said:

I intend to have the body sprayed

A few tips for the newly painted...

1: Get a touch up kit (if you can) to hid little chips during the season.

2: If you do any trackdays (esp dodgy airfield days), take a wide roll of masking tape with you and cover every forward facing edge and the lamps, including the side air intakes if you can.

3: Get friendly with a decent spray/GRP shop, as you'll probably be visiting them once a year...

P

[pb3]

So Peter, Marham wasn't kind to you then. Still you probably didn't come off as worse as that dark blue TVR!

[peterpsg]

I didn't see the TVR... what happened there?

I still had lots of paint chips, even thru several layers of tape, and when I slipped out in the twisties, I clipped a cone whilst going onto the grass, and took a small chunk out of the side edge of the front clip, luckily for me it was only at ~30mph, so not that much damage.

I found Marham to be very, very stoney, if you watch my recently posted trackday video, you can probably hear the stones bouncing off the floorpan as the microphone was on the floor.

So, an extra rule, if you have a painted car, avoid all trackdays on Airfields, unless they have resurfaced especially for the purpose, I think this is what they've done at Bedford...

[gtr-gaz]

peterpsg said:

So, an extra rule, if you have a painted car, avoid all trackdays on Airfields, unless they have resurfaced especially for the purpose, I think this is what they've done at Bedford...

I have heard good reports on Bedford, The only problem for us will be noise limits!

[GTWayne]

Bedford has open pitlane track days with 105dbs.

[menostig]

I had to squeeze between two big green cones at RAF Marham when the corner exit wasn't wide enough for my talent (entrance speed of 90mph). I felt both of the front tyres squash the cones bases but I was thru so quick they didn't have time to rap on the doors. I also clobbered another one side-on, luckily it hit my rear wheel and went under it ripping it to pieces (the cone). However I too suffered a stone chipping on the front. The local body shop, who are very good, estimate £200 to respray, but I can't be bothered at the moment and am disguising it with dead flies. Maybe after the next track day, where I shall be more cone aware.

[mkoch1]

I would drive the car around a while and allow the gel coat / fiberglass the cure. This will also allow any week spots to crack. The last thing you want is you new paint job to look like crap because the fiberglass started to wrinkle up or crack under the paint.

mark

[GTWayne]

Any paintshop worth its weight should bake the unpainted shell at a low temperature prior to painting and this will purge impurities/air bubbles which can then be repaired and put right before colour is applied.

[CanAm Dave]

Hi Keith

I just collected my windscreen surround this morning. I had the work done by www.option1sportscars.co.uk and it's the best paint quality you can get. They are composite vehicle repair specialsts. They can carry out any changes you might have in mind to the bodywork. They had a feature article done on them for Practical Classics magazine. Call them on 01527-557111 and ask for Frank (the owner). I'm going to have my Can-Am body sprayed there in a year or two.

Regards Dave