need advice, smoothing my top.

[SamMargritz00]

this is for the guys that have a better idea of this situation than me. Im wanting to smooth my top, yes i know theyre are multiple threads, but there really wasnt much of a detailed process of what was done. From what ive gathered you can sand the fiberglass (which some people say will show all the waves) or ive heard of putting some kind of body filler or primer over top and go from there. I was going to have someone do it but after the quote of $2000 from start to finish i decided to take it apon myself to do it. any advice would be appretiated, and of course pics are welcome of your smoothed out tops. Thanks!!

[Bentblazer]

If its the original texture on your top it should be easily removed, mine was. Once it was removed the top was rather smooth, I repaired some of the cracks and did a bedliner finish. I would think that after removing your texture using the proper primer and paint would be easy. IMO

[SamMargritz00]

yes its the original texture. thanks Bentblazer!!!

[Livrat]

I am in the process of smoothing the wife's Blazer top as we speak, I ended up using a scraper for most of the texture then used a DA with 150 grit paper to take care of the rest , Then did the necessary repairs, I used fiberglass mat with SMC resin over the original seams, then used "Fiber tech" for a filler which is formulated for SMC.
(Remember Blazer tops are not traditional fiberglass, they are SMC and require different repair methods. If you use regular fiberglass resin (polyester) and bondo it will fail over time due to standard polyester resins are not strong enough to adhere to SMC).

Next will come epoxy primer to seal it all in, then urethane high build primer then paint,
I will admit it would be alot quicker and tons less work to put the texture back on!!

[SamMargritz00]

Originally Posted by Livrat

I am in the process of smoothing the wife's Blazer top as we speak, I ended up using a scraper for most of the texture then used a DA with 150 grit paper to take care of the rest , Then did the necessary repairs, I used fiberglass mat with SMC resin over the original seams, then used "Fiber tech" for a filler which is formulated for SMC.
(Remember Blazer tops are not traditional fiberglass, they are SMC and require different repair methods. If you use regular fiberglass resin (polyester) and bondo it will fail over time due to standard polyester resins are not strong enough to adhere to SMC).

Next will come epoxy primer to seal it all in, then urethane high build primer then paint,
I will admit it would be alot quicker and tons less work to put the texture back on!!

i forgot that it was smc. thanks a lot. how is it turning out for you?

[Livrat]

Well.. I spent two days going over it, filling all of the little pin holes, nicks,scratches and spots with "fibertech" that I could feel and see, then block sanded it all out.
Today I shot two coats of black epoxy primer, and let me tell you, I had no idea the surface was so porous!! (black paint tells all!!) thousands of tiny pin holes over the entire surface. I will probably end up "skim coating" the entire topside with filler.. way more work than anticipated!! Oh well.. the wife wants a "smooth" top.. LOL

[SamMargritz00]

did you encounter the waves everyone talks about when doing this?

[Livrat]

Yes there are "waves" in the top where the wood is inserted making the "ribs" (single wall top) and they all have the "sag" but less so than the double wall tops, So without undertaking some serious structual work to fix (or filling the topside with glass and resin making it very heavy) I will live it it..

[SamMargritz00]

i guess thats understandable. not like everyone is going to look right at the top of the top. my blazer is lifted four inches so that won't be much of a problem i suppose.. only concern i have is the sides. any issues with that? sorry with all the questions.

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by Livrat

Well.. I spent two days going over it, filling all of the little pin holes, nicks,scratches and spots with "fibertech" that I could feel and see, then block sanded it all out.
Today I shot two coats of black epoxy primer, and let me tell you, I had no idea the surface was so porous!! (black paint tells all!!) thousands of tiny pin holes over the entire surface. I will probably end up "skim coating" the entire topside with filler.. way more work than anticipated!! Oh well.. the wife wants a "smooth" top.. LOL

Welcome to the world of fiberglass/SMC You'll be finding pin holes for a week....block and fill, block and fill, prime and guide coat, block and fill, block and fill

That's why Sam got quoted $2,000

[Livrat]

Originally Posted by SamMargritz00

i guess thats understandable. not like everyone is going to look right at the top of the top. my blazer is lifted four inches so that won't be much of a problem i suppose.. only concern i have is the sides. any issues with that? sorry with all the questions.

The sides came out sweet!! I decided to go ahead and try high build primer to see if that would fill the pin holes. 2 coats, and so far it looks good.. I will know more after I block it out.. again.. and again.. LOL

[SamMargritz00]

man that top looks sweet so far, looks clean from the pictures. im curious if that filled in all the pin holes or not.

[CMACDONALD1]

Top looks great! nice work. I have to repair the top on mine as somebody tried to smooth it out and kinda made a mess. It has grinder gouges all over the place. Top is coming off of mine this summer so I plan on doing the same thing you did.

[SamMargritz00]

Originally Posted by CMACDONALD1

Top looks great! nice work. I have to repair the top on mine as somebody tried to smooth it out and kinda made a mess. It has grinder gouges all over the place. Top is coming off of mine this summer so I plan on doing the same thing you did.

a grinder??? i would think common sense would tell someone that that wouldn't work.

come to find out The person who had mine last put a luggage rack on top so i have holes to fill all over the place that they filled with silicon.

[CMACDONALD1]

Originally Posted by SamMargritz00

a grinder??? i would think common sense would tell someone that that wouldn't work.

come to find out The person who had mine last put a luggage rack on top so i have holes to fill all over the place that they filled with silicon.

yeah mine had a roof rack as well and I can see where they tried to repair with bondo. The roof has a big sag in the middle of it so I will have to figure out a way to fix that as well as its on a 2wd that you can see it quite clearly at eye level. I sure would like to find a nice single wall instead of the double wall as it would be alot ligther I think and easier to take off and on but for now its all I have.

[SamMargritz00]

oh yeah the double walls are horrible to take off and on. but its what i got. so after i get all the research to go at this next job ill start smoothing the top. i was tempted to just get a soft top from soft topper but the winters here can be kinda harsh. but i have a question with painting a smoothed top. Will the paint be glossy and match the body glossyness?

[CMACDONALD1]

I think when I paint mine I will make it a semigloss and paint it white again. I have seen a few that were smothed out and painted body color and I dont care for the look but thats me. I actually thought it may look cool to make it into a white vinyl top but thats just an idea I had and it would be a lot less prep work. I'm sure somebody has done it before and would love check out a few pics.

[SamMargritz00]

mines going to match body color....but its a pearl white. kinda like what you see on cadillacs. but if anyone has pictures of painted tops, please, post them. livrat...any more progress on your top?

[Livrat]

Spent the day blocking it out with 400 grit, It looks like the 2 coats of high build primer did the trick with all the pin holes, decided to use a single stage urethane and the wife picked out an "off white" which is real close to her parchment interior color.
Now I just have to figure out how to spray the inside. my gravity feed gun (Iwata LPH400) does not like to be tipped that far back to paint straight up.

[SamMargritz00]

you could always tip it over upside down. but im not sure if that would work. just a thought. im glad to hear you got the pin holes filled. thats exciting to hear!

[Firebirdjones]

Yep, you'll have to flip the top over. Gravity feed guns don't like spraying upward.

[Livrat]

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Yep, you'll have to flip the top over. Gravity feed guns don't like spraying upward.

So true,
I figured out that my gravity feed gun doesnt like spraying upward the first time I used it.. LOL..
I may dig out my old siphon feed pot as I do not like the idea of two guys trying to turn the top upside down. (need way more arms!!)

[SamMargritz00]

Originally Posted by Livrat

So true,
I figured out that my gravity feed gun doesnt like spraying upward the first time I used it.. LOL..
I may dig out my old siphon feed pot as I do not like the idea of two guys trying to turn the top upside down. (need way more arms!!)

at least yours in a single wall. ill need a small army to flip my double wall over haha