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Darkening of GRP Bodywork? Removing?
dhutch - 13/4/11 at 09:50 PM

The yellow of my bodywork (17yo westfield) has gone significantly darker in areas where it has not been protected by things like the screen and front numberplate.

How deep is this damage likely to be, and what if any, is the best way of removing this? how long to return?




Daniel

dhutch - 13/4/11 at 09:54 PM

Photos (number plate temporally relocated)



plentywahalla - 13/4/11 at 10:06 PM

Its oxidisation in the gel coat, usually only a few microns deep. The usual treatment is oxalic acid.

indykid - 13/4/11 at 10:15 PM

quote:
Originally posted by plentywahalla
Its oxidisation in the gel coat, usually only a few microns deep. The usual treatment is oxalic acid.

boiled rhubard leaves?

Mr Whippy - 13/4/11 at 10:18 PM

a good rub with t-cut should get through it onto the nice clean gelcoat. My beach buggy shell had been sitting in a barn since the early 70's so you can guess how wonderfull it looked...the orginal bug chassis had all but turned to dust too. A fair bit of elbowgrease got the shine right back like new and all I had at hand was a large bottle of t-cut

infact I forgot I had a picture of it after I'd worn out my arm matt blue to shiny




[Edited on 13/4/11 by Mr Whippy]

Triton - 14/4/11 at 09:55 AM

Elbow grease will sort that out but a lot easier by machine polishing and use farecla g6 and keep it wet. Makes a right mess of everything around you but the gel coat will be nice and shiney. Oh and don't lean on it to hard as yellow is a pig for changing colour with the heat of polishing....yep found out the hard way

[Edited on 14/4/11 by Triton]

jossey - 14/4/11 at 10:16 AM

LIKE A G6

rubbing compound should do it i guess.

how long you leave your car in the sun for???

dhutch - 14/4/11 at 10:55 AM

quote:
Originally posted by plentywahalla
Its oxidisation in the gel coat, usually only a few microns deep. The usual treatment is oxalic acid.

Is that a case of getting some from a chemist, or are there propriatory bodywork products thats contain it? A quick good suggests bar keepers friend contains it but whether i the right quantitys to be usefull i dont know?

quote:
Originally posted by Triton
Elbow grease will sort that out but a lot easier by machine polishing and use farecla g6 and keep it wet. Makes a right mess of everything around you but the gel coat will be nice and shiney. Oh and don't lean on it to hard as yellow is a pig for changing colour with the heat of polishing....yep found out the hard way

Im not a patient soul at the best of times and elbow grease in the form of polishing sounds like hell. Maybe its time to look at used polishing machines. I can removed most of the things on/around the bodywork fairly quickly. Even the screen is only 20mins each way.

What sort of cost would you expect to pay for someone to do it, either the whole job, or the buffing alone after i'd preped it with me cleanung up afterwards? Recomendations in the north staffordshire area?

dhutch - 14/4/11 at 10:57 AM

quote:
Originally posted by jossey
LIKE A G6

how long you leave your car in the sun for???

'When we drink we do it right gettin slizzard'

Ive not left it in the sun that long in the 2-3years ive owned it, although its does 3k a year and had done odd weeks/weekends of being left out. However on the flipside, its 17 years old!

Plus i guess if its oxidation its may not be overly light/uv related?


Daniel