Smooth top?

[cruiksdr]

Anyone ever sand smooth and paint thier top? I want tot do mine in the body color. Seems like it should be pretty simple, but I've thought that before and regretted it!

Any suggestions for success here?

Thanks!

[no substitute]

This was done in a magazine car restoration from about fifteen years ago. It seemed to work okay. I may have it around here, although where I'm not certain.

[3D914]

Daniel,

DO a search, as I know this subject was discussed& some pictures provided in a previous posting.

Good luck,

[sixbanger]

I've got one on mine.Seems to give it a fresh look.

[mike95125]

sean_v8_914 did it to one of his cars and it looked fine.

[914Ghost]

This guy may already have one smoothed for sale:

914 parts

I may have seen a white one for sale somewhere recently too..I'll try and remember..

[Bob Bischoff]

I was suprized how easy the top was to sand smooth. It really didn't take too long to remove the textured coating.

[mike95125]

good job Bob. Nice looking ride.

[John 9:14]

This is on my eventual to do list. Did you start with something rough like a 80 or 120 grit to flatten it out Bob?

[Bob Bischoff]

Originally posted by John 9:14
This is on my eventual to do list. Did you start with something rough like a 80 or 120 grit to flatten it out Bob?

I started with a D/A sander with 120 paper and worked thru 400.
Its been a few years since I've done this but I think sanding was only a hour or so.


Bob

[no substitute]

Love that orange or is it tangerine.
Looking at an old, old issue of All About Porsches I noticed an article about the 916. I'm not certain, but many if not all of those roofs were painted. Anyone know for certain? I would guess they sanded first. I believe they were bolted on too.

[GaryW]

916's were steel hardtop, welded in as I recall.

[Doug M]

I have done 2 white cars like tha that. I like it too much.
Doug

[MJHanna]

yes, easy to do.

[John 9:14]

Cool. Sounds like something that might actually be easier than I originally thought. I saw a 914 for sale on the side of the road a few weeks back and it looked like the guy tried to put Bondo or something on it to smooth it out and fill in the channels instead of just sanding it down. Looked like total crap. But yours looks awsome from what I can see in the pic, the whole car not just the roof.

[sstine9]

think about good quality paint (such as the stuff they use on aircraft) as the top does have a certain amount of "flex" and paint will crack

[sean_V8_914]

Harbor freight $20 sander. 3 High quality sheets of wet sand paper 100/220/380. .3M or Carboduim, dont go cheap with the paper. Use alot of water, You are goung to get wet! A ground fault interupt (GFCI) for just in case I got zaped while wet sanding with the electric sander. Mar-Hyde self etching primer special stuff for fiberglass. Took me about 4 hours total. I painted it inside and out

[sean_V8_914]

I beat my test top with a hammer and poked it with an awl to test for proper adhesion. It could be done in less than 4 hrs but I was picky. I wanted that flowing glassy gloss look. Although it was nice, I am still looking for the elusive flow

Bob: Is that the original orange? wow, I really like that car

[Bob Bischoff]

Originally posted by sean_V8_914

Bob: Is that the original orange? wow, I really like that car

The paint is 75/76 Nepal Orange L20C. I've owned the car since 1984 and just finished a year long project rebuilding it with a V8 conversion, flairs 911 suspension/wheels and paint.

[sean_V8_914]

my track car is a faded orange 73. I have never seen this color in NEW condition but I dont mind dreaming about it looking just like your picture. oh, ah...and a V8 car too! Did you paint it?