45 replies to this topic

[Graeme Lambert]

Okay, Car hasn't moved since bringing it down from Scotland about two weeks ago. Just got back to the house (haven't seen the VX in daylight for a while!) and on the front i see a white mark next to the grille opening. Anyway, closer inspection reveals it to be a deep and fresh stonechip of sorts. It's been raining plenty (and frosty) and i'm obviously concerned about bubbling, but what can i do to protect the car at the moment? (its raining now btw). I'll try and take a pic in a bit, but basically - what do i do to protect the clam now? Will i be too late to save it from bubbling? G

[Mike (Cliffie)]

Dry it, clean it and fill it. Stop the water getting in.

[Crazyfrog (Fab)]

Okay,
Car hasn't moved since bringing it down from Scotland about two weeks ago.
Just got back to the house (haven't seen the VX in daylight for a while!) and on the front i see a white mark next to the grille opening. Anyway, closer inspection reveals it to be a deep and fresh stonechip of sorts.
It's been raining plenty (and frosty) and i'm obviously concerned about bubbling, but what can i do to protect the car at the moment? (its raining now btw).

I'll try and take a pic in a bit, but basically - what do i do to protect the clam now?
Will i be too late to save it from bubbling?

G

a bit of gaffa tape it all deepens how deep it is

[Graeme Lambert]

Dry it, clean it and fill it. Stop the water getting in.

Ok, never owned a fiberglass car before so...

Dry it - with the G/F's hairdryer?
Clean with some sort of white spirit or something else?
And fill with - just any old paint or primer? (need to get myself a touch up stick i think)

G

[techieboy]

I wouldn't worry about it. It'll only have chipped the paint off down to the gelcoat. The gelcoat will be a feck lot more resilient than the paintwork. And get used to them, every drive will mean another chip on one part of the car, or another.

[ChrisS1]

Magic marker

[Graeme Lambert]

Okay pics attached. Hopefully you'll see the depth of the chip.

Top left of this one, just below where the grille surround meets the bonnet


The offending chip


Thumb to show scale


And last side on to show depth


G

[Graeme Lambert]

I wouldn't worry about it. It'll only have chipped the paint off down to the gelcoat. The gelcoat will be a feck lot more resilient than the paintwork. And get used to them, every drive will mean another chip on one part of the car, or another.

Oh no,
Tell me i'm not acting like a complete newbie?

G

[techieboy]

Proper unsightly but don't think the car will dissolve by the morning. Looks like it's neatly down to the gelcoat. Just touch it up with a regular touchup kit, I'd say.

[G-Bob]

Proper unsightly but don't think the car will dissolve by the morning. Looks like it's neatly down to the gelcoat. Just touch it up with a regular touchup kit, I'd say.

Dab of touchup paint should do it!

[siztenboots]

I wouldn't worry about it. It'll only have chipped the paint off down to the gelcoat. The gelcoat will be a feck lot more resilient than the paintwork. And get used to them, every drive will mean another chip on one part of the car, or another.

or just buy a silver one, comes with that authentic primer finish

[FLD]

Is that it!!! Blimey, you'd die if you saw my wagon. Just touch that in and stop whitlin'.

[Graeme Lambert]

Okay last Q.. drive it like it is or leave it until i get it touched up? G

[techieboy]

Drive it. Then you can do all of the new ones at the same time. I've got Ventureshield on the front of my car and with seconds of having it fitted I got stone chips on the two tiny bits of the clam that weren't covered. It's a fact of life.

[G-Bob]

Okay last Q.. drive it like it is or leave it until i get it touched up?

G

MAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

DRIVE IT!

[ChrisS1]

If he waits too long he won't be able to delete that post either...it will be ingrained in the .org archives for him to cringe over

[denno]

Oh no! Replacement front clam me thinks!

[Kieran B]

Drive it. Then you can do all of the new ones at the same time.

I've got Ventureshield on the front of my car and with seconds of having it fitted I got stone chips on the two tiny bits of the clam that weren't covered. It's a fact of life.

Matt is that gear any good. i was told when you pull it off it can take the paint off with it. - where would one get this put on (just had the front end done)

[techieboy]

It seems to be pretty good and has certainly saved the front end from a peppering. It's not bullet proof by any means but apart from one huge stone that hit me on the A1 (and went on to take a chunk out of the screen), nothing has done any damage. I got mine done by one of their agents in Daventry after I had the front clam repainted. Was hard work as I left the car in the garage for 3 weeks to make sure the paint was fully cured before going over early one morning to avoid any traffic. I did toy with the idea of trying to DIY it but having seen how complicated it was for the two fitters to fit it (the were stretching some sections and shrinking others), bloody glad I didn't try.

These are the guys that did mine.

[G-Bob]

i was told when you pull it off it can take the paint off with it.

Why would you take it off though?