05-25-2010, 05:49 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Little Rock area,
AR
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA Street Roadster #782 with 459 cu in FE KC engine, toploader, 3.31
Posts: 4,533
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I have read reports of F5 cars having gelcoat penetrating into the mold seams and that it has to be ground out. I honestly don't understand how that could happen. If there is a slight parting at the mold joints, some gelcoat will penetrate when sprayed on the mold and that creates the little mold flashing that protrudes out from the body. But how could a gelcoat ridge build up on the interior of the mold? That doesn't make sense to me. Once the gelcoat is sprayed in the mold the fiberglass mat and resin are applied uniformally and continuously (in overlapping layers) over the whole mold. The fiberglass doesn't know there is a mold joint under there. The body is going to be just as strong at the seam as anywhere else, given the same thickness of laid up fiberglass.
I'm doing the body work on my ERA and I just ground the mold seams enough to remove the flashing and roughen the gelcoat. Then I came back up with filler. ERAs are formed slightly low to leave some room for filler over the seam. I think if you grind the seam out you will only get into the fiberglass mat and end up creating a weak point there. My 2 cents.
Dan
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