Am I going to make it worse?

[BOWZ]

Well I am back for more wisdom, trying to bring back the shine to my old supra. I removed the cover snaps in the fiberglass and 90% of them have spider cracks and at least 10 of them have chunks out of the gell coat.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g76/bigbossbowz/03%20SUPRA%20SSV/69C83894-B748-494D-8214-D618ACBEAA62.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/bigbossbowz/media/03%20SUPRA%20SSV/69C83894-B748-494D-8214-D618ACBEAA62.jpg.html)

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g76/bigbossbowz/03%20SUPRA%20SSV/012B67EF-5824-48B2-B0CA-AAE67DD823DE.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/bigbossbowz/media/03%20SUPRA%20SSV/012B67EF-5824-48B2-B0CA-AAE67DD823DE.jpg.html)

It doesn't appear that who ever installed the snaps chamfered the holes and that is what is causing the spider cracks. IDIOTS!!!! so now I need to deal with this problem before it gets worse. As Mr. Hunter has said: Quick Fluff & Buff Has Gone Awry! but not quite to his level.:o The plate that obscures the hole for tower lighting was drilled correctly, which makes me think that the snap cover wasn't factory installed.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g76/bigbossbowz/03%20SUPRA%20SSV/56AEEACB-AAF6-414D-A531-3FA8B4BA4828.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/bigbossbowz/media/03%20SUPRA%20SSV/56AEEACB-AAF6-414D-A531-3FA8B4BA4828.jpg.html)

Think I could use that in a low speed drill going counter clockwise to not catch the start of chip that is already there? In my line of work when we have cracks in steel we drill the end of the crack so it doesn't continue, could I do the same to the layer of the jell-coat? What about sealing up everything? Would some 4200 work? Thanks in adv guys!


BOWZ

[Cusefan78]

I had the same problem. Mine started to pop out. I filled the holes and redrilled them all. I then chamfered all the holes use a special epoxy I got at west marine for the snaps Put some of the epoxy on the threads and screw them in. Haven't had any problems since and they are all still tight two years later. Knock on wood

[cadunkle]

If they still thread put a little chamfer on it. You're fine using the cone shaped stone. If they thread nice just a dab of epoxy on threads and if they don't epoxy the hole and redrill as Cusefan said. I would put epoxy any with chips or a gel kit if it's beyond what the snap covers.

[BOWZ]

Thanks guys, I will look into the proper epoxy, all was solid before I unscrewed them by hand. I ended up chamfering them with a little bigger dia stone, seemed to work well.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g76/bigbossbowz/03%20SUPRA%20SSV/8646C7A2-B5B4-4BC0-916B-D36E14DCACDC.png (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/bigbossbowz/media/03%20SUPRA%20SSV/8646C7A2-B5B4-4BC0-916B-D36E14DCACDC.png.html)

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g76/bigbossbowz/03%20SUPRA%20SSV/86F07EA9-872F-43C1-A61B-CBE9E673F891.png (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/bigbossbowz/media/03%20SUPRA%20SSV/86F07EA9-872F-43C1-A61B-CBE9E673F891.png.html)
Did I chamfer it enough?

thanks again guys

Bowz

[Cusefan78]

Yeah that looks good

[CJD]

For the ones that are chipped...Plastex was made for just that purpose. It's a colored epoxy available from any boat supply store. You can really get good using wax paper over the repair while it cures, so you don't even have to sand or polish afterward. The epoxy is much less brittle than the gelcoat on the boat.

[BOWZ]

Sounds good, will search.


Bowz