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scubaman154.
I have a 25 year old Pantera 2 that looks horrible now that the clear coat is all gone … ? Any suggestions on how to make it look respectable again ??Does anyone have expierence / knowledge of spraying on the truck bedliner / armour coat material ??? Will it stick to the fiberglass? Above and below the waterline ??I looked at having it wrapped but they said cant do below waterline and starting price would be in excess of $6,000 and that is if nothing goes wrong ….Any other suggestions ??816-686-3868
Does the finish look shiny or new like when it is wet? If so you may want to look into Pro-Tecs restoration system.Post some pictures of your boat. Some one oh here is sure to be able to tell you the best thing to do to restore your boat.1997 Pantera Classic1999 Mercury 200 OptiMax25 Pitch TempestBobs 6″ Action Hydraulic Jack Plate
Thanks TonyI will pull the cover and shoot some pics in the daylight ….I have taken it to multiple Fiberglass places and they all say the clearcoat is totally gone so wet sanding / buffing will just smear the metal flake ….It does look better when wet as doesnt show the “chalkyness” as much but doesnt really shine …. It feels rough to the touch etc…I did previously read on our forum about the Pro Tech restore — but again the fiberglass places said its a no go as its down to the gelcoat …..I would love it if they could just do a white gelcoat over it etc … cause I love the boat and it still runs like a dream….I bought new seats and carpet but need to resolve the glass issue before finishing the install …25 years = never garaged — some years tarped but way more not … What is funny – most cant belive no soft spots in floor and the transom still sound .. Speaks rather highly of the quality of these Cats!!!!!1993 Pantera 21993 Yamaha 200 Pro V25 Yamaha PropCMC Hydrolic Jack Plate
My understanding is if it does not really shine when wet, it is to far gone. That has been my experience too. I have an old none Bass Cat I have tried bringing back. I can get to looking good, but can not keep it there. It will look good wet or right after wet sanding and buffing, then in a few weeks it will look chalky again. I can also tell that wet sanding is removing the flakes. It may just be my inexperience in restoring fiberglass, but I have decided that I am not spending an more time trying to make that boat look good. I am better off making sure our Bass Cat stays looking good.1997 Pantera Classic1999 Mercury 200 OptiMax25 Pitch TempestBobs 6″ Action Hydraulic Jack Plate
Bedliner will stick to fiberglass as long as it prepped correctly ( scratched with at least 600 grit sandpaper) and wiped down properly. Also you may want to get in touch with a local auto repair shop and see if they can or even will spray the top coat will an automotive Clearcoat. I own a collision repair shop and have sprayed several boat top caps. I would recommend at least 4/5 coats, that way it can be buffed of any trash. Though this may not be as good as getting new gel coat the ones I have sprayed still look good. I still the 1st Ranger I did for a college guy and that was 8 years ago.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I wouldnt do the auto clear as I have seen them look horrible in just a short period of time. keep in mind that it could have been the lack of prep, coats or ??I would contact the place in LA that does the gatorhide application if you dont care about the flake
I would have a good glass man refinish the boat professionally if you plan on keeping it. You can redo the inside as needed and have a classic ride.
The professional Fiberglass places I have taken it to tell me it is beyond repair and that they wouldt even take on the job … That wet sanding would only smear the metal flake making it look like just aluminum … They recited on how much they charge for even just small insurance jobs (like about a 4 section)I googled Gatorhide and it took me down a rather interesting information overload… and was looking at Manufactures of products etc..Does anyone have expierence with using these ?? I was finding color options as well … Has anyone tried any of these ??Thanks for those that responded and thanks in advance of any other responses !!!I so appreciate your alls help!!
My old Cajun looked like death. It wasnt shiney at all. I used the protect refinishing kit. It took me two weekends but the end result was dramatic. The clear is still there its just oxidized. You have to water sand the clear coat with 3 or 4 different grit sand paper, then compound and finally polish. The top cap looked new and thats no exaggeration. It was under a shed and still looked good a yr later. Look Pro-tec up on FB.
I agree brown maniac , wet sanding is tedious, but it will bring back the shine,-600-800-1500-2000- lots of water and a little dawn. If the color hopefully the color is still there. Just takes time- wasn’t there one of the factory’s guys that did gelcoat restoration on the side?
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