[TonyMadrid]

I got my Cobra from A&C in a gelcoat. The problem with gelcoat is that you can't get it in metallics or pearls and you can't get it in two colors; so that means you can't it with stripes which I wanted.

My options were to either get it without the gel and have the body painted with color and stripes. This wasn't in my budget. My second option was to get it in a gelcoat and apply decal stripes - NO WAY!!!.

Third option was to get it gelcoated in the color I wanted and then have the stripes painted on. That is what I had done and the process wasn't that complicated.

To begin with the gelcoat finish has to be scuffed off using eitherscotchbrite pads or very very fine sandpaper. The next and probably most important step was that the entire body had to be washed with a solvent to insure that all of the finish residue had been completely washed off. Once that was done, my painter taped and painted the stripes. After the stripes were on he clearcoated the entire body. He then buffed out the finish and the result was a nice finish and the clear added depth to the luster.

Many times people have asked me who shot the paint and they are amazed when I tell them that it is a gelcoat cleared over.

I just looked through some of my paperwork and I had a note that Joe at A&C had given me. He advised me to let my painter know to be sure to use Dupont Polyoxidane. When I had mentioned this to my painter, he immediately knew I was talking about and said he wouldn't use anything but.

I completed my build last Summer and the finish still looks great.

As an aside, when I had this done I had figured that I would go with the gelcoat and perhaps a few years down the road, if the finish didn't hold up and at a time when there was more in the cookie jar, I would have the car painted. Truthfully, I am happy with the way the finish looks and hope I don't reach the point of having it painted.

If I were to do it again, I'd probably do it the same way.

There are pics in my gallery.

Tony

P.S. Roscoe, is the memory failing? My car is blue not red.