BMW Carbon Fiber Roof with damaged gelcoat. Can it get worse?

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BMW Carbon Fiber Roof with damaged gelcoat. Can it get worse?

Author	Message
jvictormp	j jvictormp posted 6 Years Ago HOT Topic Details
j Group: Forum Members Posts: 3, Visits: 13	Hi there. I kindly ask you to take a look at this carbon fiber roof of my car, because I don't have enough knowledge about CF and need some advice to make a decision. The gelcoat is damaged, and now the CF is exposed. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VnbM6h_sRv2O_bYmapGShuZ-p5kp1wi-bwTGoyWNoLPgeY_8nFVaRdClLiwsMUeYNhPerIteuwkVzV-TnhJzswm4AVdNFtMwkB1HCNOWb8p44IH_dQECDaHk1_Jo1yRkHkhwuXK7EZ00Tzv2sx3PygpucPVXbM_XLhnxEYFUGfLHjBPw2xiUTbHOdFkyFhAbIEVfdZ3A4cf2Lz_aaBvNzOAafOisDn9t_xW_R0aUKLRNRrwO4QZOyo7gnIcDQza2UTNDe16WYWZmIUNMRpQbeoLXNVz15V0ZjiSE8o-fX6yK7Ul0HY6PBm09eM4Rc0EodB4adMHJ7M6IjbUNZCDE1mloTJhZXwgBMe5kCTclEv87rI8APUl4n6IAbnFxNRLp9GG6c_2ilSvMK-TyGmIWzUPGp8zOKylwtAHuTImKBslWHLBflGdf0v286s0qOCZmnRVQAcgnhJM-hz6qYL_oZzyIPC9AyKo5DtrX-J4lz2jShGC9FldqTpxmcz0k81jgKazr6BpOUqfgAxJM7YN1yy7sRz2szzd_XhKFYqO_CFaVesAG91MSi3All7792enuUoijw_NNWoYMoojyYGlcw3zh7bBitlW95Lxu7npZjh_vx9SHSJPg6iDyC6PomS-SqMAoo_f3AXFQ_Qa-EsgL9HWI0w=w1292-h970-no I don't run this car too often, something like once a week. When I do, it is exposed to moisture of the day or night, sometimes the sun, sometimes water in a rain or a wash. When not, it is kept in the garage, without rain and sun, only moisture. I was advised to peel off the gel coat and apply clear coat (with about 7 layers), but since that would a little expensive, I'd like to wait about 7 months to do that. My question is: is there a hurry to do that, as the carbon fiber may get damaged by those agents (sun, water, moisture), which would make do it ASAP, or it is very resistant to them so that I can wait the 7 months? Thanks! Edited 6 Years Ago by jvictormp
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oekmont	oekmont posted 6 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 550, Visits: 27K	Carbon composites aren't that sensitive. Moisture and water have little impact, especially at non-structural components. Sunlight however can yellow the resin over time. Clear laquer protects it from the uv light. If you wait to long, and use/leave your car outside, you might end up with an amberish spot, where the laquer was damaged. You could get some clear/black/dark grey car wrap film, and place it onto the damage. This will keep of the uv light as well. It isn't necessary to peel down the whole laquer, and 7 coats of clear coat won't be necessary either. That would result in a "deepness effect" far greater than the original part. A local sand down and a spot repair will already get you flawless finish again.
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jvictormp	j jvictormp posted 6 Years Ago HOT Post Details
j Group: Forum Members Posts: 3, Visits: 13	+x oekmont - 5/16/2019 3:15:32 AM Carbon composites aren't that sensitive. Moisture and water have little impact, especially at non-structural components. Sunlight however can yellow the resin over time. Clear laquer protects it from the uv light. If you wait to long, and use/leave your car outside, you might end up with an amberish spot, where the laquer was damaged. You could get some clear/black/dark grey car wrap film, and place it onto the damage. This will keep of the uv light as well. It isn't necessary to peel down the whole laquer, and 7 coats of clear coat won't be necessary either. That would result in a "deepness effect" far greater than the original part. A local sand down and a spot repair will already get you flawless finish again. Thank you so much, oekmont, for the prompt reply! The spot repair you mean is the same way we would do in a painted surface, except for the primer and base colour? Just put clear coat above the gelcoat layer?
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Hanaldo	Hanaldo posted 6 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 28K	Yeh as above, just do a local repair, there's no need to remove the surrounding gelcoat. Just mask off a square around the damaged section (so you don't sand the surrounding area), and then feather out the damaged gelcoat with 120 grit sandpaper until it is nearly flat with the exposed carbon. Apply some clear coat, let cure, flat down with 800 then 1200, then polish. Less than an hours work in it.
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jvictormp	j jvictormp posted 6 Years Ago HOT Post Details
j Group: Forum Members Posts: 3, Visits: 13	+x Hanaldo - 5/16/2019 4:31:23 AM Yeh as above, just do a local repair, there's no need to remove the surrounding gelcoat. Just mask off a square around the damaged section (so you don't sand the surrounding area), and then feather out the damaged gelcoat with 120 grit sandpaper until it is nearly flat with the exposed carbon. Apply some clear coat, let cure, flat down with 800 then 1200, then polish. Less than an hours work in it. Hanaldo, thank you so much! As you guys helped me, I'm going to wait until next year to do the job, because, even if it doesn't need much specialized work, something can go wrong, and I won't have the money to undo the mess. Thanks alot!
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