U-Pol Gravitex

[marknotgeorge]

I've nearly finished the left floorpan of my TR7, and I'm now thinking about coating it. I've completed the front half, and so far I've Kurusted the bare metal inside the car (I previously wire-brushed the original floorpan - the repair panel came in red oxide), before a couple of coats of U-Pol Acid #8 and a couple of coats of primer, which seems to have worked well.

I plan to do similar to the rear half and the underside, before seam-sealing using Tiger Seal or Sikaflex and top-coating. For the underside, I plan to top coat with U-Pol Gravitex stonechip. I've seen good reports of this on t'interweb. I plan to brush it on, not having a compressor. I've also heard it has sound deadening properties, so I'm thinking of using it inside.

Any thoughts?

 

[malcolm]

Had a look at the U-pol website. See this page. I think it is a anti-stonechip PRIMER. So it will need to be overpainted. There's a tintable version below it where the tint requires less overpainting.

Anti-stonechip is great stuff for underneath a car. Normally the process is a decent primer to adhere to the metal, seam sealer, anti-stonechip, then a top coat in your favourite colour. Stonechip itself generally doesn't adhere to metal nor provides a decent water seal.

Stonechip is most effective when applied thickly. Using a brush a dabbing action rather than a brushing action would be closer to the sprayed finish.

Don't use it inside. Weight for weight there are better ways of soundproofing a TR7, and i'd worry about creating rust traps.

 

[marknotgeorge]

I did look at the U-Pol website, and it looks to me like the tintable version is designed so you can colour-match the Gravitint to match the original stonechip. I've emailed U-Pol to ask whether it needs to be overpainted.

Thanks for the tips on brushing - I wasn't too fussed about the look of the finish, as long as it works. But it seems simple enough, so I'll give it a go.

As for inside, the original sound proofing was that black bituminous stuff, which seemed to be applied to bare metal, so there was surface rust underneath it. I've already primed (or plan to) the floor, so that shouldn't be a problem. What would you suggest? It needn't look original as it's going under carpet, but needs to be hardwearing and waterproof, as it's a convertible.

 

[jaykay]

i would over coat that,myself,you can get self adhesive sound deadning sheets now just cut to size.

 

[eil]

What are the sound deadening sheets called jaykay

 

[Robotstar5]

Try a motor factors and ask for dedsheet

 

[Chris598]

I'm doing exactly the same on my Fixed head wedge, passenger front floorpan replaced, I've cut out the rear so just a big hole at the mo as I contemplate the rusty bulkhead behind it!
I've used Boda Rust Primer (appears like red oxide) both inside & out after plently of zinc weld sparay between the joints. I plan just to paint ontop of it then for the underside use Dinitrol stone chip & waxes etc.
Post some pics up!

 

[marknotgeorge]

I'll sort some pictures out soon, as I'm busy studying for my AAT exams at the moment. I've found that the fillet repair pieces Robsport sell fit fairly well, although I had to fabricate my own patches for the bit between the inner fillet piece and the propshaft. The floor repair panel (which I got off eBay but comes from Rimmers) I found easier to fit by cutting it in half just inside the trailing arm mounting. I managed it (just about) with the suspension in place (I raised it up on the rear axle), but removing the rear axle etc would make access easier, although you'd need bigger axle stands.

 

[zardoz]

be interested to see some pics on that, keep us posted.

 

[marknotgeorge]

Oh, by the way, I emailed U-Pol. I received a helpful reply from Melvyn, a Development Chemist:

Gravitex can be left as just a protective coating or
overpainted - some people colour match the original bodywork
- this is down to customer preference.