Fiberglass Boat Finish Vs. FFR

[RuffusMD]

I am basically asking the question as to why all the prep and finishing work needs to be done on a Cobra kit car ? When boats are laid out , they are molded in a certain color , with stripes logos desigins ect ect inside the gel coat .. and no painting is done on the finished model .and some hulls are 70 + feet one piece . they do not have seams going down the lengh of the hull.. i.e they are usually joined between the deck and hull , and covered with a rib rail . So why are kit cars processed in such a raw manner that a lot of finishing needs to be done..If it is money , then it seems $ 500 more to make the body smoother ect could saves 1000's on body shop time later.. If i were to paint a boat , all I would have to do is gently sand the gel coat , prime and paint . The hull is made smooth and finished from the mold . So why the different ? I would think all cobra fiberglass bodies could be made as to need no finishing at all if you wanted the color molded in the body the factory sent you .an example blue with white stripes . get my drift?

[fenderbender]

I think it might have something to do with the fact that a boat hull is structural and the cobra body isnt so the boat mfrs put more time and effort in creating a more perfect product with technology like Pre-Preg, vucuum formed etc, etc. Dave Smith did mention to me at Moochfest that they are working on incoporating Pre-Preg they just havent worked out all of the kinks yet or found anyone with enough training with it. Also, I wouldnt want my finished product to rely on gel coat anyways, I would still sand and paint/clear. There have been Kit companies that offer near perfect bodies in a gel color of your choice i.e. IFG lambo kits, but the color fades and choices are limited. Plus, no metallic or candy choices in gel coat. tho it would be cool if the could gel in the stripe layout so that it would make that part of the prep easier, that shouldnt be hard.

[Rail_Pig]

I am considering ordering a MKIII kit myself and as a boating I was pretty suprised to see the photos of how rough the body is made. I agree a small cost at the manufacturing end could save thousands later in prep and paint. There is really no reason that some of the boat building techniques could not be used in the FFR bodies. Boat builders have been using fiberglass for decades and no reason to reinvent the wheel.

My future two cents.

[Steven K]

I think its the shape of the body. Boat pieces can be made as one and popped out of the mold. Think of the shape of the cobra body and I think it would be impossible to make it in one piece in a one piece mold.

[fenderbender]

Its not that small of a cost. Do you know how much it costs them to re-make a mold, or to make a new mold to use for different types of lay-ups or forming, injection molding? Its tens of thousands of dollars if not more, and for what? So that a small % of home/ do it yourselfers can save some time? These things are painted by professionals everyday at a cost and effort not that different from any other custom auto. Would I like it to be better quality because I am one of the DIY painters? Sure, but its not going to influence my decision to buy an FFR because there is some work involved with the body which from the latest ones Ive seen isnt all that bad. I wouldnt worry about it too much, if you farm it out, the painters on the forum do bang up work and arent complaining, and if you are doing it yourself its just another thing to be proud of when you're done [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Rail_Pig]

If you make one car the cost is great but molds do wear out and then it is a good time to retool as it were. Since FFR will be around for a while, they will continue to make a number of vehicles each year and the cost will come down with each one produced with a new production method or quality standard.

Who knows there might be a lot more people painting their own Cobras if the labor was no so intensive.

Ultimately it will not influence my decision either but I would like to put the savings into the mechanics of the car not so much into the paint. Much better to be proud of wrench time rather than cutting checks.

[Chas]

Because cobras look funny with a "rib rail"

[Steven K]

The money you'd spend for the better ready to paint body would probably be in the same ball park as what you pay for the body work. I'd rather do it this way.

[RuffusMD]

The ready color body was basically an example. I would not want to pay extra for a color I had no interest in. But if the body work was easier I would really consider painting it myself , in fact I still am. I am sure others would too if the finishing was not so labor intensive .But the notes I have read about finishing a body are.." I would not do it again " And " I sanded for hours and hours " . All I am really asking is why ? Is this just the way it is with any car project ? I am sure the corvette factory doesnt spend hours and hours on their paint finishing , like I read about finishing a FFR .

[Roscoe]

Not all kit cars are like that. My A&C was finished 6 years ago and I have over 24k miles on it.

It is not painted yet. This is the original gelcoat that came from the manufacturer. All I do is wax it up once a year.

Saved me alot of time aggravation and money. Someday I'll have it painted but for now.....
I'm drivin it.



Roscoe

[mrmac]

An FFR does not cost $55,000 plus. My FFR arrived two days ago and I think the body is just fine. A lot better then I thought after hearing all the whinning. If you know anything about body work it's not hard. If this is your first time you have to pay for the fun.
whinning??? Oh hell let's call it bitch'n. I can't spell.

Cheers [img]graemlins/beer.gif[/img] Mac

[mrmac]

Rosco;
Very nice [img]smile.gif[/img] You lucky dog
Cheers, Mac

[Shawn Whalen]

Gel coat is also very heavy and adds very little structural rigidty to the finished product.
If you wanted a nice gel coated finished Cobra body, expect to add an additional 100 or so pounds to the shell wieght.

[Hunter]

Very Good Point!!!

[mrmustang]

The pictures of Bob's car just don't do it's raw gelcoat body justice.........Weight wise, I'll bet Bob's car is within 100lbs of most small block FFR's on the road today......Of course I can't say the same for Bob [img]graemlins/evil.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Bill S.

[Hunter]

I mean about why can't the final product look better.

[mrmustang]

Originally posted by Hunter:
I mean about why can't the final product look better.

It's a small matter of better molds and the time spent curing in the them that could produce a better body for the FFR. The problem as explained to me many years ago while helping someone pick their kit up at FFR, they are a cranking out so many kits and so many bodies, thus creating this small issue themselves...Of course if people keep buying kits knowing that the body is as rough as it is, what incentive would FFR as a company have in making them a bit better in regards to seams and such.......

Bill S.

[Steven K]

Keep in mind that FFR is also trying to keep the kits at a certain price point, which is one of the reasons they have done so well.
I kind of like having the body a little rough, since I don't really worry about getting bumped, scratched, etc, while it waits for me to finish the rest of the car. I really don't see the big deal here.

[Roscoe]

I weighed my car on a truck scale.
Empty Operating Weight is 2350
Also, to buy an A&C body will cost you about 5k with the hood/trunk mounted and doors separate. Very close to the cost of an FFR rough body.

So there!

Roscoe

[RuffusMD]

I found a aftermarket FFR Cobra Body that claims is an improvement . The retail FFR racing body with all panels is $ 3450 .

This body sold by Tri States Cobra is $ 3895 , or about $ 550 more , more or less. It appears at least from the photos the finish would require much less prep work .

FFR After Market Body

Has anyone seen or finished one or these bodies ?

[Steven K]

I know someone who bought just the hood and he was very dissapointed.