Komet trailer painting

[jim]

What are the best procedures and materials for painting the fiberglass
top on a Komet trailer? Prep? Primer? Urethane? Epoxy? Auto body
shop? Aircraft paint shop?

[lanebush]

I painted my Eberle last year. You can see the results on the Yahoo
Standard Cirrus Group website under the photo album labeled "209
Project". I am accustomed to painting airplanes but did not want to
spend $400 on paint for the trailer. I went to the local paint shop
and got a gallon of fiberglass primer (used on fiberglass porch
columns). I then used a single stage polyurethane that they sold.
Amazingly it does not require an activator. All in I had less than
$75 in the paint and primer. I shot it with a gravity feed gun. How
did it go? The single stage urethane does not have a "car" shine. It
is more like an eggshell finish. Also, I primed in the morning and
top coated in the afternoon. Two places where I primed heavily crazed
when the top coat was applied. This was caused by the solvents in the
top coat softening the primer underneath and leaving a "crinkle coat"
appearance. I am my harshest critic. Everyone at the field thought I
had purchased a newer trailer. Also, I had the local sign shop cut
some graphics of the Cirrus which I applied to the sides.

[David Martin]

I went with an auto body shop. Went to several in the area and got
bids. The best price was for me to strip off all of the side body
molding (I planned to replace that anyway) remove all the lights,
license plate, etc, and the front door (painted that myself with a
spray can) and bring it to the shop. They did an excellent job and as
I recall the price was $400. This was several years ago. Part of the
price was filling in all of the little nicks and scratches in the
surface. Most body shops are well versed in painting fiberglass.

David