Hey guys, well I just got a free Camper shell today for my 81 pickup today! It cleaned up really nice but it has a few cracks in it. I will post some pics tomorrow, but i would like to know how to fix the cracks and what steps I will have to take in order to paint it as well? I really want to paint it the same color as my truck. the problem is, is that the camper shell is not metal or fiberglass. it is plastic. So Bondo, or fiberglass will not patch the cracks. at least not to my belief. anyone know of anything else i can do to repair the cracks? and how I can paint plastic?

 

are you sure it is plastic? most shells are fibreglass or steel/aluminum... the gelcoat finish on some 'glass ones may look like plastic...
If it is plastic the cracks can be repaired with a "Gap Filling CA" [crazy glue] product or epoxy glue the same as you'd use for 'glass...

painting is the easy part... start with a good cleaning and degreasing then lightly sand it with some fine sand paper to give it some "tooth", wipe off the dust with some damp cloth, f paint the shell with a coat of plastic primer allow to dry and follow with the colour match paint of your choice... NAPA can provide spray cans of most paints in a plastic safe formulation...

 

ahh yes .. I have see the "plastic " ones before .. simple and cheep .. built to compete against the fiberglass products .. not quite!!!

anyway .. I have used a simple saudering iron with a "spade" tip .. and dripped plastic into the crack ... heating the crack to accept the new material ..

easier said then done ..


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yeah no doubt it is "cheaper" than the sister fiberglass ones, but it does indeed look good. I am sure once i paint it and repair the cracks it will look awesome. no one will know its plastic but me? Besides it is an old truck anyways it doesn't have to be perfect. even though i know i few guys who want her... But i got to admit, i have never driven a truck that runs so good in my life, it runs like a champ... and you can't kill it.

 

****WARNING!!!***
Ignore my earlier [edited] advice to use MEK on your plastic cap!..

under no circumstances should you use MEK on plastic it will melt on contact!...

My bad... hope I stopped everyone in time...

 

thanks man. np. i haven't started on the getting it prepped yet... that will have to wait till the weekend

 

glad I caught you in time... I can't afford to buy a cap just now lol...

 

np man. even if you did cause me to ruin it, i wouldn't have blamed it on you! i would have blamed it on myself. haha