Caravan paint repair

[Bobupndown]

My caravan was damaged quite a few years ago on the front corner and was repaired badly by the insurance approved repairer. The paint was never good and in recent years the paint has started to 'craze' and lift in places. Its needing to be redone because it's now quite unsightly. Plan to tackle it myself as 1. It's only a small area and 2. The van is 14 years old now. I intend to take a side locker door to a paint company to scan to make me a suitable aerosol. Questions are:
As this is a grp front, what primer should I be using?
There are small stone chip sized defects in places, is a normal car body work stoppers ok to fill these?
What grade of sand paper should I sand down to before applying primer?
I know this will not be a perfect repair but im just looking to make it more presentable to look at than it is now. The greeny grey colour is not moss or algae but the grey primer below the cracking paint, (it had just been washed in these pictures). I intend to paint up to the front handle area and about 1/3 of the way along below the front locker door.

 

[Dapph2]

I'll view this thread with great interest as I have similar problems on our 16 yr old Bailey 500/5 S.
The people who were approved Bailey repairers went bust not long after sending my now more damaged but partly repaired caravan back to me . Some where along the line they washed it is a chemical that destroyed all the transfers as well & these cost a small fortune to buy for a full set.

 

[Bobupndown]

I'll view this thread with great interest as I have similar problems on our 16 yr old Bailey 500/5 S.
The people who were approved Bailey repairers went bust not long after sending my now more damaged but partly repaired caravan back to me . Some where along the line they washed it is a chemical that destroyed all the transfers as well & these cost a small fortune to buy for a full set.

When we bought our last caravan, an ABI Dalesman, the seller had another similar van also for sale but all the decals on it were badly faded. Talking to him about that he said he had got new decals made to replace the faded ones, a local vehicle graphics company were able to reproduce them. Worth checking a few places which might be a cheaper option that the genuine Bailey versions?

 

[Melvyn Best]

I'll view this thread with great interest as I have similar problems on our 16 yr old Bailey 500/5 S.
The people who were approved Bailey repairers went bust not long after sending my now more damaged but partly repaired caravan back to me . Some where along the line they washed it is a chemical that destroyed all the transfers as well & these cost a small fortune to buy for a full set.

As already suggested , try a local graphics company . My motorhome graphics are fading, I hope to get it sorted locally but if not, a visit to CraftSigns in Mansfield could be on the cards

 

[Kram]

Its a caravan. Whatever condition the paint it will always be unsightly!

For best results, sand back with orbital and 80-240grit disc to find sound paint or plastic and remove the chipped paint. 2k epoxy primer, da sand to p500, top gloss colour or basecoat then clear.

Or if you want to sand less and fill the chips, scuff the chipped area with 60-80 grit paper, use a 2k filler, sand, prime and colour as above.

 

[ajlelectronics]

Epoxy primer (two part) after cleaning, keying to 180 dry and cleaning. Use Dolphin Glaze to repair dings and dress back with 180. Lay another coat of primer over the repairs. Give it another flat with 320 dry, clean it, give it another flat with 500 grit dry, clean it and then it is ready for colour.

Cleaning is done with slow panel wipe, don't use water.

Feel free to PM or give me a ring if you need quick help.

 

[steveo3002]

Epoxy primer (two part) after cleaning, keying to 180 dry and cleaning. Use Dolphin Glaze to repair dings and dress back with 180. Lay another coat of primer over the repairs. Give it another flat with 320 dry, clean it, give it another flat with 500 grit dry, clean it and then it is ready for colour.

Cleaning is done with slow panel wipe, don't use water.

id go along with this one

 

[Bobupndown]

I assume a 2k primer such as this would do the job?

Next stupid question, how do I finish at the edge of the new paint to what will be coloured gel coat, do I just not mask a hard edge and just over spray slightly, fanning it out with colour and clear?

 

[ajlelectronics]

I assume a 2k primer such as this would do the job?

View attachment 539247
Next stupid question, how do I finish at the edge of the new paint to what will be coloured gel coat, do I just not mask a hard edge and just over spray slightly, fanning it out with colour and clear?

2K primer is dangerous and not as good as epoxy primer.

Ideally paint to some natural edges / seams, but if you can't do that for some reason, you can fade it out at the edges, but it will not be invisible. If you were painting over good 1k colour, then it would blend reasonably well. but that seems not to be the case here. I would be painting the whole front quarter and maybe masking a soft edge at the lower left where it looks like a seam but maybe just a mark.

If you are not painting metallics, then you have no need of clear coat, the paint is known as "solid colour". You can flat and polish it once fully cured.

 

[steveo3002]

you can get 2k epoxy in rattle cans , look hard enough they might do white
random example - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/177804542881

 

[Bobupndown]

2K primer is dangerous and not as good as epoxy primer.

Ideally paint to some natural edges / seams, but if you can't do that for some reason, you can fade it out at the edges, but it will not be invisible. If you were painting over good 1k colour, then it would blend reasonably well. but that seems not to be the case here. I would be painting the whole front quarter and maybe masking a soft edge at the lower left where it looks like a seam but maybe just a mark.

If you are not painting metallics, then you have no need of clear coat, the paint is known as "solid colour". You can flat and polish it once fully cured.

I know it won't be an invisible repair but anything is going to look better than it is now!
The front handle area is where it was painted to before which will be a natural break point, as you say along the front lower panel it isn't a panel edge just a dirty mark in the photo. Its low down and won't be at eye level there so not so visible.
Is this the sort of primer you're suggesting?

 

[sg66]

Forgive me if I missed it but is the panel GRP or acrylic capped plastic

 

[Bobupndown]

GRP

 

[ajlelectronics]

I know it won't be an invisible repair but anything is going to look better than it is now!
The front handle area is where it was painted to before which will be a natural break point, as you say along the front lower panel it isn't a panel edge just a dirty mark in the photo. Its low down and won't be at eye level there so not so visible.
Is this the sort of primer you're suggesting?
View attachment 539253

IF it has an activator, then yes, otherwise it is a con job. You could brush the primer if need be, it will just take a little longer to flat it out.