Here's such an elementary 'eye-ball rolling' question that I can almost hear them rotating in their sockets now...and for that reason - reluctance to expose my ignorance - I've refrained these past three years from asking for an answer...But:
How do I tell the difference between a gelcoat exterior finish and paint?
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Mr Berry, that is an age old question.... gelcoat is super hard, hit the surface with a hammer and it spider cracks it's ...gelcoat :~)
On any seam use a lever device such as screw driver and gently pry until a piece of the glass is removed. Next examine both surfaces. Typically they are a uniform color indication gel coat. See the reference image. An additional teaching point is don’t let a stupid person near your car.
Carl, put the hammer down!
Generally gelcoat will not be as glossy as paint, but that's not a definitive way to judge. I like Alan's suggestion - smack it with a hammer and see what happens 
Dennis has a good example......
I like Dennis's suggestion...and I'm glad Merklin agrees 'cause smashing it with a hammer seems extreme. As far as not allowing a "stupid person" near the speedster, I try my best to stay away...but it's just so darn seductive!!!
Now the next question is:
Can a gelcoat be wet sanded resulting in a mirror-like surface?
Also, (this question doesn't deserve a thread of its own)
Sometime over the summer I'll be replacing my steel Mangels for a set of light weight Centerline alloys...but I'll need longer wheel bolts. In searching the Internet all of the examples of bolts have a beveled collar to snug into an indented bolt hole...The Centerlines have a flat service; so it seems I either need wheel bolts without the collar, or modify the Centerline holes by grinding a beveled seat for the collared bolts...Any suggestions??
YES ! Gelcoat can be wet sanded with 1500 soap and water then machine buffed... I had a black CMC that was nearly flat black from sitting, I had a local body shop sand and buff it and it looked like bc/cc when done
Seems paint remover (HD Citristrip stripping gel for example) would strip paint clear down to it mold gelcoat - where paint remover wouldn't phase gelcoat. Suspect heat gun would bubble up paint too and allow it to be scrapped off with a plastic putty knife.
You'll most likely need bolts with a collar (Summit Racing) the size of the holes in the alloy wheels and washers against the softer wheel. (Assuming you have studs).
This is probably another thread but we’re on the subject of gel coat so I’ll ask this question. Image of my damaged gel coat is posted in this thread. Can I repair the engine lid and have it painted to match the existing car color? Important it is not obvious the lid is painted to. Next year at Carlisle it would be embarrassing to have members and guest tell me how nice my car looks and not be sincere
To get a good paint match you need to have the ge-lcoat well shined. Most NAPA and body shop supply houses have a camera gun specific for color matching and does so at no charge.
How it works:
The camera is placed on a clean surface, the camera computer reads the color and if possible finds an exact matching a production paint color, if not it actually formulates a mix to get an exact match. Tis match will work when painting an entire panel i.e. door deck lid etc but will not blend into gel-coat as it will leave an "edge" because of the differences of paint / gel-coat properties.
Thanks Greg,
These are certainly pretty but I don't have studs!
My existing wheel bolts have about 3/4" of thread length, whereas the Centerlines will require a thread length of about 1 1/2"
Thanks Alan, that is what I'll do. And I've got another job before Carlisle 2016. Any suggestions?
VS has carpet kits that only need minor trimming to fit CMC or if you're cheap and nuts like me, buy a roll of good automotive quality carpet off eBay and have at it ~
Carl - You are a stud -- or can get them for just a few more $$$. Just Lock-tite them in and good to go.
http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDe...ProductCode=C13-9518
Good idea Greg...but I'm sort of a wheel freak...
If I lock-tite studs instead of using wheel bolts, then I've lost the flexibility of mounting something else that might catch my fancy when I've grown tired of the Centerlines!!!...(I'm keeping my eyes open for something spiffy in a 16' diameter)
What'za big deal??
14mm Studs and collared/flat-flanged lug nuts are the way to go.
Install them with Locktite Blue (Medium). Then, if you want to remove them later on, just use a couple of regular nuts (same thread pitch) locked together on the end to spin the stud out. No biggie.
Measure the thickness of your drum/hub before you buy the studs so you can be sure you've only got 1/8" or so sticking past the inside of the drum/hub so it doesn't interfere with anything spinning around in there while giving enough length on the outer side of the wheel to have 1/8" or so sticking out beyond the lug nut.
Finding 14mm flat-flanged lug bolts might be a problem, while finding 14mm collared/flat-flanged lug nuts is relatively easy.
This is a little sidebar to Carl's note earlier to put the hammer down. He didn't listen to me and now he has a ****oo. I told you Carl!
Interesting edit above...if you spell boo boo as one word the filter reads b o o b and gets all hissy. How old are we here?
Carl;
Here's an OEM supplier to most German car makers. Not sure if chrome is available. I didn't look as I wanted to paint mine flat black, which I did.
http://www.purems.com/Products...BOLT1450BWheel-Bolts
Regards, Art
That certainly looks like what I'll need...I'm choking on the price though.
This wheel fetish of mine is getting damn expensive!!
Ya get 10 bolts for $13 --- not a single one. So just need 2 cards of 10.
Those are for a Ford pickup truck.
They are metric, but I can't remember if the threads are 14mm (which I think you want) or larger. IIRC the threads on a VW hub are 14mm but I can't remember the thread pitch so you'll have to figure that out before you head out to find some.
10 for $13 huh?
Well thanks Gordon and GregThat's a lot easier to swallow than my assumption that they were $13 apiece.
An assumption that should make a hilarious story for the telling around a Carlisle campfire.
Hell......we're sittin out by the pool and we're already hilarious!
Thread pitch is 1.50, and Gordon you are correct 14mm threads
"Hell......we're sittin out by the pool and we're already hilarious!"
No doubt facilitated by some refreshing adult beverage(s).
Does anyone know who would have a Bra for a JPS Speedster? What about the 3M clearcoat for the front end to protect from chips?
RonM
Heels and hat on, bra and panties off. We were talking about women right?
I would go with the clear vinyl wrap on front because car bra tends to ruin paint.
Think about dust getting under bra and the vibration from motion turns it into a orbital sander. Just my opinion and experience, I had a bra on a car once.
Once was enough. 
Does anyone know who would have a Bra for a JPS Speedster? What about the 3M clearcoat for the front end to protect from chips?
RonM
I don't let anyone eat chips in my Speedster....no salsa either.
Oh and no bras......none on the car either.
Heels and hat on, bra and panties off. We were talking about women right?
Heels and hat on or off; when we're at that point, who cares!
I have a custom-made bra from Wardlow Custom Masks that covers quite a bit of the front of the car. I only use it for long distance travel but I have done so for 9 years now with no damage to the paint. That said, I have quite a few chips (poorly patched) from local driving and would certainly consider a clear bra next time. Be advised, though, that they are pricey and have to be replaced after a few years if the car is outside a bunch. I am on the second one on my 4 year old daily driver BMW. It's not an option in a container port city.
