Jeep Camper – From XJ to Pop Top:
The third episode of the Pop Top Builder Series follows along as the camper top design comes to life. Final body work, primer, paint and polishing bring the vision to life.
Subscribe to see the rest of the jeep camping setup – from the pop top camper to an interior overland buildout.
Pop-Top Builder Series – Episode 3 Details:
- Fiberglass Moldmaking
- Primer & Bodywork
- Sanding, Polishing, Finishing
- Custom Fit Jeep Camper Top
- Continued: Jeep Cherokee Camper Conversion
Subscribe For Episode 4 – Dropping Soon!
Pop Top Builder Series: Episode 2 – Design & Prep
Pop Top Builder Series: Episode 1 – Design & Prep
More Details, Content & Connections:
Read More – DIY Pop-Top: Westfalia Retrofit
Read More – DIY Pop-Top: Finished Mold & Part (Fiberglass)
Homemade Camper: Questions & Answers:
Questions on the Pop Top Builder Series Process?
Comment Below!
Pop-Top Builder Series: Episode 3 Transcript
A custom camper like no other, built singlehandedly with little knowledge and a little too much DIY ambition.
In the first two episodes of the Pop Top Builder series, a custom fit pop up camper was specced and shaped around a vintage Jeep Cherokee.
A last few skim coats and spot correction meant it was time to wrap up shaping and work towards a mirror finished plug to replicate.
Primer – what should have been an end stage to prep work…
Not expecting some major setbacks to come.
Prime and shine.
I picked up a gallon of high build urethane primer and laid down a thick few coats to reveal any last areas of attention.
This stage of the build is nothing more than automotive primer and paint work.
The high build primer would allow for any last distortions to be revealed and sanded out to bring a new level of detail.
The high build urethane went on well, even with a $20 spray gun.
Unlike auto body, however, cutting and polishing can’t be put off until later.
Sanding.
Whatever the fiberglass mold is cast around is a done deal.
You need a show car finish from the get go…
Hence – priming, block sanding and repeating.
A quick guide coat revealed remaining low spots that would be knocked down in sanding, reprimed as needed and proven true and square.
I smoothed everything down again with a sanding board and gave a bit more work to the cross channels and curves.
Then, went ahead and sprayed a final few coats and transitioned into wet sanding.
Polishing
At this point, a final topcoat was sprayed.
Gloss black would reveal any last oddities to be spotted.
I caught and fixed another set of minor defects and went to work polishing.
Some of the biggest issues, those that can derail an entire fiberglass project come from incompatible materials and chemicals.
I knew it was crucial at this point to only use clearly marked silicone free cutting compound, but still found trouble ahead with the mold release process.
You see, think of all of this work as a nice home cooked tray of biscuits.
You forget to butter the pan: You’ll be putting up a fight. Mess up the mold release and you’ll likely have to throw away the entire mold and plug as they’re burned in together.
If it doesn’t say it’s silicone free right on the container, don’t believe for a second that it is.
Anyhow, went through another process of gradually finer wet sanding: your typical automotive paint correction.
Then hit everything with the buffer and polishing compound one last time.
A perfect mirror surface: look at that shine!
This was a happy stopping point and left me feeling quite confident moving forward.
Little did I know a good majority of this polishing and perfecting could soon be ruined.
You’ll have to tune into the next part of the series for that story.
Related Content:
DIY Pop-Top – Finished Redesign (Fiberglass Mold & Production)