General Motors insists on using defective low density SMC on 2015 Corvette Stingray and Z06 while "searching for effective remedy"

There is no doubt that +General Motors  missed the boat with their failed attempt at A-class ultra low density SMC.  As already explained here the material the newest generation uses (A-class means it is used on painted outer body panel surfaces) is a failure.  The material is both porous and brittle, resulting in multitude of cracked body panels (where the previous high density SMC held up just fine) and countless paint defects and truly shocking amount of orange peel.

However, what is even more shocking is the fact that +Tadge Juechter , his corporate leash handlers and the Bowling Green plant management are aware of the problems and continue to produce the newest Corvette while supposedly searching for solutions.

What does this mean?  What this means is that Corvettes using this defective material are being produced while GM experiments with solutions.  What it also means is that should the solution be ineffective, whoever buys these "R&D" cars may be dealing with problems even worse than the original problem.

So what are the GM geniuses doing to solve this problem?  First of all, not testing the material adequately prior to starting the production was both really stupid and short sighted.  By all accounts, based on this screw up alone, Juechter and the rest of the Corvette team should have been fired long time ago.  Now, Mary Barra and company allows the idiots who caused this problem in the first place, to fix it which makes Barra just as much of an idiot as the Corvette team.  Pretty obvious that there is nobody on the Corvette team or at the plant who has the ability to fix this problem.  If someone was capable, the production of Corvette would be stopped until the problem is solved and solve EFFECTIVELY.

As of now, Juechter and other idiots are "experimenting" with applying two primer coats to seal the surface effectively.  Can this work?  Of course it can but it has to be applied using correct primers and allowing for sufficient preparation before painting the parts.  This preparation must allow for sufficient curing time between the coats and SANDING of the surface.  Is this actually possible considering the high production rates, painting personnel that includes robots and unqualified UAW members working at the plant?  NOT A CHANCE. 

The super bad orange peel is on the Stingray as a result of thicker primer used to deal with the porosity of the defective new SMC.  High build primers need sanding prior to applying base coat, this is a fact but apparently not to the GM crew.  Fast drying high build primer is a guarantee of lumpy surface that results in orange peel.  What will exactly happen if TWO coats of primer are applied?  Can you say SUPER ORANGE PEEL?

In reality, there is only one kind of primer that can fix the problem with -   POLYESTER PRIMER which in reality is a two part polyester spray on gel coat that definitely requires longer curing time, sanding and follow up urethane primer before the color base coat can be applied.

Application of polyester primer requires separate spraying equipment and experienced painters, something that renders this solution an IMPOSSIBILITY given the current set up.

Furthermore, even if polyester primer was applied, there are two major problems with this solution:

1. The extra weight of the primer would negate any weight savings from the lighter material while adding very high cost that would result in even more price hikes for the newest Corvette.

2. The improvement in surface quality would do absolutely nothing regarding the STRENGTH of the new SMC, it would be just as brittle as before and anyone pulling off their front bumper would be in for quite a surprise seeing the factory repair attempts to patch up cracked fender mating surfaces while attempting to mate them with the front bumper.

The real solution?  ABANDON THE DEFECTIVE MATERIAL and either go back to the high density SMC (a few extra pounds means nothing anyway, considering that both the base Stingray and Z06 are already super heavy porkers) to achieve better surface finish quality OR...

find a better material, one that is superlight, yet a true A-class, suitable for surface areas and compatible with basic paint techniques.

Are these materials available?  Of course they are, like this one:

http://www.reinforcedplastics.com/view/34270/core-molding-technologies-introduces-airilite-low-density-smc/

It is never too late to man up, acknowledge the problem and then rectify it EFFECTIVELY.  Will this happen?  Not a chance, there is absolutely nobody in GM capable of actually handling this issue.

On the bright side, as dumb as Stingray buyers are, eventually, they may realize that class action law suit may be the way to go.  Even better way would be to avoid buying the seventh generation Corvette altogether but they are too brain washed and outright too stupid to realize this.