bare spots on shell

[david321]

hi, i just bought a 1986 345 motor home and im trying to find out how to fix or at least cover some spots on the outside were the coating has come off, it seem to be a common problem because all of the rvs i looked at had some type of blemish on the outer shell, can i just patch these without stripping the whole rv ? also we are looking for drapes is there a source were we can buy already made drapes for a 1986 345

[overlander64]

Greegings David321!

Welcome to the Forums and the world of Vintage Airstream ownership!

I am afraid that there isn't a simple solution to failure of the Plasticoat exterior coating. The Plasticoat material is only available to recognized repair centers as it is can be quite hazardous if not handled properly. P & S Trailer Service in Helena, Ohio is probably the closest place that does Plasticoating. They polished and Plasticoated my Overlander in 2002.

There are three possibilities when considering draperies for your coach:

• Order from Airstream through an authorized dealer or service center.
• Order from JP Ambruso, a long-time supplier of Airstream/Argosy draperies to the aftermarket.
• Fowler Interiors, another long-time supplier of aftermarket interior products for Airstream and Argosy products.

Good luck with your new coach!

Kevin

[david321]

thanks kevin thats very helpful, should i just leave the bare spots open until i can get it looked at in a year or can i cover it with a high quality clear coat

[overlander64]

Greetings david321!

Originally Posted by david321

thanks kevin thats very helpful, should i just leave the bare spots open until i can get it looked at in a year or can i cover it with a high quality clear coat

My suggestion would be a thorough cleaning then two coats of Walbernize. Walbernize is a product made specifically for Airstream's Plasticoat and provide the protection needed. Typically, the recommendation is to Walbernize twice each year -- it has helped keep the six year old Plasticoat on my Overlander in good condition (I do have some damaged Plasticoat on the domes, but it has been limited through applications of Walbernize). You can find Walbernize from a number of online sources.

Automotive clear coat products probably would not be of great help as they aren't designed for the type of expansion and contraction that takes place with our aluminum bodied coaches -- and they are also designed to be applied over paint rather than raw aluminum.

Good luck with your caoch!

Kevin

[Lumatic]

I'm not saying you can't do spot repairs but you may be postponing the inevitable that the rest of the coach will develop the same problem. From what I have read the life expectancy of clear coat is about 5 years. Other alternatives to striping and putting on new clear coat is 1. polishing and 2. spraying the coach aluminum. Aluminum paint lasts considerably longer than clear coat and is supposed to look very good.