Strip 'n Polish Project Thread (lots of great tips and links)

[Gregsch]

The ABS is the plastic piece that contains your front turn signals and wraps all the way around the front bumper. In the rear it is both corners behind the bumper (The center piece is aluminum and thus can be stripped.)

[Jenniflow]

Now I get it. 🔓

[Globie64]

I found with the PPG Eldorado that it melted some plastic stuff, in a nice way, some ancient, sticky goo from old stick-on reflectors, and old insurance stickers. It loosened some other things, like silicone caulk I used in error many years ago, and then missed when I un-caulked and then recaulked with with polyurethane.

I thought the whole process of stripping, and now grinding, would be horrible. It's not my first choice for spending saturdays, but it's actually pretty rewarding, each step. It's interesting too to read others experiences- the front of ours was super pitted, like 60 grit sand paper (the surface) I used 800 grit wet and dry paper, sopping wet, and that knocked it down. I was afraid at first to go through the outer, thin hard layer, but figured that it's mostly gone, with the depth of pitting. Once with the sandpaper, and then a couple of passes with F7 (I then buff it by hand with rags, what do others do?) and I have a sort of shine. My other half keeps oohing and aahing, which is great motivation.

[Bowmans]

Sounds like it is coming along nicely. On our 1979, the front, lower panels were pitted pretty good. I just used the compound and F7 as I did the rest. I had to run a few additional passes but left the pits. It still looked great from about 15 feet away.

On the 1950 We are working on now, I have only polished some of the roof and the c guard trim pieces that went around the lower, front and back. The pitting on the front trim, of course, is much worse due to the age. I had to pound it back into shape due to a lot of dents which bent up the channel. The channel is much thicker than the skin so I used 220 sandpaper after the shaping to get some of the rust stains and deeper pits out. Then scotchbright, then F7. Took a number of passes with F7 so may try a few lights paper grades on the back trim. It is coming out nicely. I'm not concerned with getting al of the pits and small dents out since that is the character but wanted the wrap to fit back on once I get the dents out of the C channel itself and shell off floor replacement.

[glw73069]

read a sales ad recently that stated it was "one of the last airstreams that could be polished to a mirror shine". Did they change exteriors at some point preventing the new ones to be polished to a mirror finish? When?Thanks?

[Vonda]

A big ole thanks for the information! Bought my first airstream a 1965 (the year I was born) Overlander, I am focusing on the interior right now but looking ahead to the exterior. Someone painted it grey because I guess they didn't like the shine-ugh. I guess the stripping process you did with the Romoveall will take the paint off as well.

Reading your posts and progress has been encouraging! I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the exterior but now I feel like I can manage it!

[Rhino33]

Wow, this is amazing! We've been debating doing our 31 foot international but were concerned about pinstriping.

Any thoughts from anyone on using this paint on method over the striping?

[Globie64]

Okay, a little perspective: what I've found is that a) since the corrosion variess over the trailer because of exposure, the techniques will vary. Where it was really bad on the front, like they drove it through a sand storm, I used 800 grit and wet sanded it. I wish I hadn't, it was really tough getting the swirls out of the aluminum. I'd prefer to take my chances with the buffer. b) on other areas, it went really fast, so far, only using F7. I prefer Nuvite to the other stuff, as it seems to be a better quality product. I'm curious to know what the rest of you think about polishing compounds. c) coming to the realization, after multiple weekends of polishing, that it's going to have a kind of patina and never be mirror finish. I prefer to think of it more like the finish on those veiny mirrors from the 60s. It's easy to obsess over it, at least for me.

[InlandNW310]

Here is a video i made of me polishing my 1982 310 TD over the summer

Enjoy

InlandNW310

[pond]

This is great! I wanted to start this project this weekend. The best thing for me to do in the LI, NY area is, I strip it and have a professional come in and polish. No body wants the whole job!

The BIG surprise was while washing the roof, I see it's painted white with caulking extending in a radius 6-8" from each roof unit, AC, vents, etc..Should I strip and polish this also or just clean it? The truckers may like the look? hahaha

Is this the standard roof and can I crawl around up there or not. There's lots of dirt around the rivets and "gutters"?

Thanks my friends,

Pondgrass

[InlandNW310]

Another video i made while polishing my 1982 310.

Enjoy
InlandNW310

[InlandNW310]

Again, my time lapse. Sorry for the posting errors.

[Silverflames]

Inland the link does not appear to work.?

[pond]

I've been told in 1997 the aluminum was changed so it can't be polished like the vintage ASs. Also the PPG Aerospace PR-Peroxide-Activated Stripper will not work on the 1997 Safari. This product is the replacement for Removall.

This info was a lititle late to the party n I have a 5 gallon pail of the PPG minus ~ 4 oz for a test area. It is for sale. I have the receipt n I can send a picture of the jug. It's $218.00 with shipping full. I'll let it go for $150.00 + shipping.

Pondgrass

[0557]

Mine is a 92 Linited, same aluminum as yours. They can be polished

[pond]

Like the Galactic lighting!

What did you use to strip?

[0557]

Kleen strip aircraft stripper, not a good choice but it did the job.
Your brand is obviously much better and safer.

[CoreyH]

Can you get a mirror finish with clearcoat or is yearly polishing the only way to achieve this?

I read the whole tread looking for the answer and did not see it. I would like to have a mirror finish. A one time deposit of 200 hours for polishing I can stomach, but 50-60 hours every year seems unreasonable to me. That is 1/3 of my yearly vacation. I would rather be camping.

[pond]

This isn't for inspiration, but my shoulders don't have 200 hours left in them so I may abandon the job or wait til Spring. The PPG will work in warmer weather or I'll wait til I'm in another part of the country, where someone may be interested in the job.

The "brushed look" looks really good on newer models, I'll go with that. But I don't know what's involved with that either.

I'll take an answer on that also.

[sandgrubber]

Originally Posted by Vonda

A big ole thanks for the information! Bought my first airstream a 1965 (the year I was born) Overlander, I am focusing on the interior right now but looking ahead to the exterior. Someone painted it grey because I guess they didn't like the shine-ugh. I guess the stripping process you did with the Romoveall will take the paint off as well.

How's it going, Vonda. My 1971 Caravel, like your Overlander, was painted gray. Looks like elephant hide. You've probably discovered that the Removall stuff is no longer available, and the suggested alternative peroxide based stripper only comes in 5 gallon lots . . . way more than I expect I'll need for an 18-footer. I would much prefer to stick to peroxide based and avoid more toxic compounds.

Have you chosen your stripper? How's it gone?