Was Shiney....

[nellie the elephant]

People...help me out here, please. I'm obsessed, and desperate. I've spent hours...not once, but twice now, getting Nellie ('66 Safari) to a mirror finish. Very impressive, and a show stopper.....for five minutes.

OK, grant it, I live 3 miles from the beach, and I store the girl a mile from the L.A. airport without a shelter, but come on....we put people on the moon for christsake. After hours of online research, I find squat to protect polished aluminum from oxidation. And don't give me that stock answer of "check with www.AirstreamDreams.com for their sealer"....I'm not an idiot. My shine lasted less that a month with two coats of that "Sea Breeze" polymer sealer. I need a real solution, not a band aid, and I'm super close to just spraying on some water white laquer all over it, and calling it done. Somebody stop me!!

Come on. All you polish freaks out there...wipe the black off your hands, and type me your recipe to protect the skin.

Sad, and desperate
Nellie

[Lee Pace]

Nellie,

The only answer I can think of is to wax! wax! wax! and keep it clean.

Lot of help I know.

Gloria
60 Overlander

[garry]

Takes a lot of work to get a shine like that I know as I am in the process of polishing. I'm using plain ol Turtle Car Wax but that may not work in your area. The best is supposed to be products containing carnabala wax. Have you tried that ??
My 2 cents says: If all else fails you will have to go back with a clear coat like the factory orignal.

Garry

[ALANSD]

I mentioned on another thread some of us are using Liquid Glass, put on 2 coats or more, it goes on easy, but you have to pre by stripping the old wax with a pre cleaner. Seems to be a great hard finish after you are done.

[nellie the elephant]

Where did you get the liquid glass? It sounds like it could work.

[63flyingcloud]

Oasis RV in Tucson is the closest place to have a factory clearcoat applied. (800) 658-5863.

I just called them, and they said it would cost "about $2,800" to do a 22' trailer. When I asked how long it would last, they said: "five to ten years, depending how you take care of it." That, they explained, means waxing it 2-3 times a year. When I asked what wax works best on clear coated and non-clear coated Airstreams, they didn't have any specific recommendation, just "any good car wax."

Tom

[Creampuff]

I read up on carnuaba wax and it has a short lifespan even though it is renowned for shine and thus used by show car freaks.It will not stand up long in sunny or ocean climates.
I too am looking for the magic solution as my shine went backwards as soon as I turned my back.
Most guys seem to be using something acrylic.
What about the Rolite sealer - is that the one you say does not cut it??

[nellie the elephant]

It doesn't cut the mustard. It clouded out in two monthes, with two coats on it. Keep searching, and share with the rest of us.

[Creampuff]

Nellie and I have been waiting patiently here for a week- and the shine just keeps on getting duller!
I once read a post by Andy (inland) that stated polished aluminum isn't safe inside 40 miles from the coast - and I'm sad to say -he's right!
Someone out there has to have some ideas on a sealer that will get us out of never ending ' polishing hell "???
Don't make us have to go to the antique aircraft boyz!

[Dbraw]

Quit worrying, move East.
Dan

[gwsullivan]

Dan, I could have sworn there was salt water on the East coast also!?

[vegas73globetrotter]

Nellie, I have a friend in Houston, TX, that is in the auto industry, he recomended a product called Por(e) 15, he said it woul be the best. I was told it would give a glass like finish, it is also a paint or spray on.

Hope this helps
Jesse

[Pick]

Por-15 is for application to rusting iron/steel. You'll really be mad it you apply it to a polished Airstream.

I have been searching for "Glass Wax" both near and far. Have yet to find any.

[InsideOut]

I have been searching for "Glass Wax" both near and far. Have yet to find any.

You won't find any unless it's old stock...it's no longer being made. You may want to check out this old thread

Shari

[Dbraw]

Jerry,
Stop after you cross the Mississippi River and there won't be no salt.
Dan

[53flyingcloud]

Pick, you're right in a sense,

Por-15 is for application to rusting iron/steel. You'll really be mad it you apply it to a polished Airstream.

But, this company does sell a clear coat finis as well..
Check out their website.

ciao

[Creampuff]

Hey 'Cloud you are right- I found the product you are referring to .
It's called GLISTEN PC and claims to work on highly polished aluminum.
Here's the link :

http://www.por15.com/product.asp?productid=246

Anyone ever used it? It sounds great, although not cheap- but hey- it's about the same as a tub of Nuvite but you get a quart!

[j54mark]

There was a thread on Glisten about six months ago with some suggestion that somebody ought to give it a try. Apparently no one ever did, or at least never reported on it. It appears to be made and sold as a clearcoat for aluminum wheels.

Mark

[InsideOut]

I don't know about the Glisten...but if it's anything like the POR-15, I wouldn't do it! POR-15 is a resin-like paint, I used it on our bumper and tongue. It thickens and cures like resin as it's drying...I can't imagine how you would cover a large surface (like your whole trailer) before the consistency starts to thicken. I could see it for a small item like a wheel...

Would love to hear a report from someone...although we have no intentions of applying anything but Glass Wax (I have about 6 cans) or some other wax once it's gone.

Shari

[53flyingcloud]

I first looked into this product sometime last year but, as I hadn't polished my A/S then..I "filed" this info away for future references.
You'll need the Adobe Reader to open the PDF file.(Everyone has this reader, don't they??) lol
POR-15 ClearCoating.

ciao