Polishing 1969 Globetrotter

[dbj216]

Of all the things I have lost; I miss my mind the most. My son has decided to sell his 69 Globe Trotter 21' and I decided it would look better polished. First I polished our 86 Limited 34', then the Overlander 27', and now the 69 Globetrotter 21'. I have spent all winter and spring polishing. I need to seek counseling help right away.

Each one of these Airstreams is made with a different aluminum. The Limited is 3004 H18, the Overlander is 6061 T6 and the Globe Trotter is Alclad 2024 T3. They all polish differently.

The Globetrotter in Alclad is the easiest to polish. This material is coated with a thin layer of pure aluminum for corrosion protection. I first tried the tried and true Nuvite process with compounding wool bonnet with F7. I wasn't having much luck making progress.

So I switch to the buffing process. Caution!!! You can burn through the soft pure aluminum layer easily with a buffing wheel and leave a burn mark that won't polish out. I used a sewn cotton buffing wheel with Caswell fine grit "white" polish. It is working okay for me, no burn marks yet. Then I follow with my Cyclo and F7 medium polish to take the buffing "scratches" out. I'll finish up with Cyclo and Nuvite S

The Alclad material will polish to a very high level of "reflectivity", or a mirror like surface finish. The newer vintage Airstreams are harder to achieve this level of reflectivity. Alclad went away in 1972 I think.

The polishing fool I am.

David

[Aerowood]

Being you have lost your money mind, you can come down from the mountains and polish a 71 Globetrotter.

[Bubba L]

David, I’m with Kip. If you’re going to make that long trip to polish his, dipping down to central Texa wouldn’t be all that bad. I have a 63 Bambi that bends to be polished. Half the size of yours. I’ll even supply the extension cords. And, I’ll make up some business cards for you saying “Have Cyclo Will Travel” (before your sanity returns).

[dbj216]

Thanks friends. I welcome the opportunity. But you will have to wait until I get released from the mental hospital ward. The doctors have not found out what is wrong with me.

David

[Aerowood]

I'm sure a double shot of some fine spirits would help.

Sent from my Lenovo YT3-X90F using Airstream Forums mobile app

[Hittenstiehl]

By all means let us get in line, we have a 62 and a 61 you may polish also. The 61 is pristine oxidation and the 62 had a polish job by a po. Well be glad to wait till you get released as it's kind of hot here in the summer but your welcome to escape your cold and polish in our warm winter weather.

[mrdes8]

Easy now David, easy, just put the buffer down and step away.... Do you golf, would you like to learn? Maybe knitting?
All the best, Mark D

[dbj216]

A person must be crazy to spend all those hours grinding off corrosion on an old Airstream just so he has to do it again to keep it looking decent. The doctors are suggesting I may have a condition called "aluminaites". Something to do with an addiction to aluminum. I can't imagine.

David

[veitchtr]

Feel. This.

[dbj216]

Well the therapy worked and I'm back at polishing the Globetrotter without cussing so much. I find the Alclad material is easier to polish, and certainly easier to get high reflectivity, or "mirror" like surface finish. It is also easier to scratch. Just wipe it gently with a dirty rag, and scratches appear.

I find the end cap material is harder to polish than the straight side material on this trailer. I don't know the reason. Maybe one of you folks know. Maybe the end cap material is different somehow. But it doesn't polish as well.

I'll be done with the Globetrotter polishing in another couple of days.

David

[Dingo Girl]

I just finished stripping my 67 Caravel.
The end caps definitely look like different material than the straight panels. They look more "matte" finish while the straight panels have the Alclad.
I was wondering why?

[dbj216]

Hi dingo girl: I believe the end caps are of a different spec aluminum. Maybe due to aluminum forming needs to get the compound curves of the segments right.

We always say when crawling around on the roof of your trailer (at the formers, or rivet lines of course), don't walk on the end caps. They are not as strong. Some of that is due to lack of structural support under them.

Our 86 Limited has been hailed on three times. The dents are in the end caps, but not on the roof material. And my Overlander end caps did not polish near as well as the side skins.

But keep at it. I believe any piece of aluminum, or most other metals, can be polished to a perfectly smooth surface finish. Hopefully it will have some reflectivity when done.

David

[Dingo Girl]

No polishing for me. I would easily become obsessed with the task.

[dbj216]

Well maybe obsessed. Or maybe disgusted by the fact you have created a forever job. Something to do every year. And look at all the neat gear you get to buy. And black dust everywhere. So much fun.

David

[Dingo Girl]

That really is quite a look.
Heres a question for you DJB.
What color is the name plate/serial # badge on a 67?? It looks to be very faded blue.

[dbj216]

I wondered the same thing myself. There is an interesting thread here on "color of name plate" where the participants determined the colors of the blue and red on their nameplates.

David

[Dingo Girl]

Thanks DJB. I looked it up.