Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 01-20-2025, 08:36 PM   #1
1 Rivet Member
 
1971 23' Safari
St clairsville , Ohio
Join Date: Sep 2024
Posts: 5
Tips on polishing her up?

New owner here and when spring arrives I would like to work on the outside. I really like the patina look vs the super shiney so I’m tempted to leave it alone. It will live inside now so no more sitting in weather.

Is this a clear coat issue or something we can clean up. I have no idea how to restore her to a more uniform polish. I will continue to search post but was hoping someone could offer advise. Thanks!!��

1971 Safari
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_4058.jpg
Views:	12
Size:	262.2 KB
ID:	450338   Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_4057.jpg
Views:	14
Size:	314.5 KB
ID:	450339  

Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_4056.jpg
Views:	9
Size:	289.7 KB
ID:	450340   Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_4055.jpg
Views:	9
Size:	251.6 KB
ID:	450341  

Miri is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2025, 09:01 PM   #2
Rivet Master
 
Dingo Girl's Avatar
 
1967 17' Caravel
Oak Creek , Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,636
Images: 3
It looks like the clear coat is peeling and some filiform corrosion is setting in.
There are many threads on this forum covering the corrosion and stripping the clear coat.
Google is good to search the forums just add, airforums to your query.
Good luck with the project!
Dingo Girl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2025, 08:52 AM   #3
Rivet Master
 
Minno's Avatar

 
1972 31' Sovereign
Lexington , Minnesota
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,032
We stripped the clear coat off our trailer with aircraft stripper (tried more environmentally friendly ones that were reported to work, but nothing did). Then we cleaned off corrosion around the upper part of the trailer with Purple Polish, then waxed. We wax with Griotts Garage spray on, wipe off. 2 coats every summer. We like the patina also, and she is plenty shiny for us. Plus, summers are short enough here that we don't want to spend that much time touching up the polishing every year.


Kay
Minno is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2025, 11:41 AM   #4
3 Rivet Member
 
Redbarron55's Avatar
 
1985 25' Sovereign
Navarre , FL
Join Date: Jul 2024
Posts: 106
I have the clear coat blistering on our 1985 25' Sovereign and I want to just strip that old coating and not polish anything. Having done that with a few airplanes I want to do everything I can to not get into polishing anything.
Redbarron55 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2025, 09:10 AM   #5
Rivet Master
 
Dingo Girl's Avatar
 
1967 17' Caravel
Oak Creek , Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,636
Images: 3
I used Citra-Strip. It worked very well on my 67.
I had about 60 hours into stripping a 17 footer.
Hoping it turns a nice gray color in time.
No polishing. I'd rather camp.
Dingo Girl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2025, 08:35 PM   #6
1 Rivet Member
 
1971 23' Safari
St clairsville , Ohio
Join Date: Sep 2024
Posts: 5
Thanks for the input. Having no experience with an airstream we were really not sure what was causing it. It’s not peeling or has any spots that we could see that looked like definite peeling. It’s more like wearing out in spots. When the weather clears up we will try with a spot of stripper and see if that makes a difference. Thinking clear coat strip and some waxing might give us a good start. I definitely do not want shiny 🙂

After reading about the corrosion, I don’t see anything that looks like that. Pictures makes it hard to tell.
Miri is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2025, 09:20 AM   #7
Rivet Master
 
Minno's Avatar

 
1972 31' Sovereign
Lexington , Minnesota
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,032
On our trailer the corrosion was mottled looking areas still present after the clear coat was stripped off. They occurred mostly around the top looking up from the ground front and back of the trailer on the end caps. Metal polish helped to improve those areas, but it's still noticeable to us. Our clear coat was worn off in some areas, and not others. We tried Citri strip, and several other strippers before going to the aircraft stripper. You might try several strippers to find what works. Took 1 cloudy day to strip it off. We do get asked how we keep the trailer so shiny and some think we've actually polished, so she's still plenty shiny without all the work of polishing.



Kay
Minno is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
On her way to her new home😃 Denda Airstream Lifestyle 1 04-10-2014 05:54 PM
saw her on her way home? moparjohn On The Road... 1 12-22-2013 04:49 PM
Got her name on the back of her belt... Stella Airstream Lifestyle 6 07-20-2011 12:10 AM
Polishing tips? Rog0525 Cleaning, Stripping & Polishing 10 04-30-2007 09:27 PM
Any newbie worth his/her salt should be able to figure this out for her/himself... Dave Jenkins Our Community 4 07-26-2003 06:41 AM


Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:48 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.