Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Renovations => Topic started by: gracerace on April 26, 2020, 12:12:56 pm
Title: Buck Naked
Post by: gracerace on April 26, 2020, 12:12:56 pm
Had you going huh? You just had to look!
About 400+ hours total over 3 years, striping, sanding, and polishing. And the coach was highly polished to start with.
I personally think the dark Motion windows make it pop, was tempted to leave it, but got to live the dream.
Ready for new graphic's, a week from tomorrow, stay tuned.
Sad thing is, the new windshield,'s graphic's, Outside TV/BBQ, and the florescent/LED light conversion is it. Done with it. (well not fixing what breaks in the future)
I will post pictures when done, with price and location of the vinyl wrap shop, who did our last coach.
Small hint, the place doing it, was featured on Discovery Channel show this year.
Chris
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: DavidS on April 26, 2020, 12:18:58 pm
I think my arms and patience would run out..Great Job!! ^.^d
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: gracerace on April 26, 2020, 12:22:48 pm
Thanks for the link,, but not realy the simple answer I was looking for
Motion windows is a top name brand of windows for RV's ;)
Our windows were replaced with new Darker glass double pane Motion Windows.
Chris
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: Caflashbob on April 26, 2020, 02:26:26 pm
Motion windows have a machined center frame that cannot move separating the dual panes
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: Lt403 on April 26, 2020, 03:31:34 pm
Looking forward to seeing the results
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: juicesqueezer on April 26, 2020, 05:35:43 pm
Would like to install Motion windows all the way around. We have 1 in our bedroom and it slides so easy. The others are a work in progress with graphite and spray! However, got to save some coin for a trip to Moscow and HWH on our leveling system. Found one leak yesterday, at the parking brake, so will either order a kit or replace the push/pull knob! Will make a visit to NAPA tomorrow!
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: Mobius on April 26, 2020, 08:23:34 pm
Chris, what was your method after vinyl removal? I have at about 80 hours in vinyl removal alone. I still have the bottom vinyl that skirts the entire coach and a couple other pieces I left on. Only a select few came off in their entirety most of them came off in pieces either with a plastic razors and heat gun or with an eraser wheel on a cordless. Anyhow there's definitely lines, marks, shadows or whatever left over. I don't mind putting in the effort just don't want to waste it not knowing what procedures work best. Thanks
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: gracerace on April 26, 2020, 10:50:41 pm
Chris, what was your method after vinyl removal? I have at about 80 hours in vinyl removal alone. I still have the bottom vinyl that skirts the entire coach and a couple other pieces I left on. Only a select few came off in their entirety most of them came off in pieces either with a plastic razors and heat gun or with an eraser wheel on a cordless. Anyhow there's definitely lines, marks, shadows or whatever left over. I don't mind putting in the effort just don't want to waste it not knowing what procedures work best. Thanks
Hi If your having trouble getting the decals off, there are some different things auto body/paint supply shops have. They spray on, and eat decals I used that on Randall's coach, his were really bad.
I had zero luck with the eraser deal, I know some people had good luck. I found it burned the gelcoat. When I was a FT tech, we used a commercial steamer. You can rent those at rental places.
Our decals all came off with a blow dryer from Hong Kong freight (harbor). And actually, the wife and I pulled all the comp door ones off together in about an hour.
On our drivers side, the previous owner left it in the California sun during the summer. It had very deep green stains. Nothing would remove it. Muric acid, bleach sitting in the sun.
The ghosting will be a light ridge, left from where there wasn't any decal, not always a stain. You can normally feel it with your thumb nail. Even if you can't feel it, you see it in offset light. So you have to sand and polish it away. There can also be fine razor cuts, from when they trimmed the decals installing them.That takes deeper sanding.
So I took 320 dry grit on a DA sander, then worked up to 400, 600, then 1000 dry. They do make 2000,2500 and 3000 dry, but found it left DA marks. So I went to 1500 wet by hand, then worked up to 3000 wet. After that, 3 different compounds on a buffer.
3M #3 worked best. $80.00 a qt. I would say the gelcoat is 1/8" - 3/16" thick. I am sure I took it down 3/32" to an 1/8th inch in some spots at least. But zero ghosting, stains, or burn through.
I probably have 400+ hrs in it. The comp doors and stripes left no staining, and the top ridge I wet sanded by hand with 2000, then 3000. Final polish with just the 3M #3 with buffer. That was the easiest part of the whole job.I had already removed the lower around the back, and front.
What ever you do, don't use razor blades. No matter how hard you try, you will gouge it.
It's not for the faint of heart. Chris
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: Journey, Roam, Explore on April 27, 2020, 02:46:52 am
My coach has motion windows dark tinted all around. Great windows. Love the result of all your hard work. Will be starting the same soon. I figure it will take some time. 400 hours is a lot. I have some fiberglass repair fixing to do as well. Also thinking of painting it myself using a roll and tip method. Would save me thousands but take some time. Use marine 2 part epoxy paint. Boats are painted like this all the time. Might start with the front or back first and see how it looks. As In most things, the devil is in the details. Prep would take the most time. I'm not looking for a fancy swirling paint job. Just white and maybe some red and black in a wave like pattern. But then I think that it might be a bit more than I want to get into. Time will tell.
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: Mobius on April 27, 2020, 09:21:53 am
On our drivers side, the previous owner left it in the California sun during the summer. It had very deep green stains. Nothing would remove it. Muric acid, bleach sitting in the sun.
The ghosting will be a light ridge, left from where there wasn't any decal, not always a stain. You can normally feel it with your thumb nail. Even if you can't feel it, you see it in offset light. So you have to sand and polish it away. There can also be fine razor cuts, from when they trimmed the decals installing them.That takes deeper sanding.
It's not for the faint of heart. Chris
Thanks Chris, these two paragraphs hit the nail on the head as that is exactly what I'm experiencing. So that was 400 hours over three years how did you sequence that? Did you do all the 320, 400, 600 etc..over the entire coach or did you do it in sections (one section this month one section next month)? When you started sanding with the 320 that must have taken any shine out of the finish and left it dull is that correct? Trying to get a visual concept of what I'll be doing in the near future.
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: gracerace on April 27, 2020, 10:32:35 am
My coach has motion windows dark tinted all around. Great windows. Love the result of all your hard work. Will be starting the same soon. I figure it will take some time. 400 hours is a lot. I have some fiberglass repair fixing to do as well. Also thinking of painting it myself using a roll and tip method. Would save me thousands but take some time. Use marine 2 part epoxy paint. Boats are painted like this all the time. Might start with the front or back first and see how it looks. As In most things, the devil is in the details. Prep would take the most time. I'm not looking for a fancy swirling paint job. Just white and maybe some red and black in a wave like pattern. But then I think that it might be a bit more than I want to get into. Time will tell.
When you add up the cost of the materials to paint it, you may be surprised what the cost is to do that. That is not counting the labor (your time is worth something).
Did a lot of custom painting when I had my van shop. Painted many cars. Recently did some spotting in on our collector cars, and race car. A gallon of some paint (no thinner, hardeners etc. ) is $800.00!. I would imagine any resin base boat stuff would be even more.
Just what I am doing now, involved about $150.00 in sand paper and polish compound. The cost of materials now is shocking. Probably all the EPA costs added.
Hang loose, wait till you see our coach stripes done, and what it cost. You might be surprised. It's more or less what you are talking about. Pretty simple.
Chris
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: gracerace on April 27, 2020, 10:46:14 am
Thanks Chris, these two paragraphs hit the nail on the head as that is exactly what I'm experiencing. So that was 400 hours over three years how did you sequence that? Did you do all the 320, 400, 600 etc..over the entire coach or did you do it in sections (one section this month one section next month)? When you started sanding with the 320 that must have taken any shine out of the finish and left it dull is that correct? Trying to get a visual concept of what I'll be doing in the near future.
The first 300-320 hours, was 2 years ago. That was removal of the top, mid and front. Also included lower front and back to wheel wells. I left the 3 parts of the pieces (swirls) going around the ribbon (pictured). That involve the 320 dry, up to 3000 wet. Just on the mid band, and top stripe. I didn't sand the whole coach. Just the stripes area's, feathering out a bit.
2nd stage was 2 weeks ago, which was the 6 swirls (middle of coach), and the upper back. There were razor cuts from trimming, minor staining, and sand scratches left over from the stripe removal, (because I couldn't polish close enough to them prior). That was maybe 40-50 hours. This involved some 320 DA, and several levels of hand wet sanding, before polishing.
3rd stage was this weekend. That was removal of both sides of the compartment doors, and the small sections between the doors and wheel wells. This part is not finished. I have the glue off one side (big job itself). Wet sanding and polishing is done. So far 10 hours. Probably 10 for other side. This has been the easiest of the whole job.
Xylene paint thinner works wonders with the glue, but I also used some glue remover from a auto body paint shop. Be very careful, it tends to eat the white paint on the metal trim. Wear rubber gloves, and have the area well ventilated. Xylene is harsher then regular paint thinner, and less aggressive then lacquer thinner.
Have fun Chris
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: gracerace on April 27, 2020, 03:08:49 pm
Wanted to add.
To be clear, if you don't have any color staining, just ghosting and a ridge. One can start with 1500 wet by hand, and work up from there to polishing.
If you need to be aggressive because of color staining, and want to be careful, you could start with 400 dry on a DA. Or even 800 or 1000 grit. Just going to take longer,
But I will say, the gelcoat is very thick on these babies.
Chris
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: gracerace on April 27, 2020, 08:36:43 pm
Finally!
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: Mobius on April 27, 2020, 09:00:33 pm
Chris, Thanks for all the info and answering all my questions. Your coach looks great, and I'd leave it just like that!
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: OSIN on April 27, 2020, 09:41:10 pm
Would like to install Motion windows all the way around. We have 1 in our bedroom and it slides so easy. The others are a work in progress with graphite and spray! However, got to save some coin for a trip to Moscow and HWH on our leveling system. Found one leak yesterday, at the parking brake, so will either order a kit or replace the push/pull knob! Will make a visit to NAPA tomorrow!
I'd like to go to HWH, to give our coach a once over and replace anything that's needed. Preventative stuff.
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: OSIN on April 27, 2020, 09:42:53 pm
Would like to install Motion windows all the way around. We have 1 in our bedroom and it slides so easy. The others are a work in progress with graphite and spray! However, got to save some coin for a trip to Moscow and HWH on our leveling system. Found one leak yesterday, at the parking brake, so will either order a kit or replace the push/pull knob! Will make a visit to NAPA tomorrow!
I'd like to go to HWH, to give our coach a once over and replace anything that's needed. Preventative stuff.
About 400+ hours total over 3 years, striping, sanding, and polishing. And the coach was highly polished to start with.
I personally think the dark Motion windows make it pop, was tempted to leave it, but got to live the dream.
Ready for new graphic's, a week from tomorrow, stay tuned.
Sad thing is, the new windshield,'s graphic's, Outside TV/BBQ, and the florescent/LED light conversion is it. Done with it. (well not fixing what breaks in the future)
I will post pictures when done, with price and location of the vinyl wrap shop, who did our last coach.
Small hint, the place doing it, was featured on Discovery Channel show this year.
Chris
Were the Motion windows a direct replacement? I know them, and they are sweet!
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: gracerace on April 27, 2020, 10:54:26 pm
I'd like to go to HWH, to give our coach a once over and replace anything that's needed. Preventative stuff.Were the Motion windows a direct replacement? I know them, and they are sweet!
Yes, the passenger is a lift bay window, so is the kitchen. I believe you have to have order them, custom built. Previous owner did the deed. Chris
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: gracerace on April 27, 2020, 10:57:52 pm
Chris, Thanks for all the info and answering all my questions. Your coach looks great, and I'd leave it just like that!
Thanks. Personally, I think they look good in pictures all white, in person, too much white for me, and that is my last name..."White". 36' not so bad (no offense to 40' all white coaches). But it's a matter of personal taste. Maybe if I had a 35" all white stacker trailer to go with it! Wait till you see the stripes done Chris
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: oldguy on April 28, 2020, 12:37:52 am
Mine came all white and I will leave it that way. I kind of like it and in the summer it will stay cooler. Taste is a personal thing.
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: coastalbuilder on June 24, 2020, 09:15:55 pm
Did you get the graphics done yet? Anxious to see it. Thanks.
Title: Re: Buck Naked
Post by: 71stpsde on June 25, 2020, 07:35:45 am