Full Body Paint Color Choices

Topic: Full Body Paint Color Choices (Read 1709 times) previous topic - next topic

Full Body Paint Color Choices

October 25, 2013, 10:41:41 pm

We are thinking about full body paint on our 2001 coach. We are collecting pictures of every painted coach we can.

[We did this when we painted our previous home. We tried dozens of color combinations and did several test paint sections to see what worked in different light and at different times of the day. We painted it ourselves. Six colors, 54 gallons of paint and 1600 hours later we had the best looking home in the neighborhood.]

One thing we have noticed is that more coaches seem to have darker colors over lighter colors than those with lighter over darker. A darker upper body (and roof I suppose) seems like it would make for a warmer coach in the sun. A lighter lower body might not show dirt as much?

I'm sure everyone who has gone through this process has had to think about color and style choices. We would appreciate perspectives and thoughts and experiences after painting that might help us think this through.

Of course, it really comes down to what looks good to those getting the paint job.

Thanks

Roger and Susan

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #1 – October 25, 2013, 11:15:10 pm

@Roger Dori and I went through the same thought process. We didn't want the dark colors due to heat build up but every coach we saw and liked was on the darkish side it seemed. We finally saw a gray/silver coach we really liked. The rest is history.

see ya
ken

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #2 – October 25, 2013, 11:18:58 pm

Last October, after the GV, our coach was parked at FOT between a white gelcoat coach and one with the dark charcoal/black upper. Ours being a medium/light grey.

Sunny day, white gelcoat coach measured about 115 degrees external with an IR thermometer

Our coach, 130.

Black coach, 170+.

Thin accent stripe in dark, OK. We would favor mid to light colors. The folks who had our coach built actually reversed the medium and light charcoal colors from the standard 2003 design offering so the lighter is on top and the darker is lower - hides the dirt better.

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #3 – October 25, 2013, 11:27:10 pm

Go buy a digital heat gun from Harbor Freight, or Northern Tool. Then shoot cars and coaches to help decide what you think you can live with temperature wise. You will love having the tool to start checking tires, wheels and brakes on the coach and the toad when ever you stop as well.

I know I will own white vehicles and coaches, and have just some accent strips in my future here in TX.

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #4 – October 25, 2013, 11:30:57 pm

Quote from: kenhat – October 25, 2013, 11:15:10 pm

@Roger Dori and I went through the same thought process. We didn't want the dark colors due to heat build up but every coach we saw and liked was on the darkish side it seemed. We finally saw a gray/silver coach we really liked. The rest is history.

see ya
ken

Ken,

Love big Agnes.

She was a good looking lady before, and now gorgeous after the full body paint!

Jerry aka Murph

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #5 – October 25, 2013, 11:38:47 pm

Thanks Jerry we love her too!

see ya
ken

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #6 – October 25, 2013, 11:50:00 pm

When we were picking colors for our FBP at Xtreme, we really tried for light colors not only to reduce temperature gain in the summer, but also to reduce stress on the fiberglass. Xtreme recommends not using dark colors to avoid overheating the fiberglass, and especially recommends not pairing really dark colors right next to really light colors, since that can cause expansion stress where the two colors meet.

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #7 – October 26, 2013, 12:16:40 am

@Dave That is one fine looking coach. (don't tell Big Agnes I said that!)

see ya
ken

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #8 – October 26, 2013, 03:38:45 am

Ken and Dori,

I love the way Big Agnes looks. She is the reason (along with Kent Speers' coach) that I eventually starting looking at the GV and now like it so much. So, I think it only fair that after we get our GV, that you, Kent and I split the difference for a FBP on our GV.

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #9 – October 26, 2013, 06:27:25 am

I had no idea what paint job would look good, so between Xtreme and I, came up with this one, some days I find it OK, other days, wish it was a simpler design.
Am getting used to it.
Not a great pix, does not show the colors well, does on Xtreme website show better.
Pay yur $$$ and take your chances.

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #10 – October 26, 2013, 07:44:56 am

@ Dave, I think it looks awesome!

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #11 – October 26, 2013, 07:57:20 am

Whatever you decide, the roof should always be white. That has the biggest effect on interior heat. I find dark color at the bottom hides dirt well.

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #12 – October 26, 2013, 09:46:42 am

I dimly recall when Burt Rutan came out with his fiberglass construction based homebuilt for the masses (the VarEZ, or "Vary Easy") he advised white only for the aircraft, and discouraged even striping the sides of the aircraft due to the effects of heat on fiberglass. The 170 degree number quoted in an earlier post reminded me of Burt's requirement.

PO had FBP applied as option when new on my 2000 U-320, probably by Parliament in FL before delivery. Not up to Xtreme standards but good enough for now. Allover white with grey, burgundy, black and a hint of gold in the trim. Understated, and glad it isn't any darker, two A/C's in FL just enough when it is very hot.

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #13 – October 26, 2013, 11:04:36 am

I LOVE the lighter color schemes ... and the above mentioned coaches are all fine examples. It seems that all the SOBs are going with dark, dark, dark. Phaeton, Monaco, HR, Tiffin ... you could line them up and have a tough time telling them apart!! Plus ... they are just not really very attractive. In every campground we hit, all sumer long, I have folks stop me and complement me on our coach. They almost all asked if I had had a recent paint job and were surprised when I told them that it was the original '02 factory paint! It is a pricey upgrade ... but you certainly get your money's worth.

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #14 – October 26, 2013, 12:42:16 pm

Ken, Dave and Dave M.

Sharp, Very Sharp!!

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #15 – October 26, 2013, 02:34:14 pm

Thanks for the ideas and pictures. We are leaning (very much so) toward lighter tan colors. Lighter above, darker below. We want some motion in the graphics but not too busy. Our Jeep is Chilli Pepper Red and the awnings are a burgandy color. So these might be accent colors. We are partial to the colors of New Mexico.

The bugs seem to come off much easier on the front of the coach where there is paint than not. Good reason among many for paint.

Xtreme says they are out to july of next year before there is a full paint slot available.

Roger and Susan

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #16 – October 27, 2013, 04:02:45 pm

I also suggest lighter colors towards the top. I took pictures of a number of coaches that looked interesting and sent to Extreme. This helps them get started with colors and designs. Then we tried different patterns until we found what we liked. First tried dark on top and then reversed to help with heat and also didn't look so top heavy. Put a few simple "swoopy" lines as accent.
Eric

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #17 – October 27, 2013, 04:14:40 pm

One small downside to the full body paint, with the Gelcoat, scratch it, you never see it, scratch the paint with the white Gelcoat will make you need/want some touchup.
You know how I know this lil secret

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #18 – October 27, 2013, 07:01:23 pm

I know that ours is not for everyone but we love our rather plain solid silver color. We get lots of compliments probably because it is different. We also find that it is very forgiving not showing dirt. Even when it is n need of a bath it is hard to tell. I have added a little chrome since this picture was taken. It also stays cool in our Florida heat. Enjoy your quest for your paint scheme it can be a daunting task.

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #19 – October 27, 2013, 08:22:25 pm

Philtravel ...

Your coach looks great. Compared to some we have seen getting back to an understated elegance is nice. Susan says it looks sleek. I'm sure it is very noticeable. Certainly doesn't look like so many others out there.

Color choices are a big part of the look but so is the dynamics of graphics. I wonder where the style concepts come from and where they are leading. Many years of the forward rolling surf break or some takeoff on the Nike swish seems ordinary and overused. What will be the style of the day in another five years?

So we will probably opt for some graphics that imply motion, something interesting, something not common. No idea what that looks like yet but for the price of a FBP it would be nice to be happy with the end result. And we are the only ones who really have to be happy with it.

Thanks for another perspective.

Roger

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #20 – October 28, 2013, 10:54:30 pm

Although not painted by Xtreme, the color choices were the same. I decided on robust colors with white roof. Found that the summer heat was very bearable. I do store indoors when not on the road however spent all summer through Sept on road for the most part. I would rely on James he has great taste and experience and go with what you like.

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #21 – October 29, 2013, 06:43:55 am

I have been looking at SOB coaches, mostly CC and Monaco Dynasty, you see a lot of "checking" in the F/G and paint mostly in the darker colors. Everyone I talk to about it say it's caused by the heat and mostly on the darker paint, They also say not much you can do short of replaceing the fiberglass. I have not ever seen any on Foretravel's though.

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #22 – October 29, 2013, 11:48:57 am

I haven't seen what you are referring to specifically, but I wonder if it's "post curing." This is something that happens on fiberglass boats, and especially affects those of darker colors (paint or gelcoat). Essentially, fiberglass (the resin part) never completely finishes curing, but slowly continues on. A dark surface gets hotter, and so the curing accelerates and (I guess) shrinks a bit more. On boats (which often use fiberglass cloth with a burlappy type weave) you can then see the weave texture - especially at certain angles. It looks a bit like a pattern of regular dimples.

In the cases I have seen, it doesn't actually chip or break, but just "dents" in a pattern that follows the hollow areas in the cloth weave. But maybe checking or "breaking" is a variation on the theme of post curing (not sure about that though).

On one boat an owner wanted a dark color and wanted it to stay "perfect." What the yard did was build the boat (fiberglass) and then subject it to high heat to "force" it to post cure and dimple. After that, fairing compound was used to make the whole boat smooth again, then it was painted the final color (dark). Would be a big job on a motorhome!

But again, this may not be the cause of the checking mentioned, which I haven't seen on a motorhome yet. Probably because in the years I'm looking at (~'95-'99) they are basically all white/gelcoat. Although this thread.... wow.... it's great to see these full body paint jobs - amazing! I particularly like the solid grey one. Celebrate the box!

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #23 – October 29, 2013, 12:23:57 pm

On another forum, the small razor like slits are talked about. Was due to the supplier's product failing. Several different RV builders did complete fiberglass wall reskin replacements under the 5 year warranty coverage.

Re: Full Body Paint Color Choices

Reply #24 – October 29, 2013, 12:51:30 pm

Call me a curmudgeon if you must, but I actually like the classic GV look with just the gelcoat and the decals. I know they fade (and the front of our GV has decals in terrible shape) but I love the look. Next to that, I like Big Agnes.

Just by a happy coincidence, it's also the cheapest option.

Craig

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