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Old 12-20-2009, 09:07 AM   #15
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Here are photos of the areas that have been stripped. I also have the back of the coach done. I am using the polishing compound and the results can be seen on the side of the coach.
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Old 12-20-2009, 10:01 AM   #16
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What are your plans once you remove all the graphics? Paint? New graphics? The gell coat sure gives a nice shine once it's cleaned up.
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Old 12-20-2009, 11:11 AM   #17
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Dan

What is the official name of the 3M polishing compound and where did you buy it. That looks great! I have the same polisher and I'd sure like my coach to look as good as yours.
I really like those white mirrors. Wish mine were white instead of black.

Dick
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Old 12-20-2009, 07:32 PM   #18
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What are your plans once you remove all the graphics? Paint? New graphics? The gell coat sure gives a nice shine once it's cleaned up.
I'm working with several people on designs and paint, graphics or a combination. I'm leaning on a combination. I spoke to a RV painter yesterday and I like his idea to paint everything below the "beltline" or, in other words, paint the bay doors and follow that line around the front and rear. Then use graphics to bring it all together. I know the graphics will have to be designed to cover all of the "ghosts" from the old graphics but it can be done. Our colors are a dark blue to match our Wrangler, light silver blue (which will also be the paint color for the lower portion) and, of course, the white fiberglass.
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Old 12-20-2009, 07:38 PM   #19
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Dan

What is the official name of the 3M polishing compound and where did you buy it. That looks great! I have the same polisher and I'd sure like my coach to look as good as yours.
I really like those white mirrors. Wish mine were white instead of black.

Dick
Dick, I'll get the numbers from the container tomorrow and post it and email you. It's water solulable so you can get it on your jacket and jeans (yes, I'm sloppy) and you can wash it out. Also, these photos are after just using this polishing compound. A coat of wax will be the last step after all of the graphic work is done (I know-don't wax the graphics) so you can imagine how glossy the end result will be, hey-I'll have to avoid driving it at night cause oncoming headlights will blind other drivers. I finished removing all of the graphics on the driver's side today, so I only have the passenger's side remaining.
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Old 12-20-2009, 07:58 PM   #20
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looks good!! did some sweat equity work myself today!
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Old 12-26-2009, 06:59 PM   #21
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Most of the graphics are gone, have about one day left but it's too cool right now to work outside. As soon as it warms up a little I'll finish the removal and do the rest of the polishing.
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Old 12-27-2009, 04:48 PM   #22
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The removal is finished. These photos show me removing the final batch of graphics, the driver's side now polished out above the bay doors front to back, and the passenger's side de-stickered and awaiting polishing.
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Old 12-27-2009, 04:50 PM   #23
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For those of you who wanted to know what the polishing compound is that I'm using, it's 3M 05973 Rubbing Compound. I also found that you can use rubbing alcohol to remove the residual adheasive before you apply the compound. Also, rubbing alcohol on a rag is great for removing that grunge that accumulates on the silicone sealant used around trim and elsewhere. It makes it look new again.
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Old 01-03-2010, 02:44 PM   #24
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All of the graphics have been removed. Both sides and the front and back have been buffed out. I will probably have the rear cap painted as I can't get it done to my perfection by just buffing. We installed a new Black and Decker under cabinet 12 cup coffee maker, put in new drapes for the front windows. fixed 2 day night shades (how fidly is that?) Still waiting on my main slide motor so we can put the slides out and start removing the carpet. I put out the awnings today as we hadn't seen them yet because it was raining hard when we picked the coach up. I opened them with trepidation and expected the worse. They were in near perfect shape! Next job is to clean the engine.
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Old 01-03-2010, 03:43 PM   #25
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You can put your slide room out manualy without the motor.
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Old 01-05-2010, 04:55 PM   #26
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How dried up and deteriorated were the stripes/graphics on that MH? We have a much older MH, and the stripes are VERY dried out and deteriorated - I'd sure like to totally remove them, then have them painted on - but also afraid of opening a can of worms, and ending up MUCH worse than when I started...
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Old 01-05-2010, 06:10 PM   #27
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How dried up and deteriorated were the stripes/graphics on that MH? We have a much older MH, and the stripes are VERY dried out and deteriorated - I'd sure like to totally remove them, then have them painted on - but also afraid of opening a can of worms, and ending up MUCH worse than when I started...
Ours were cracking at some edges and faded in areas. When you take your finger nail and try to remove them when cold you'ld think they would not come off, but if you simply use a hair dryer (mine had 1600 watts) and warm them up, the glue will soften and the vinyl will become somewhat pliable. I'm not going to try to blow any smoke on this procedure, it is work. Find a plastic scraper, not hard plastic but stiff enough to start lifting the edge of the vinyl without scratching the fiberglass below. Once a small piece has been lifted free, grasp it with your finger tips and pull away using the heat from the hair dryer to continue softening the area you are peeling. Once the vinyl is off, use rubbing alcohol to remove any residual adhesive, usually left over where you had to use the scraper to "start" the edge. After all graphics are removed, begin the buffing process. I bought a 7" electric buffer at Harbour Freight and used the compound listed earlier in this thread. Be aware you will have "ghosts" left after this process, that is, where the graphics were the color of the fiberglass will be lighter than the old exposed areas so the new graphics will need to cover most if not all of these areas, depending on how "picky" you are. Good luck!
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Old 01-10-2010, 06:30 PM   #28
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We started doing somethings on the inside this weekend. First, we removed all of the valances in the living room area. Then my wife, Lynda, found some fabric and we started to recover them. Here are some photos of our progress so far.
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