Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

If you love to get dirty, black-dusty and destroy your clothes for 40+ hours, come on over this weekend. It's camping season and the 1960 Avion is getting a rub down. I am not looking forward to the 4 stage buffing process (Nu-Vite)

Some have comented on my single rear tail light being unsafe. If they can't see me now with a giant shiney trailer, I don't know how much safer I can get. It's hard to even wash it without seeing sunspots for an hour.

I won't be posting much next week or two as my arms will be noodled out from holding the buffers :)

http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/a...psc7086002.jpg

Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

That is the perfect combination!

Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

Be thankful it's not a gas tanker truck..

Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

That is a cool combination. If and when I get mine, I'm going for the oxidized aluminum patina look. Probably not a Airstream, another brand that has a paint/polish finish like a Spartan or "alien eye" model.

Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

they look good together
but wouldn't it be easier to add a second tail lite? :D

Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

I have 3 tail lights now with the trailer hooked up lol.

Worked on getting all of the old sealer off last night and hit it early this morning getting the roof and all vents resealed, all windows and compartment doors sealed up. Now sitting at the computer dreading the polish :( I keep thinking that " Patina" is in and if it was polished again, would loose that nostalgic look. How's that for procrastination :)

Yes Parkwood, glad its not a tanker!

Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

Fish, Just a random idea:

Have you thought of hiring 2-3 day laborers and getting a couple more used CL polishers to help you? It's not like polishing paint they could burn through.

You can demonstrate how you want it done on one small panel.
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Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

Dan, great idea but I have polished cars, boats etc all of my life and I screwed up a panel on this thing. Tons of internet reading on how to do it and I'm just as cautious as I am lazy when the sun is out. The aluminum used is the same grade as the older airplanes ( think P-51 Mustang ) and require a certain chemical in the polish so as not to contaminate the metal when it warms up during the process. I have bought the stuff to do it, just need to get it done.

Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

Ok, sure. I therefore prescribe a few cans of I've cold beer to assist you. Either during, or especially after!

Make sure to take some pix & condolences! Lol.
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Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

I would love some beers, but stopped drinking 20 years ago just after turning 21. I became allergic to handcuffs and had too many friends follow the wrong path. Mabey after the project is over , it will drive me to drink?

Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

Ha ha, I just said beers because most of us can't wait for a cold one at the end of a hard day.

Personally I hardly drink at all either. Two severely alcoholic grandfathers (it killed both of them), parents who swore off because of that and what I recognized as a monster capacity inside me as a teenager. My daughter who's 30 has thr same capacity though my son (32) doesnt. I know they say its not inherit-able, but my family kinda runs counter to that advice. So Im not a true teetotaler, but close. Good on you for dealing with it early.

Now...get to work, slave!:lol:

Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

Damn that is a fine looking rig Fish!!

Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

Is that the kind of thing you can use zoop seal or shark hide on to help the shine last longer?
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Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

Fish can't respond because he can't raise his arms enough to reach the keyboard:lol:

...and that may not even be a joke!

Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

Close! I gave up. I have found a greater appreciation for those with more patiencee than I. Several hours, 2 days, 4 different steps and lots of frustration. I going to rock the patina look and save some dough to have it professionaly done.

The good news is the new motor/trans/rr end combo rips the trailer around perfect and I couldn't be happier with the 6/700/3:73 set up
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Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

I had no idea that aluminum trailers could polish out like that, it's beautiful! Does it stay like that for very long? I'd love to see some pics of the inside?;)

Just reminds me,
When Gary and I were in Colorado, we went to Clive Cusslers car museum, and he has the setup below there, plus it's in one of his books(dirk Pitt novels or Juan Cabrillo; don't remember which). I have actual pics of it somewhere.
Dne'


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ps739eef2a.jpg
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Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

OT: But, this is a cute trailer, and camp with flamingos, that my buddy saw when he woke up this morning somewhere in Utah. The tow vehicle was already gone.
What year you thing it is. Early 60s is my guess.
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...psd0dadfd2.jpg

Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

If you like old vehicle and trailer photos join this facebook page, they post one new photo daily.

One-More-for-the-Road-Vintage-Travel-Trailer-Restorations

I tried to save a link, but it went into my FB account, glad I checked the link.

Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

Updating my thread: I wasn't going to continue and I had hit rock bottom, testosterone depression, no will to get off the couch and actually turned the TV on for the first time in months ( which depressed me even more ). I started to get hungry and didn't even want to get up. My daughter sent me a txt and asked " what are you doing this weekend?" and I could either reply "Nothing, I'm worthless" or " polishing a trailer" so after txt'ing back and forth with her ( in Tuscon) I got off my lazy A$$ and got everything back out of the boxes, set up the tables and POLISHED MY TRAILER :metal:

The stories of 200 hours is mostly the frustration learning how the allooys in the aluminum react with different heat, compond/chemicals and pads. It's definately a multi stage process, but well worth the journey. I also didn't have to admit to my daughter that I couldn't do something and that was the best part of the whole project. Here is a shot from last weekend and you can see the front is now super shinney, as is the rest of the trailer.
http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps765cd947.jpg

Dne', here is a shot of the interior you asked about. There is a full bath/shower in the rear ( pink components) and it only has a black tank. Grey water is collected in a bucket. Fresh water is in a bladder style tank with air pressure, no electric pump. A Humphry gas lamp, 12v/110v original combo fixtures, a giant lp furnace, princess stove, Norcold fridge and radio/TV anteannas are all original. the silver mount on the right side of the pic is for a 17" flat screen DVD for the rainy nights. In the above pic, the lp fire pit is cool to touch on the underside and heats up the awning space really well without getting hot enough to burn the awning. We can "dry camp" off the grid for a week before needing water and I have a portable solar panel system that keeps the lights going while reading or playing board games when it's nasty outside here in the NW. I'm standing next to a goucho couch/queen bed that pulls out and for a 20 footer, has a ton of room for us. I just need to shrink the 90lb hound dogs.
http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/a...r/intavion.jpg

Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

I can relate to the gray water bucket. My Grandparents took me camping often in a '58 Romer cab-over, in a '58 Dodge Sweptside pu. I was the bucket-boy.
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...ps56f191f2.jpg[/URL]

Re: Who likes to polish aluminum???
 

Dodges like that bring big money now. Too bad they didn't pass it down to you. That was Dodges version of a Cameo. The only thing I don't like about them is that they are all long beds.