I have added photos that show the full process from prime, to paint, to installing the lights and windows. We used self etching primer for any bare aluminum spots. The Z stripe was polished with steel wool and then clear coated prior to being masked. Then it was time for the Sage green on the bottom. This is Dupont automotive grade paint... if you are doing one of these and go the same route expect to spend a few bucks ($400 for the paint alone!) This green is as close as I could get to the 56 T-bird color I wanted. It was crazy trying to get the right match at the store.
You can see the greenish self etching primer on the roof
This method worked well... mask the stripe and use clear plastic to mask above the stripe. Once the green was dry we just rolled the plastic down to cover the green and spray the white. I used frog tape to mase the stripe, worked well and left a clean edge
I got a couple of runs in the green... cant see them here. the white came out perfect. Going to have to wet sand and buff out the runs I think
The white walls are actually Port-a-walls... look great. Just needs the baby moons
I put the badge back on it first... maybe it should have been the last thing I put on it but I just could not wait.
Windows back in and tanks on!
all polished windows and visors back in!
you can see the vents are in on the roof and the new water inlets and electrical portal are in.
New teardrop marker lights from VTS.. look great.
New Fan-tastic in the bunk
Fan-tastic in the rear too, new full size mattress and the skylight are in.
Enough said!
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAwesome job! Thanks for posting all of your hard work. I have a 1963 airflyte that I want to restore and am learning alot from all that have taken the time to document there restorations. Thanks for the tip on not removing the interior paneling when you take apart the trailer. I guarantee you that I would have done the same thing you did.
ReplyDeleteYour blog postings and pix have just inspired me to get back to work on mine! Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic job! I am just beginning a restoration on at 1971 LoFlyte 1400. I love the paint job, but why didn't you paint the trailer hitch?
ReplyDeleteIt was strictly a preference to go with the black... I think they were originally the same color as the lower color of the camper. I sprayed my whole frame and bumper black before assembly.
DeleteI have two questions and the first may be really stupid. So did you put the primer over the Z stripe section? Looks like it in the first photos. Just wondered why that was if you were getting it down to the aluminum. ???
ReplyDeleteAlso, how do people decide to paint over the aluminum seams? Some do, some don't. I'd like to know more about the decision to paint over them. Does this make it any harder to remove them in the future? Thanks!
My 1st grade teacher once said there are no stupid questions, still applies. I didn't primer over the stripe. I sanded an polished it. This left a lot of bare metal on both sides of the stripe so I maded the polished section and primed the bare spots... so there is tape protecting the polished stripe. before painting the green and white, I removed the tape, clear coated the stripe and retaped it... I would not do this again were I to do another one. Just would have left it polished aluminum.
DeleteNot sure exactly what you mean by the seams, but I painted my camper the way the factory would have done it... put the whole thing together minus windows and exterior stuff and spray spray spray. Covers all the seams.
Hope this helps