[VAC] Re: Polishing

[KEVIN D ALLEN <overlander64@xxxxxxxxx>]

Greetings Chip!

Welcome to the world of Vintage Airstreaming!

I just received the final bill on having my '64 Overlander (26' 8") polished
and platicoated.  The base charge was $170.00 per foot with an additional
upcharge for some extra-heavy duty polishing that was required on the
curbside panels that the previous owner had badly scuffed with steel wool
working against the aluminum's grain.  The base charge included the basic
polishing, painting the hitch, bumper, and step as well as plasticoating.
Not included in the price was polishing the aluminum propane tanks.

> -how long to expect it will take?
> -recommendations where to find professionals for the
> job (California preferred, but not limited to)?
>
P & S Trailer Service in Helena, OH handled my trailer.  It is my
understanding that they are one of the few shops that are willing to perfrom
the entire polish/clearcoat operation.  They have had my rig for a little
more than a month, but since I wasn't in any particular hurry to have the
job done I am not sure the precise amount of time the job took from
beginning to end.  The photos that I have seen of the finished product are
fantastic, and I am hoping for good weather this coming weekend so that I
may go to Ohio to get the unit.

> Ideally this would be for about a 25 footer.
>
> Any insight on this process would be greatly
> appreciated, I just want to have some idea what to
> anticipate.
>
The guidelines for selecting a rig that will polish do not vary greatly
whether for do-it-yourself or for professional polishing.  The better the
condition of the skin to begin with, the less time/money will be required to
achieve a satisfactory polish job.  I wasn't even thinking of polishing when
I purchased my Overlander six years ago so didn't really worry about much
other than present of dents or creases.  I had never dreamed that what
appeared to be "surface hazing/crazing" (turned out to be cross-grain
scratching caused by improper use of steel wool in an earlier polishing
attempt) would cause problems when I decided to have the trailer polished.
This overlooked problem ended up adding around $350.00 to the cost of the
polishing job.

You can see a before picture of my Overlander at:

http://personalpages.tds.net/~kallen/

This photo was taken during the 1999 Wagon Wheel Caravan in Ohio.

A small digital photo of the after is attached to this e-mail


> I'm happy to be here and thank you in advance for your
> thoughts.
>
> -Chip Rees

Good luck with your search!

Kevin D. Allen
WBCCI/VAC #6359
1964 Overlander International/1999 GMC K2500 Suburban