Exterior Polishing

[spiderpig]

Hi All,

Picked up our van and its in need of some love and a bit of TLC.

Its spent a bit of time out in the weather recently, had a cover on it for the first few years of its life but apparently that deteriorated and has since been left out uncovered.

Any tips on what polish or cut and polish to use to bring it back to life? Thinking a little motorised buffer might be the go and help the process along?

 

[achjimmy]

Jayco used to supply a 3m marine polish and be insistent it was used. The dealer in queanbeyan would have it.

 

[Dobbie]

Or that stuff Drover mentioned.

Fibreglass restorer.

 

[spiderpig]

Cheers. Have got a bottle of the septone and some of that 3m wax/polish so should be all good.

 

[PhilW]

Jayco used to supply a 3m marine polish and be insistent it was used. The dealer in queanbeyan would have it.

I have used this product and was very happy with the results.
Easy to apply, with an excellent hand buff finish.
Not cheap......paying for the name I guess:fish:

 

[Maxisverymad]

Hi spider pig, when we got our van earlier this year Jayco supplied the two bottles, 3M cleaner and wax and the liquid wax in pic below. The cleaner wax does a fantastic job of removing eucalyptus sap etc and other spots that don't wash off with warm soapy water.
Then I apply a coat of the liquid wax when I feel it needs it. It certainly makes washing easier next time.
Not sure if the will help restore your van but very good to maintain.
As for the motorised buffer I bought an electric orbital polisher to apply wax and buff it off, I have only used it on the roof at this stage and it makes light work of the whole polishing job!

 

[spiderpig]

Attempted to give it a polish on the weekend, seems the roof and front panel are going to need some speacilist love. Sides and back are all good but i think the front/roof have seen too much sun and not enough TLC over the last couple of years. Used the 3m cleaner/wax on them, removes the oxidization but still a bit faded and an off white colour. This was with trying an orbital buffer from super cheap.

 

[Drover]

The front top panel on mine is a creamy colour, took a few goes till it came up nice and shiny but still creamy and the the rear took a hell of a lot of poliching before it came good.
Ours had sat in a shed for 3 yrs and had never been used so doubt if it had ever had a polish till I came along.

 

[ST&T]

Slight tangent to the topic, but how do people polish the roof - especially the centre given the weight limit?

 

[Drover]

Wash and wax in a bucket, hose off.........................

 

[Maxisverymad]

With the pop top down I walk around the edges and crawl over the rest.
Use broom and warm soapy water to wash then when dry use electric orbital polisher to apply and remove 3Mwax supplied.
I'm 72kg tho and works fine!

 

[dagree]

I send Mrs Dagree up there...... She's a lightweight

 

[Smirke]

Do the full height van roofs hold a heavier weight than the pop tops, or do you think they both hold the same?

 

[dagree]

Do the full height van roofs hold a heavier weight than the pop tops, or do you think they both hold the same?

I would be guessing full height would/should hold a bit more weight but to play it safe I can send Greer around to get up there for you

 

[Smirke]

Excellent. We can talk camping movies too. See which each has got so we don't double up!!! Could be dangerous.

 

[dagree]

We can talk camping movies too.

Hope you like "The Green Mile"..... "Shawshank Redemption" etc. That's all she watches