(NOTE: click on the images for a larger view.)
The trailer looked pretty awful on the outside when we first saw it. The Plasticote was bubbled up all over the roof and down the sides, and water had pooled under it. The water had gathered dirt and moss, and there was quite a bit of oxidation on the skin.
This was how the top on the right side, from the rear looked when we first saw it. You can see the Plasticote mess and the oxidation on the top and sides.
Here is a shot of the Airstream emblem on the front, above the window. You can see how all of the joints had picked up a lot of dirt, and the crud that gathered under the bubbled, peeling Plasticote.
We spent about 200 hours making the outside presentable: we stripped the Plasticote off using ICI Devoe's Hydrostrip 502, stripped the sealant from around everything that pokes a hole through the skin and resealed using Vulkem 636. After that, we resealed every seam using Alcoa Gutter Seal. (By the way, that Hydrostrip 502 is miracle stuff. Roll it on, then spray the finish off with water. Highly recommended!)
After the seam-sealing job, we used three coats of Liquid Glass to finish the exterior. This stuff works great for painted surfaces too...it's like adding another layer to your clear coat. Follow the link to see what the trailer looks like after refinishing...what a difference!
