Hey everyone. It's amazing what rubbing compound and a "Mothers power ball" can accomplish. I still have to give it a go over with polishing compound and re-paint the red strip, but we're getting there.

here's another

Lookin' good! (Now put down that beer and get back to work...)

That is on the end of the "to do" for my Barth. Funny how stuff keeps getting added before it.
Let us know what products you used.

Neil.

I only drink once a year...St. Paddy's Day...to remind myself why I only drink once a year.
I used the Mothers powerball mini and rubbing compound on the "ribbed" sections and a flat pad and polishing compound on the flat areas (rocker panels, hood door etc.) I'm going to try an aluminum wheel polish to seal the bare metal up as I've heard it'll keep it looking good.
Stay tuned.

quote:

wheel polish to seal the bare metal up as I've heard it'll keep it looking good.

Well, yes and no....Seems there's two schools of thought on this...

I'm not aware of any sealer product that will
prevent future oxidation - they all just delay it, with varying success rates.

Some polishing gurus do seal their projects...It does buy them a little time. The downside is the minor loss of luster than any sealer does to your final finish. But more importantly work-wise, the sealer must be totally removed with solvents before any subsequent touch-up polishing efforts.
A greased-up mess will result if you don't.....

Others (me included) opt to polish to a high luster and leave it bare. Highly polished surfaces visibly oxidize at a much slower rate - less surface area, less nooks & crannies, the surface is "healed over", etc. Plus, none of the luster from all that hard polishing work is compromised by sealer refraction....

Once the surface is brought to a high luster, I've found that repolishing & touch-up is needed about once a year, the front usually twice. Once polished, restoration work is about 10% of the initial polishing effort, with no sealer removal hassles involved.....

I've also found the Nuvite System superior to anything else on the market. www.perfectpolish.com

Just an opinion....Your results may vary.......

Holy moley, Lee. Thanks for the link. I'll see if I can find that at my local parts jobber.
Well, it's 7 AM on the West Coast...sun's shining and it's supposed to get up to 70F today. Make hay while the sun shines.

Ritchie,

Locating Nuvite products at retail outlets may be a tuff-find.....Perfect Polish is CA based, ships the day of order w/ no shipping charges. Their prices equal mfg-direct pricing too......

For never-polished surfaces, I'd start with their F9 Grade, followed by "C" grade....it'll look nice just like that...If you're a purist, a final "S" Grade polishing will allow you to use the side of your Barth to shave.....The higher the luster of your final finish, the longer time you'll have between touch-ups.....

Also, F9 Grade takes out scratch marks down to 400 grit sandpaper (600 better), so you can save LOTS of time by a quick, straight-line wet sand before compounding with F9.....

Next time we'll talk about how you're gonna HATE the spots left from rainwater impurities

Thanks for all the good advice, Lee. And also for taking the time for detailed explanations.
Although I'd love to see my Barth as shiny as the Airstream or the DC-3 in the link you provided me, I'm not sure what ends I'm willing to go to achieve that. I'll see how it holds up this year.
I did do the "rattle can" paint job on the red stripe today, installed a back-up camera and installed carpet under the drivers' and passenger front seats. Tomorrow: install the flat screen TV, 11 meter SSB and SW radio. We don't need no stinkin' podcast.

Moved Reply:

quote:

Originally posted by towerguy:
What say you all?

I say you could've started your own thread.
I'm going to work on my car.

On Edit: moved Towerguy's post to a new thread. Bill N.Y.

Very nice job on the Barth Richie.

quote:

Originally posted by RichieC:
I'm going to work on my car.

Nice car you got there too.

Bill N.Y.

quote:

Originally posted by RichieC:
I'm going to work on my car.

You just had to throw in that picture of the GN to make me drool! I've been wanting one of those since they came out but especially an 87. Nice!

Thanks Fellas.

I found these chairs at a yard sale...$30 for the pair.

Another interior pic...
Next I'll search the auto wreckers for some Chev Astro bucket seats (with the arm-rests and reclining back); I have a feeling they'll bolt onto the existing swivel pedestals. If not I can fab up an adapter plate.