Date:         Mon, 30 Mar 2009 10:38:21 -0500
Reply-To:     Michael Sullivan <sandwichhead@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Sullivan <sandwichhead@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Non-extreme makeover, driveway edition (with pix)
Comments: To: bike2vcu@yahoo.com
In-Reply-To:  <86445.30782.qm@web110613.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Looks good. Good shelf life on the product. BTW- Like the Hula Girl.  Now
get on the grills. :-)
Michael in San Antonio
91GL AT 'Gringo'
73 Beetle


On Mon, Mar 30, 2009 at 10:09 AM, Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@yahoo.com>wrote:

> Our grey  '87 Westy is in pretty nice shape but a couple of little cosmetic
> things have been bugging me since we got it; the grey poptop has a whitish
> chalky look to it and the "chrome" plastic window trim is cracked and faded
> to yellow.  Functionally neither one is serious but it's like having a
> hangnail to see this stuff every day.
>
> I went at the poptop with spray 409 and a green scouring pad and hosed it
> off when done.  That got all the dirt and accumulated crud gone, and I then
> dipped into a previously unopened can of Penetrol we've had in the basement
> for a decade or two and applied that to the roof with a soft cloth.  I've
> read posts that Penetrol is a paint conditioner and can revive the look of
> the poptop, and it works.  Amazing difference for two hours' work.  No more
> chalky look, the grey top is a couple of shades darker than it was and more
> closely matches the body color.  There are some swirls in the finish that a
> buffer would probably take right out but I can live with this for now.
> We'll probably replace the canvas soon and I may repaint the top at that
> time but this looks great.
>
>
> http://picasaweb.google.com/bike2vcu/_makeover?authkey=Gv1sRgCInpgJaQ-OqHLw#
>
> The window trim was less trouble but more tedious.  I've heard conflicting
> reports that it's okay to remove this stuff and, alternately, that if you do
> so the removal may promote water leaks around the window openings.  Less
> worrisome just to paint it black, so I used a 1/4" brush and some Rustoleum
> flat black and spent two hours blacking it out.  No masking required, since
> the black rubber window gaskets provide a nice wide runoff area on either
> side of the trim.
>
> The overall result is subtle but effective.  The eye is not drawn to the
> distraction of top and trim and can now focus on the cracked bumper end caps
> and other minor flaws.  More stuff for the to-do list.
>
> Stephen
>
>
>
>
>