Polishing a 1979 Newell

[blakestar]

New "Excited" owner of a 1979 Newell. Purchased from Rich Farr in OK.

I am wanting to buff out some of the streaking and discoloration of the outside aluminum, anyone have suggestions on what they found to work the best? (coach has not been clear coated to the best of my knowledge).

[encantotom]

welcome and you will have to post some pictures!

are you talking about the bare aluminum that has not been painted or the areas that are painted?

tom

[blakestar]

Its the bare aluminum which has not been painted.

I have posted some photos, hopefully this link shows up OK?
http://www.newellclassic.com/forum/album.php?albumid=19

She's a great coach!!

[encantotom]

the coach is really nice!

lots of opinions on polishing aluminum. if it truely has no clear coat on it, i would try Blue Magic on it. i have polished my wheels and the inside of my bay doors with it. it is inexpensive and available at all autoparts stores for 6 bucks a jar.

it helps to have a random orbital buffer, but is possible to use with elbow grease.

but it will polish the metal and the rest of the bare aluminum will not look the same unless you do it too.

perhaps clarke or steve can weigh in since they have coaches that have the bare aluminum on the sides as to what they use.

later

tom

[Richard and Rhonda]

Wow, that coach looks in great shape !

Welcome to the group.

You might want to google around on some Airstream forums to see what those boys recommend.

[chockwald]

I don't think that is bare aluminum....it looks the same as mine, which is anodized aluminum. All the aluminum skin on mine is anodized, and then Newell applied the paint over that. Get an expert in paint to look at yours before you start polishing, otherwise you may end up with a major project.

[blakestar]

Thanks guys!

chockwald, I believe you are correct, it is anodized aluminum. I do not want polish it to a shine, just want to get rid of some of the streaking which has occurred over the years from what looks like water.

[fulltiming]

Thanks Clarke. I didn't remember yours being bare aluminum but it has been several months since I have seen a pre-1990's model and they are all painted.

[chockwald]

There are a number of good waxes available.....I have a guy wax mine twice a year, and he uses a carnuba wax....everyone will tell you it always looks like it was just waxed, and there are no water streaks. Stear more toward a wax, as opposed to a polish.

I have to ask....isn't this the coach that was on Ebay, and Craigslist...the one Stick Miller was interested in? It sure looks like it. Either way we will all be very interested in your progress of diagnosing and fixing the, so far, minor issues with the coach. Congratulations on your purchase!!!

[blakestar]

Thanks, I will try the wax first.

I believe the coach you are referring to was the 1980 located in Kenmore (Seattle), Washington? That one had a blue/red stripe, ours has a brown/red stripe. They look very similiar. If thats the coach you are thinking of we went and looked at it (we are only 1hr. from Seattle) and drove it. The Allison tranny was making some clunking noise so we passed on it. We then went to AZ to look at one but it had to much potential rot, just as we were about to fly home my wife found this one in Tulsa OK, we flew out and drove it back.

[Richard and Rhonda]

"just as we were about to fly home my wife found this one in Tulsa OK, we flew out and drove it back."

Don't get me wrong, I don't have Newell up on a pedestal, but when I read statements like that, and this is not the first, it makes me feel very good about the long term prognosis for my own rig.

A cross country trip in a 30 yr old rig with only minor issues. I don't think I would be comfortable getting into a 1979 Torino or Caprice and heading half way across the country.

[chockwald]

You're right, it looks so similar. Thanks for clarifying.

[Stick Miller]

It does resemble one I looked at. I've seen those pillow shams somewhere! Great looking coach - I only wish it was 7 feet tall on the inside.

[blakestar]

Richard, it is funny, had it been a Dodge Chinook or Minnie Winnie, I would have never thought to drive a 30 yr old coach that far (2200 miles)! With Newell's however you can feel, see and hear the quality in them, especially those that have been cared for and stored inside.

Now that I have "N" in my blood I will not be going back to anything else, its Newell or Nothing!!

[tuga]

That is a beautiful example of a well kept Newell.

I have a friend who says, "You'll never wear out a Newell out". "It will out last you and your family." Those are strong words but true.

Some of us (me especially) are always looking and wanting the newest and neatest ammenities on a coach; 625 hp, turning tag axle, slides, etc. But the way these coaches are built, one in a lifetime is all a person really needs. Updates can be done (like what Tom has done to his) and you can have a dependable and trustworthy coach for a long, long time.

Again congratulations on your purchase; it is a beautiful machine!

[tuga]

It does resemble one I looked at. I've seen those pillow shams somewhere! Great looking coach - I only wish it was 7 feet tall on the inside.


Stick,

My 99 Newell is 84" inside height front to back. I'll make you a deal when you're ready.

[Stick Miller]

Tuga - as much as I'd like to think about it, I am at the stage of my life where I don't "do debt".

As un American as it sounds, I've never made a car payment - in my life.I could pay for a classic, but the headroom and I don't mesh. The newer ones are nice and tall, but I don't want to worry about monthly payments on anything and, unfortunatley a cash outlay for a rig as nice as yours would put a crimp in my retirement. I'm not sure where this search will lead. Thanks, but you are way out of my league.

Besides - you are too much a part of this community. I wish you could keep your coach. I've learned a lot from this site and others and it is the regular contributors that have educated me. :)

[tuga]

I understand and agree with you 100%. I was just joshing with you. You are a very wise man!

[prairieschooner]

Good looking Coach!!
Yes just as Clarke said ours (Clarke& Elaine's and mine & Tricia's) are Anodized Aluminum. I have been very successful using McGuire's Cleaner/Wax. The best deal on it so far has been at Target or WalMart. I get my polishing Rags there or at Costco. Just be patient and polish the Coach a few time. I used the Cleaner/Wax every time I washed the Coach for a while and now ours looks pretty good.
If I wanted our Coach to look like a Prevost I would use Mother's or Blue Magic.

[James Tuckness]

Original aluminum on coach was probably clear coated with Imron. Early coaches were factory painted and clear coated. You can't realy polish it. Wax will help with shine.

James Tuckness
71 30' gas coach
6 years of restoration including paint

[prairieschooner]

mine is anodized, maybe clearcoated but I doubt it.
I say to clean it up and use it! see you guys at the next rally!

[chockwald]

Mine does have Imron paint over the anodized aluminum, but it is definitely not clear coated, however, it does have a generous coat of Carnuba wax over it!

[prairieschooner]

after thinking about it I am sure that ours is not clear coated. If our '82 was clear coated it would have been a mess after sitting so long in the Arizona desert. I remember getting color on the polishing rags and that would not have been the case if there was a clear coat. The older Imron Paint sure is good stuff and I am looking forward to that Carnuba wax.

[blakestar]

Well I found the miracle clean for tarnished looking anodized aluminum (allthough I think it will increase my polishing frequency as it collects dust!).

A very light rub of Automatic Transmission Fluid. Two small dabs on a rag were enough to clean a 10' x 10' area and it looks like brand new!!!

[fulltiming]

After you get it clean, you should get the ATF cleaned off and get a good coat of wax to protect it. Hopefully that will be the best of both worlds.

[folivier]

What would be the best way to remove heavy oxidation from a painted roof?
The roof on my '93 is painted with Imron but is very oxidized, I've washed it but it definately needs more work to shine.

[fulltiming]

You can get good results from a pre-wax cleaner such as Harley Pre-Wax Cleaner. If it is REALLY oxidized, you can use Meguiar Medium Cut Cleaner but it will remove more paint. The roof paint, at least on my coach is not a glossy paint. It is a flat silver.

[prairieschooner]

I found good results using McGuires Cleaner/Wax. I decided early on not to use a rubbing compound because it will remove a small amount of oxidized paint. While the Cleaner/Wax will do the same thing it is much less abrasive.
Have Cindy make some Gumbo and invite some friends over for a "party".

[encantotom]

only fair you get yet another opinion. i buy meguires by the gallon at the local automotive paint supply shop.

i have tried several ones, but the meguires quick detail #66 is the one i have settled on. it is not a heavy cut and yet give s a nice shine without too much effort.

i think i pay around 30 bucks a gallon. the heavier cut ones scare me because i am not experienced enough with a buffer to not go all the way through.

my roof is the same way and will get done once the heat dies down in the fall.

any of the things mentioned by the gang will work. being able to buy by the gallon makes it cheaper.

tom

[wallyarntzen]

I'm gonna tip you guys off to a big surprise. I have a brother-in-law who has been a car painter for 50 years, and a friend I met in Arizona who owns a large body shop in Miwaukee, as well as another friend with a body shop in San Antonio who all have informed me that they use a car polish called NuFinish (the once a year polish).
It comes in a orange 16oz bottle and you get at walgreens drug store for $2.39 a jug. Thats what I have been using on my coach for the past three years and it is fantastic.
You just wipe it on with a cloth and let is sit for 5 minutes or less and wipe it off. It goes on easy and wipes off easy no buffing and it really holds up well.
I would suspect you would doubt me, just go to walgreens and invest less than $2.50 try it and if don't give you excelent results inform the entire group in Capital highlighted letters that this a fluke.

Happy polishing and get all of them Newells shining.