Windsor,
The stripes are paint: 2004 Corvette.
The body is GM Fleet White.
The slver-grey matches the original.

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Gary & Edie
North Idaho
1988 28' P-30 454

Great looking Barth!Look like they did a real great Job at a very good PRICE!

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Jay&Shelby 95 Regency 34ft. 300 hp.

Hi Gary,

I really love the colors you have chosen. I have seen a couple white Barths and they look rich. However, I hope you take this constructively. It seemed to me that there was something missing. And then, I got it. Your coach is missing the very essence of Barth....the smile.



Any way they could mask that off and put the grin back. Here's what yours would look like.



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Dave,
Thanks for the suggestion -- I like it!!!


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Gary & Edie
North Idaho
1988 28' P-30 454

I have completed the paint job except for some more strips. this was more work than i thought,however it was worth it, the total cost was about 800.00 dollars.I will post a picture next week. James@Helen

No need to start another topic with this title...

Mechanically for my Barth, things are well. I am considering spending money on getting the rig painted. I asked a friend in the auto body trade what I should do with the rig. His suggestion, "use a roller". I thought he was joking.

Since then, I've seen lots of internet postings and youtube videos of guys who have done that with their trucks and RVs. Results are not too bad. Some guys talk about painting their pickup trucks with a few hundred dollars of Rustoleum.

On the Barth, the key to any paint job would be the surface preparation. What I've read is that a marine or aircraft paint stripper should be used, gel type. A plastic scraper is useful.

An etching primer is recommended for use on aluminum. I don't know what this is or why. I guess you'd want to use a paint that is suitable for use with the primer, regardless if you go roller or spray.

What do you think about these ideas? I like the idea of DIY generally.

Have a great 4th!
Matt

Here is just one of many sites explaining roll & tip painting. It looks like a lot of work compared to a HVLP gun.

Paint

We paint cars and have painted portions of our Barth. I would never use a non-automotive paint on the vehicle because these coatings just won't seal and protect the coach. The chemistry of auto paint keeps moisture and pollutants away from the metal. You already have a quality primer and sealer on the coach. You sand the bad spots and wet sand the whole body, including around each and every rivet. Mask everything and then apply an epoxy primer sealer (you might have to do some filling with bondo for dents and scratches before sealer) and then paint with appropriate auto paint. Most of these coaches used Sikkens, a BASF product that will require up to two gallons. The paint will cost upwards of $1,000 for paint only and another $500 to $1000 for the primer sealer and clear coat. You can DYI it but without a paint booth and experienced painters you will have a coating that will not last more than two years and which will require a complete stripping when it is done correctly. You can kiss goodbye any resale of the coach if you broom it, but if all you want is color then you can use a cheaper paint like Dupont or PPG. They will cost about half the Sikkens.

I've seen lots of paint jobs with rollers, spray cans, sponges and they pretty much come out 20 footers. Automotive paint definitely flows better than your average household latex, but I'll be surprised if you pull it off without a lot of sagging and impurities in the paint.

My advice, don't try to strip to aluminum except where the underlying paint is bad. Spot repair those areas. If the original primer has held this long, it is good to go as long as covered with a topcoat.

If I were to go through the trouble of painting the Barth, I'd build a framework or rent a space out of the elements. Do all the prep work. Buy a cheap HVLP paint gun and squirt it with basic enamel without a hardener. You won't need supplied air, but I'd recommend a good double respirator (even the throwaway type are fine (3M).

Sanel is a great resource if you have them where you are, otherwise buy your materials at an autobody supply outlet, not a chain store.

Other tips. When taping, don't let the tape get wet and be left on. Retape between paint type Like prime, remove all tape and paper, retape for finish coat. Use body shop paper, not newspaper. Remove things rather than tape if possible. If you can't remove the windshield try wedging the rubber seal up with heavy string/rope to allow the new paint to lay under it when the seal is set back. Paint from the top down. Watch where the hose is hitting, fling it over your shoulder to keep it off the body. Repair any corrosion fully or it will pop back out. Blow off everything extensively with an air hose or it will suddenly end up in your fresh paint. Try not to paint when dusty or buggy out if they can get into the paint. Watch for over-spray unless you want to pay to have your neighbors car repainted too.

Consider doing the Barth in sections, it's bigger than you think.

The pros don't use paper anymore to mask. There is a very thin plastic wrap that is easier to apply, is completly impervious to paint and solvents, and cheaper. Comes in rolls and can be wrapped around windshields, edges and windows. You can do the prep and then get a full size shop with a booth to do the sparay work. Then you get the best price and results.

quote:

resale

Thanks for the inputs Gents!

In terms of the resale, well, to be honest, I don't plan to sell mine. Also, to be honest, to borrow a phrase from 'real estate', I tend to think that "I own the worst house in the best neighborhood". I put most the windows in, I bought a used awning from a guy scrapping his RV, I bought a used dinette from a guy scrapping his moms RV (without her knowledge it turned out), I used a bed frame I found on the side or the road to build the front loft. I will not ever claim to have the beautiful Barth interior that the crew in Indiana could build. But I would like to have my cop-Barth be less of an eyesore. It was operated by two police agencies and the paint is thick, and chipping off, and turning to powder in other places.

thanks!
Matt