Painting in Mexico

[Mike Hohnstein]

I have some responses for your particular questions:
----- Original Message -----
From: tom240842@...
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2005 6:42 AM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Painting in Mexico


Here is hoping with only 13 shopping days left until Christmas that y'all
are keeping your stress levels manageable. Peggy and I are taking life easy
here in Charleston, heading down to Savannah on the 15th to spend a few days,
tour houses, eat with Paula Dean and then back up here for Christmas.

After seeing several coaches that have been painted in Algodones Mexico, and
talking with one of the owners, we are going to take the coach over to Yuma
the end of March, they will come look at the coach in Yuma, assess what it
will take and what we will have done, then we will drive the coach across the
border and have it painted. I am of the mind that I will rent a storage shed
in Yuma, and store everything out of my bays and storage pods. As I
understand from George Lowry we will be in a enclosed compound, but at the
border I
don't want to have to unload all "our stuff" at the whim of some border
guard.

There are a couple of things I would like some opinions on:

1) the left rear compartment door. I have a 33 footer so the docking light
is in the door. I got too close to a concrete post and flatten the rub rail
on the bottom of the compartment door. Not only did I flatten the rub rail
but warped the door. Those of you that know how these are constructed, would
it be easier just to get a new(er) door than have the rub rail replaced if
possible and the door straightened?

>I vote for a new door, repair as a last resort.


2) when Blue Bird constructed my 'goat rail' on top, they used steel rivets
through the aluminum railing. Over the years these have all rusted. I would
like the railing left original (I have seen painted ones and would rather
clean up the rail) When I put the railing back together, would it be better
to
use stainless steel screws or put the same rivets in? And will it make any
difference if I do this, if I use aluminum rivets?

>Use stainless for all fasteners. Go to a good hardware store and buy your
own, don't expect a body shop to find
quality parts for you. Cheaper to BYO too.

3) the front covers for my radiator, and both headlight housing sides have
the hex nut screws. These were originally painted. If I have them paint
these, they are going to have to do them individually, then screw them back
in.
How can I prevent the paint from getting knocked off them again? Somewhere,
maybe JC Whitney, I think I saw a wrench set with nylon inserts for
protecting painted fasteners. Would that work with these?

>I bought a box of replacement cadium plated bolts from Fastenal and use
rubberized washers underneath.
Thread size is 1/4 20.

4) I do not have any leaks up on top from the many screws that hold my
"diamond deck plating" to the roof. Is it going to be worth the time and
trouble
of having them remove the A/C units, the roof vents, the deck plating, just
to paint underneath it.

>I did and I'm glad, but it cost about 20 hours extra. I installed new vents
and new AC gaskets. It was a task.
Frankly it might be a little hard to justify in your situation, but you don't
want stuff getting under the plate during
the painting prep process.

I don't have but a couple of dents to have pulled and the rust is minimal,
however because some repainted the front and rear caps before I got the
coaches, rivets in those areas are starting to rust. The rain rail will have
to be
taken off, cleaned up, straightened and I would assume that they would
remove the all the awnings rather than mask and paint around them, I would
want
them removed anyhow, as I would the marker lights and all the chrome.

>Assume nothing. One thing to consider would be a contract with a end game
clause. A starting point would the shops
time estimate, be willing to give a nice "tip" for good productivity and
quality. Suggest the shop be willing to endure a
penalty if the job drags on too long. My job took 7 months, I wanted to
hurt the guy sometimes, but the job came out
pretty well. I have received many compliments.
Mike Hohnstein

Any other suggests would be welcome.

Tom Meservey, USN (Ret)
'81FC33' brrrrrrrrr in Charleston at 37 degrees


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