Exterior

Here's a front view of my 1968 Safari, showing its only major dent, on the banana skin.

Here it is from the back. Guess I'll be taking that spare tire off - want to avoid the dreaded rear end separation.

The hubcaps are going in to be re-chromed - you can see why.

Here are the hubcaps, back at last from Ken's Buff and Plating. He kept them a month longer than he said he would, but he got out every ding, and they look like they're made of molten metal now. I think I'll be a little afraid to use them!
Started stripping the clearcoat, using liquid Klean Strip Aircraft Remover. It seems to take two applications; after one coat, it still looked cloudy. Maybe I don't have the technique quite down yet. I'm leaving it on about 15 minutes. Then I'm using a rubber scraper to remove it and place it in a jar for disposal at the toxics station. I'm obviously going to go through several rubber scrapers, but they're actually holding up better than I anticipated, and I don't like the idea of rinsing it onto the ground or even into the sewer system. I think that stuff's pretty lethal. Overall, I'm pleased with the result. The picture on the left had two coats. The picture on the right only had one coat, but it's already shiny enough for reflections - that's my border collie, Satchel. I think this side is coming off easier because the clearcoat's in worse condition to start with (on the sunny side).

Today I tried a new stripping product recommended by Jim, a fellow Airstreamer. It's called SV-35\AC and is made by Napier Environmental Technologies. I ordered it at www.aircraftspruce.com. I think it works better and is easier to use than the Aircraft Remover. It still is taking two applications for total shine, but that may be because I was brushing it on - the recommended method is to use an airless spray gun. The clearcoat doesn't fizz up instantly the way it does with the Aircraft Remover, but within a few minutes, it starts to foam. The Napier stripper also has more odor, but I figure it's really better to know if you're being poisoned, so I was okay with that. I left it on about 15 - 20 minutes, then rinsed it off with a garden hose. The stripper and the old clearcoat kind of fuse together, taking on the appearance of a wet blue Kleenex, and peeling off in sheets as you rinse. The best thing about it is that it is supposedly a non-hazardous substance, based on hydrogen peroxide. It comes (with no instructions, I might add) in a plastic tub, so it's obviously not very caustic. In fact, I don't understand how it takes the plasticoat off without actually dissolving it. However, the results are plain to see: I did all the shiny part in the picture above right except for the section under the rearmost window in about four hours today. The picture above left shows part done, part in progress.
Later note: this product works better in warm weather.