Chinook RV

Over the last four or five years, the logo’s and striping on my RV have become unbearable due to the harsh Long Island weather. I tried numerous compounds, polishes, and protectants with some success.

I sought advice from various paint shops, ranging from boat repair to professional auto body shops, but nobody could definitively tell me if my RV's graphics were vinyl decals or painted on. Quotes to repaint the entire RV ranged from $12,000 to $19,000, which was way beyond my budget.

After watching several online videos and asking questions, I decided to take on the challenge myself. I purchased some inexpensive tools from Amazon and started this journey. While I've put a lot of time and effort into my RV over the years, this has been one of the most difficult projects I've taken on.

I'll be posting before and after pictures as I progress. My goal is to save as much money as possible, and I'm also getting new logos that will enhance the overall look of my RV hopefully for the better.

Just for your information the Strips and Logo's are painted on

are you just removing from the fiberglass or the steel body as well? looking forward to the progress

Hello,

My goal is to salvage as much of the striping and logos from the fiberglass as possible. The metal has some minor touch-ups needed, but my main focus is on the fiberglass.

Thanks!

I've begun the process of removing the painted-on striping and logos from my RV. As I mentioned before, it's a lot of work and time-consuming. My motto is "slow and stop," and it's been about two weeks since I started.

I'm not an auto body professional, just someone who watched some YouTube videos. So, it's not perfect, but it's good enough for me. The removal process involves wet sanding with various grits sand paper. Due to my arthritis, I can't use a large professional sander, so I'm using a smaller, lighter-weight air random orbital palm sander. It works well with my 8-gallon air compressor.

After removing the painted logos and stripes, I compound, wax, and buff the areas for a nice shine. When I'm completely finished, I'll spray on a protectant to help repel dirt and grease. This DIY solution is my way of staying within my budget. I would like to also mention I'm only around $200 in on supplies and equipment. One and done, if they last for this job only that would be fine with me. If anyone is interested with the equipment and products I used feel free to post it. And I'll go back and find the links for those products.

NOTE: I'll upload images as I go along.

That's quite the task thanks for update. Do you have any stress cracks you are addressing as well?

Ahh very nice. It must feel good to look at her now! I gave up the hope of doing the same on one side. My right shoulder said NO! But now, if you could tell me which palm orbital sander you used, I could try your "slow & stop" method.
Thanks
Terri

Hi Terry,

Thanks for the compliment! I wanted to keep working on this project and share more images, but the rain these past few days has put a damper on things.

In the meantime, here are the products I've purchased from Amazon to help with this project:

SPTA 5Pc 5.5 Inch Face for 5 Inch 125mm Backing Plate Compound Buffing Sponge Pads Cutting Polishing Pad Kit for Car Buffer Polisher Compounding,Polishing and Waxing:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07STT35FF?re ... tails&th=1


Professional Air Random Orbital Palm Sander, Heavy Duty Dual Action Pneumatic Sander with 1pc Backing Plate (5 inch):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08SBZ84GN?re ... tails&th=1


100pcs 5 Inch Sanding Discs Wet Dry Hook & Loop 8 Holes 60 120 240 400 600 800 1000 1500 2000 5000 Grit Orbital Sandpaper:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZKG99QF?re ... tails&th=1


Wizards Finish Cut Compound - Levels Scratches and Brightens Dull Finishes with Smooth Show Finish - Non-Greasy and Water Based with Easy Clean-Up - Marine Compound and Finishing Material - 32 oz:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ZH402C?re ... tails&th=1


Wizards Shine Master Polish and Sealant - Cleans, Polishes and Seals Paint in One - Non-Carnauba Wax-Based Boat Water Spot Remover - Wax Replacement for Boat and Car Detailing Supplies - 16 oz:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ZH10O8?ps ... ct_details


NOTE: I already owned an 8-gallon air compressor, so that wasn't a problem.

In response to 68camaro's question, I didn't want to turn fixing these hairline stress cracks into another major project. So, I plan to try this product (ordered from Amazon) as soon as the rain stops. I want to keep this as simple as possible, and I don't see any reason why this product wouldn't work:


MagicEzy Hairline Fix - (Snow White) - Gelcoat Repair Kit - Fix Cracks and Scratches Like a Pro - Fiberglass Boat Repair Kit - Boats, Jet Skis, Fiberglass, PVC, Carbon Fiber, Plastic:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J2 ... =UTF8&th=1


I hope this helps

Project update: Today, I received a couple of decals that I had made to see how they would look. This was my first time applying decals to a vehicle, and I quickly realized it’s not as simple as applying a screen protector to your phone . I should have read the instructions beforehand.

Two issues came up: First, there were air pockets in the vinyl, which I tried to fix, but without much success. Second, I removed the backing from the vinyl too quickly, and some of the letters stuck to the backing, requiring me to place about four letters on manually. The end result didn’t look too bad, but it wasn’t up to my liking.

In hindsight, I made two mistakes: I didn’t measure the width of the original CHINOOK logo correctly, and I should have created two separate decals—one for "CHINOOK" and another for "YAKIMA, WASHINGTON"—instead of one combined piece. However, this is part of the trial-and-error process. I’ve since ordered new decals with the correct size, and fortunately, they were inexpensive at under $20.

I’m sharing this to help others avoid the same mistakes—remember to read the instructions!

Best regards,

NOTE: This is still a work in progress "Slow and Stop"

Project update: Today, I received a few more decals for my project. My goal is to give it a more modern look. Instead of wrapping the stripes completely around my rig, I’m opting for a shorter cut. I’m taking it step by step to see how it turns out, and so far, I’m pleased with the results.

I’ll be replacing the top and bottom painted stripes with new ones in a slightly deeper gray, which might be closer to the original color before it faded over the years. I’ve also decided to add logos instead of stripes towards the rear of the vehicle. The great thing is that if I’m not satisfied with the final look, it will be easy to make adjustments.

Best regards,

Project update: It's been a few weeks since I restarted this project, and I initially underestimated the time and effort involved. As I always say, my motto is "slow and stop."

I'm almost finished with one side of the RV. It took a while to decide on a look that complements the original design but with a modern twist. I'm waiting on a few more decals to arrive before finishing the passenger and driver sides.

So far, I'm pretty happy with the results. There will be some touch-ups needed once everything is in place, but I prefer to wait until the end to avoid constantly second-guessing myself and getting bogged down in minor details.