Front and Rear Caps

Jaybird wrote:
Oh how I got upset about nothing!
Bar Keepers Friend took all the DIRT away, no tears in fiberglass
no rust just DIRT!

Thank you all!

jb

Glad it was an easy fix for you. What most people don't realize is that any FG any resin(gel coat) will be degraded by the sun over time. As an experiment where I worked we left a composite air frame outside for 10 years. It oxidized to the point that the fibers were showing through the resin. The front and rear caps have a much thicker gel coat than composite air frames about .020 thick. If not cleaned and waxed every year or so to protect against the sun it will begin to oxidize. Once oxidized it will stain easy. Buffing the surface and wax will prevent this. You see this with old FG boats left untreated will be stained with fish blood or hooks left on the deck.

Paint codes with gel-coat? Not my experience.... my 2001 NationalRV Dolphin,the gel-coat got oxidized beyond repair. Took it to a paint shop. They asked to look at the "spec sheet" (located in the closet) but there were no paint codes. The shop researched on their computer....no codes.
The painter spend quite a long time trying to match the paint. He did...and did well. He told me the reason there were no codes is because the gel coat was never "painted" The color was IN the gel coat.

My experience...FWIW.

Oh how I got upset about nothing!
Bar Keepers Friend took all the DIRT away, no tears in fiberglass
no rust just DIRT!

Thank you all!

jb

Gjac,Wildmanbaker,

Will try Bar Keepers Friend . If after following everybody's advice
it holds for 2-3 more years, will decide then whether or not to
1) have it done right by a marine( boat shop)
2) Give the 'Ol Gal a rest and retire her.

jb

What year is your MH? If it is old I doubt that it is painted. If it is just gel coat I would try Bar keepers Friend first to see if stains will come off. Then progressively move up from there. Machine buffer with cutting compound , 400 then 200 grit sand paper. I would not paint it.

Jaybird,
just sanding and then painting will work for a few years, but unless it is done correctly, it will peal off due to lack of adhesion to the gel coat. Remember, the factory was working with new gel coat, so paint adhesion was assured. The aged gel coat, especially the white, may not like to adhere to the paint without a sealer, primer, then single stage paint. If you are going to do this yourself, ask for advice from the paint supplier. The paint codes listed in the rear closet will match very well.

Wildmanbaker:
Talked to the Sherwin Williams Automotive Specialty Paint Center near me, and showed them the same picture. They said " sand and then use a
single stage paint to fill".
Thanks, will try your suggestion first.

jb

Try some rubbing compound on the area first, to see if it comes off. The gel coat is fairly thick on the caps of Fleetwood MHs. It may be that some steel particles got on your front cap roof and rusted, but it seems unlikely to get 11 feet in the air without some help.

Thanks Scott

Jaybird wrote:

RayChez wrote:
So if the repairman said not to worry about it? What is he going to do to take those ugly spots off?

THAT is the next question LOL

Well,
Like what's been suggested, you could just sand it a bit and rattle can it or, wait to see that your folks that have looked at it are going to do about it or, you could pay a paint shop to do a quick pro type job of white re-coat on that cap alone and, it would, or should, I should say, last for a lot longer than rattle can repairs. It's up to you.
Scott