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**geoff** · Mar 24, 2005, 10:22 PM

But wait, there's more...

I kept thinking I could make the camper shell look even better. I used the Porter Cable polisher for the Meguiar's #45 boat polish. I wondered if a rotary polisher and the #45 would be better. Unfortunately, the Makita polisher I borrowed didn't have a wrench to remove the wool pad, and I couldn't see spending $200 to buy my own Makita rotary.

I broke down the other week (early March 2005) and bought one of the Harbor Freight rotary polishers:

The store had it for $50, but the web site said $25, and the store would match the price if I printed out the web page. As luck would have it, the store had 10% off coupons, and I got a rotary polisher for $22.50, plus $9 for the 2 year extended warranty. Even at the full $50, this machine is a good buy. But I digress.

I washed the camper shell, and using the same Meguiars polishing pad, but this time on the rotary, worked with the #45 fiberglass boat polish. This time, the results were noticeably better than the first time, even though my truck has been sitting outside in record Southern California rain. It still took about 3 hours with the rotary and Meguiars #45 until I stopped seeing any improvement.

Someone had given me some 3M machine glaze, so I tried that with the rotary as well (since I didn't have any Meguiars glaze, and I couldn't find any comparable product specifically for fiberglass boats). This slightly improved the finish even more. I finished up with another coat of NXT Tech Wax, applied with the Meguiars G-100 DA polisher, waited, and buffed. The results showed quite an improvement over my first extreme makeover, but not the same level of improvement starting from the original. Here are the results:

and here are the Meguiars products I used the second time around:

Note how much more rich and reflective the camper shell surface is now

I think I've done as much as I can with the camper shell, and I'm not embarassed to be seen in it. I've started to play a little using the rotary on the paint, and results so far have been amazing. Once I get something worked out that improves the paint, I'll post pictures and approach ...

**SingingSabre** · Mar 24, 2005, 10:32 PM

*applauds*

Very nice work!

**RCBuddha** · Mar 24, 2005, 11:36 PM

Awesome Job! That rotary looks like it did the trick!

Question about the chicago rotary: Does it come with a backing plate, or just the wool pad?

**benhui86** · Mar 25, 2005, 01:57 AM

i wouldve thought the camper shell was suppose to be white if i only saw the be4 picture! looks like ur truck needs a new paint job.... that roof is just an eye sore... hahaha.. great job on the camper shell

**scrub** · Mar 25, 2005, 06:57 AM

First after

Second after

Getting better. In the second pic the most of the bottles reflection can be seen, whereas the first the bottle top fades out (at least the NXT) Also the labels on the second after are a bit clearer too.

The differences could also be the placement of the bottles on a different section of the shell. At any rate as you said it's restored to the best possible condition. Great job!

Plus you got some time behind the rotary with little fear of failure. That's what I need to do soon.

**Don** · Mar 25, 2005, 07:48 AM

Originally posted by RCBuddha

Awesome Job! That rotary looks like it did the trick!

Question about the chicago rotary: Does it come with a backing plate, or just the wool pad?

I ordered the same one and it came with a real lambswool bonnet (tie on) and an 8" velcro backing pad.

geoff I have a question...did the hand guard seem to get in the way? I was wondering if I was going to have to cut it off.

PS: The weather STILL hasn't cooperated, and I STILL haven't gotten a chance to try mine out.

**RCBuddha** · Mar 25, 2005, 08:30 AM

Originally posted by Don
I ordered the same one and it came with a real lambswool bonnet (tie on) and an 8" velcro backing pad.

cool, thanks, I'll look into it when i pick mine up today.

**OrangeRcode** · Mar 25, 2005, 09:21 AM

I have the Harbor Freight rotary as well but I think it only came with the wool pad, not the backing plate. I wonder if the arbor is the same size as the DAP? I have not been brave enough to try my hand at the rotary. I am going to tackle my dad's old neglected Ford pickup this weekend and may want to give it a try if the DAP can't do the job.

**Mike Phillips** · Mar 25, 2005, 09:42 AM

Great restoration write-up geoff. This is a perfect example of what we mean when we talk about taking something, in this case a camper shell, to its Maximum Potential. The idea being that not everything we own will ever be like it was when it was brand new, but with a little passion and the human element of care, along with the right products, product that are formulated to be beneficial to the surface to which they are applied, we can restore what has been lost to as close as possible, it's former self, and in many such instances, this is more than enough to satisfy our expectations.

I recently met a gentleman in a grocery store parking lot with a white 1967 Mustang Fastback, it was an original car still in okay shape in that it was intact, running and complete. I looked the car over really well, inside and out while waiting for the owner to come out of the store and then talked to him about his car. I could tell he loved his car and has dreams of restoring it some day. I discussed his car's finish with him pointing out to him that while it had oxidized and had gross black staining in the paint that could easily and safely be removed with a Meguiar's paint cleaner. I told him that I would be willing to help him restore a show car shine to his finish if I could use the before and after photos for our website and he said he would consider it but went on to say that what he really wanted to do was to get it painted.

I have met hundreds of people like this and the day they get it painted is years and years down the road, until that day, with a little passion and the right products, they could restore their car's finish to its maximum potential and drive around a beautiful white 1967 Mustang Fastback, instead of one that looks old and deteriorated... Sure a new paint job would be awesome, so would a ground-off restoration, and maybe someday he'll get there, but for a few dollars and a few hours, we could have taken that old single stage finish and restored it to it's maximum potential and I can assure you, that car would have sparkled! But I digress...

Great work geoff !

**Mike Phillips** · Mar 25, 2005, 09:46 AM

Originally posted by OrangeRcode
I wonder if the arbor is the same size as the DAP?

I looked at the Harbor Freight rotary buffer and if memory serves me correctly, the arbor is a standard 5/8 coarse thread arbor which is the standard for the industry and will allow you to attach backing plates like Meguiar's W-65 and W-64 for attaching Meguiar's foam or wool cutting pads.

The G100 Dual Action Polisher requires a 5/16 fine thread shank.

**OrangeRcode** · Mar 25, 2005, 09:48 AM

Originally posted by Mike Phillips
I looked at the Harbor Freight rotary buffer and if memory serves me correctly, the arbor is a standard 5/8 coarse thread arbor which is the standard for the industry and will allow you to attach backing plates like Meguiar's W-65 and W-64 for attaching Meguiar's foam or wool cutting pads.

The G100 Dual Action Polisher requires a 5/16 fine thread shank.

Thanks for that clarification Mike.

**geoff** · Mar 25, 2005, 09:59 AM

Originally posted by benhui86
i wouldve thought the camper shell was suppose to be white if i only saw the be4 picture! looks like ur truck needs a new paint job.... that roof is just an eye sore... hahaha.. great job on the camper shell

Like I said in my first writeup, the surface started out looking like light gray chalk

Yes - the roof is an eye-sore. But nothing like the hood (was):

I bought a new hood and painted it with "matching" spray paint from PaintScratch.com. I'm still working on getting it looking right, and I'll post pictures. All I can say is it looks a whole lot better. Once I get the hood buffed out to the point it looks good, and I figure out the technique, the roof is one of the next things on my list.

**geoff** · Mar 25, 2005, 10:07 AM

Originally posted by RCBuddha
Question about the chicago rotary: Does it come with a backing plate, or just the wool pad?

My Chicago Electric rotary buffer came with a 7" velcro backing plate and a separate backing plate to tie the wool pad on. When I bought rubbing compound for my hood, I also bought a 3M 7" hook and loop backing plate (3M part no. 05717), and it is much superior quality (wasn't cheap). The backing plate that comes with the rotary is OK, but I wouldn't expect it to hold up well under extensive use. I also plan to buy a better wool pad when (if) I need to use one

The paint and body equipment store I bought the pad from didn't carry Meguiar's products, so now I'm looking for another store (even if it's less convenient)

**geoff** · Mar 25, 2005, 10:17 AM

Originally posted by Don

geoff I have a question...did the hand guard seem to get in the way? I was wondering if I was going to have to cut it off.

Mine doesn't have a hand guard. It has a screw-on round handle that can go on the left, right or top as the picture shows.

I think Harbor Freight has several rotary polisher models. I bought the cheap one because it was on sale and one of the guys in the store said they don't get too many back as defective.

This was my first Harbor Freight shopping experience, and a real experience it was

. The phrase caveat emptor (i.e., buyer beware) definitely comes to mind. I did a lot of research and had an idea of what I was getting into with the buffer - and not too high of expectations. I figured $25 was cheaper than renting a buffer for a weekend plus gas to pick it up and return it

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Unloved camper shell extreme makeover

Unloved camper shell extreme makeover

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