Stripped to bare metal

I visited MDC RV Center in Hyannis to purchase supplies for our plumbing.  We don't have a bathroom, but have a sink so we needed a new fresh water tank, hoses, city water connection and a gray water tank.  Dana at MDC was such an amazing help!  He told me exactly what I needed to buy and suggested an external gray water rolling tote which I think will work wonderfully.  Thanks Dana!

We worked on preparing the Pearl for priming and painting yesterday.  Dave installed the wheel well trim, the drip edge and the awning rail.  This was no easy feat because each had bends and dings that needed to be smoothed out.

I stripped the trim pieces with Strip-eze chemical stripper.  That worked so well that I decided to see if I could strip the top coat of paint on the Pearl.  One of the previous owners had painted it with a brush over the factory paint.  This had been done some years ago and the paint showed brush marks, drips and paint chipping in places.  So I applied the stripper and it immediately started to bubble the paint.  What I didn't expect is that it took the paint off, right down to the bare metal!  So now I was committed - I stripped the whole thing.

stripped - the z stripe still shows because it has oxidation

trim around wheel well

Butyl tape installed under awning rail and drip edge

Dave and Christian would like to leave it the bare metal.  Not me though, I miss the pink.

Today Dave will work on the electrical, installing the tops of the bench seats and the countertop.  I'll work on polishing the z-stripe, taping it off, sanding the bare metal, polishing the tulip shaped original propane light and running for more supplies.

We may get more rain today so we may not be able to paint :(

I purchased automotive paint online at TCP global:  http://www.tcpglobal.com/restorationshop/

The pink under the z stripe will be a 1956 Ford Sunset Coral.  The cost of the paint for all supplies, white paint for the top and the custom Ford paint for the bottom was $446.  The customer service was great.  This isn't like buying house paint, there are hardeners and reducers and such that I didn't know anything about.  They helped me choose just what I need.  I can't wait to see it painted!

Our neighbor, Kevin, loaned us his compressor and paint sprayer. Thanks Kevin!