Page 5 - Summer 21 Edition of Travelore

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I submitted the side views (driver and passenger), front view, and rear view in scale. From those drawings, the masking system was created.
In preparation for the painting, we were told that if
we wanted new awnings to have those installed before delivery to the shop. We had new Carefree of Colorado awnings installed by a reputable RV facility before driving to Bremen. The shrouds and
supports were in basic black
(white was an option).
new.” I was truly impressed and my confidence in what was about to happen just grew stronger.
Upon returning to the office I asked what the price dif- ference would be between using three colors and four. The response was that there would be no difference. When I asked what the additional cost would be to paint the shrouds on the rooftop units, the reply was that the
cost would be the same. The only additional cost I encountered was whether I wanted the window frames repainted black. Well, if everything else is going to look new and shiny, paying the extra $250 to paint
all the frames was a no- brainer.
By now you may be wonder- ing what is involved in the process of creating a great paint job. Here is what a full-body process includes:
• Removal of old caulking
• Removal of decals and glue (if necessary)
• Minor repairs and body- work to achieve a satisfactory result
• Preparatory sanding with 220 grit
• Application of two coats of primer on the side walls
• Sanding with 400 grit material
• Application of two coats of sealer (gray)
• Application of the basecoat (entire body area)
• Masking and spraying other color areas (up to four additional colors)
• Apply three layers of clearcoat (this is what gives it the shine)
• Sand and buff the unit so that the transition areas are level
• Re-caulk the unit to make it weather tight
• Paint the AC covers, refrigerator vents, awning covers (and arms), and other final touches
continued on page 6
On the day we showed
up to leave our home on
wheels, my wife and I
met with Livia to final-
ize the process which also
involved selecting colors.
This is where I received my
first surprise. Livia had, of
course, seen my illustra-
tions and knew about what
colors I’d be interested
in. She was prepared. We
started with the base color
and worked through the
approval process. This
involved looking at model
vehicles about ten inches long that were painted a solid color and finished in clearcoat. That allowed us to see what the color would look like including how it reflected the light. (This is very difficult to achieve in an illustration; especially if the paint has metal flaking in it). The only real discussion was about what amounted to the trim color. Seeing the painted models made it easy to select a good color combination that suited us well. (You’ll note from my design that I’m not a fan of black or dark colors on the roof. I also like a good balance in contrast; not too stark.)
After selecting colors we stepped outside to look at our unit. Mike, himself, and Andy (one of his two managers) walked around and pointed out some areas of concern. They spotted things I was not aware of. Then, we discussed how I wanted some things handled. Each item was noted.
I was expecting an additional fee for removing the old Diamond Shield. It was not an issue with them since it was just a part of the preparation process. When looking at the cloudy headlights Mike said: “We’ll make those look like
New Paint Design for Martha and Byron Songer
Color sample models, as described in the article, were used to select the actual paint colors implemented. The small models present a realistic view of the colors by showing the effects of reflected light on a painted body.
DRVC Travelore - Page 5