My 1991 T 3500 Mazda motorhome, is my home. Bought it about six years ago. Had the motor rebuilt, and in the last twelve months, have fitted new tyres, shockies and brakes.

However, "Puff, the tragic wagon" had a really bad paint job. Previous owner, I think, must have painted the bus with a yard broom. It was a very rough semi gloss white.

The price to do a "reasonably paint job" was $7,000. No bloody way could this old pensioner afford that sort of money.

So, a trip to the hardware store, (paint section) and some light glass paper, to rub the bus down.

Add two rolls of masking tape.

Next, eight tins of pressure pack aluminium shade paint.  

End result, and it doesn't look three bad. Plus, a gloss black strip down both sides, to match the black grill.

But wait, there's more!!

The curtains had that white rubberised material on the outside. After a few washes, the white material was looking very sad.

To have a whole lot of new curtains made was out of the question. So, seeing as the original blue interior side of the curtains were still in good condition, I had a light bulb moment.

Took all the curtains out of the bus and hung them on a friends Hills Hoist, with the blue side facing away from me.

Then I painted the white rubberised side with the pressure pack aluminium shade of paint.

Two coats, and left to dry for 48 hours, and when fitted back in my bus, it's great. With the "silver" side out, it reflects the sun, and matches the "new " paint job.

Saved me a big quid, and no, the bus doesn't smell of paint.

Regards to all.

Pipes

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Well done pipes!    

Just goes to prove (again) that where there's a will there's a way.

Safe and happy travels in your freshly renovated home. 

Interesting about the curtains. The ones we've got now are still okay but back in the 1980's I made new curtains for our then Kombie Camper out of a nice pair of stripped bed sheets. I think they were originally a wedding present. Where there's a will there's a way so the saying goes.  (even though Pam said it first) Cheers.

Hello pipes, u made my day. That is brilliant. 

 "Puff, the tragic wagon"

Pipes: 25 points for the name or 50 if it's original.

Brilliant :)

Back in the 80s I worked in a small workshop where we had a paint shop with a spray painter who painted the finished product with a gloss fast drying industrial enamel (only had 2 or 3 colours). One of the guys decided to give his beat up old Valiant a face lift so one day he drove it into the shop, we gave it a quick sand and masked it up, the spray painter then hit it with a coat of a nice blue enamel. After a couple of hours we stuck on some pinstripes made out of electrical tape and he drove it home - looked pretty good at least until it deteriorated enough that it needed to be done again which was probably about a year.

Pipes I hope your paint job lasts you a bit longer than that but even if doesn't you're still ahead so just do the same again - a lot better than paying someone $7K especially if you're happy with the end result.

Cheers

BB

pipes wrote:

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 and what.....who....????????

pipes wrote:

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When any of you mob are travelling, you may see a 1991 Mazda T 3500 ahead. You will know it's me, coz on the back window, is,
"CAUTION, THIS BUS IS UNDER THE CONTROL OF PRE JURASSIC NATURAL GAS. THE BLOKE DRIVING IT IS AN OLD FART"!
Totally original.
Pipes.

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 Hmmmm....and aint that the truth....LOL

onya Graeme

Cheers Keith 

Great solutions