formula206ls

Hello All Late 80's Formula Owners:

Can anyone give me advice on what to use on the following trouble spots of my 1988 242LS to restore the finish???

1) the acrylic dashboard under the windshield is fading and gray and spiderwebbed, what can I use on it (besides armorall shich I hear is bad) to bring back the finish...I hear wax works??!

2) the bow has oxidation and has medium chalk, what do I use on this for products to bring back the shine

3) what do you clean the leather/upholstery with??

4) What do you clean the non-skid deck with to restore it?

5) what do you use to polish the stainless hardware with?

Any other cleaning advice?

Thanks in advance,
Peter

Ted G

iTrader: (1)

Okay, I'll play, bet this thread gets long though

endeavour32

iTrader: (4)

There are no short cuts to bring back the finish. Depending on how bad it is your going to have to sand and buff... My boat wasn't that bad but in order to really get it looking its best I had to do it the hard way. I've never used leverage, but I seriously doubt that its going to bring back an oxidized boat all on its own. Usually what i have found is that products like this (3m super duty) will look good for a month or two then begin to chalk again. You need to remove the pitted layer off gel off. For that you have to sand. Same goes for your dash, pull the windshield and sand and buff! Its not that big of a deal. It took me about 5 hours to pull the windshield buff and re-install.

The other suggestions were all good. I would try to get some Roll Off for stains and your vinyl, the stuff is the best.

88242LS

megures plastic cleaner, may need to apply a few times then use meguires plastic polish, they work great

ThirdBird

[QUOTE=endeavour32;3110259]There are no short cuts to bring back the finish. Depending on how bad it is your going to have to sand and buff... My boat wasn't that bad but in order to really get it looking its best I had to do it the hard way. I've never used leverage, but I seriously doubt that its going to bring back an oxidized boat all on its own. Usually what i have found is that products like this (3m super duty) will look good for a month or two then begin to chalk again. You need to remove the pitted layer off gel off. For that you have to sand. Same goes for your dash, pull the windshield and sand and buff! Its not that big of a deal. It took me about 5 hours to pull the windshield buff and re-install./QUOTE]

I totally agree with Endeavour. If you want it to look it's best and last longer than a month, you've got to sand and buff, just no way around it. Unless someone has already sanded the piss out of it (which I highly doubt) there's plenty of good gell under that chaulk. It's not rocket science, just a bit of homework and lots of elbow grease. Now get at it!!!

ThirdBird

By the way, don't sand the Imron paint. Just lightly buff (non-power) that up, usually just a few waxings will make the Imron pop again.

ThirdBird

Ok, I can't stop. I've been through all of this. As for the no-skid, I used a rag with acetone to clean off the surface real well. It'll take a bit of the chaulk with it too. Then I use a product called "SureStep". It's specially formulated wax, non-slippery, for no-skid surfaces. It works very well. Put it on with a soft bristle brush and buff with terry cloth. The buffing goes fairly well because this stuff is not meant to haze-off completely like regular wax. It's still a bit of work but it you buff one way, then 90 degrees to that, it comes out nice.

endeavour32

iTrader: (4)

Send me some picts of your boat and I'll post them on here for you. Your boat my not be imron, it might be straight gel. We will be able to tell you. my e-mail is [email protected]. Watching the progress is fun, especially when your not doing the work.

oh6662b

is the fiberglass spiderwebed? might be stringer issues

formula206ls

Wow! Ask and you shall hear. All great input. I really appreciate it. I started restoring this boat last July. All new transom and stringers from bow to stern, all new foam, etc. Now I am down to the final pieces. A couple of clarifications if you don't mind:

Ted G - what is Meguirs sp?
Endeavor 32 - And are you suggesting sand and buff by hand or with a machine? The only area I need to do is the top side of the bow. I have never done it before...

88242LS - where do you get Meguirs Plastic Cleaner and Plastic Polish?

O6662b - the plastic under the windshield is spiderwebbed

I am a research-a-holic and have learned a ton about this boat model and year, especially if you are looking for replacement parts. Let me know if you have any questions.

Keep the cleaning suggestions coming...