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| Get off my lawn! | 
				
				20 screaming polishers, 50 pounds of polish, 600+ man hours
			 
			This is a cool story. I don't want to get into a handshake contest with any of these guys.  20 screaming polishers, 50 pounds of polish, 600+ man hours...... - Autopia.org 
				__________________ Glen 49 Year member of the Porsche Club of America 1985 911 Carrera; 2017 Macan 1986 El Camino with Fuel Injected 350 Crate Engine My Motto: I will never be too old to have a happy childhood! | ||
|  04-13-2010, 06:09 AM | 
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| Almost Banned Once | 
			Looks great but how long would it stay like that? I read some of the thread but there was no mention of preserving the shine. Surely they would coat it with something after all that work. 
				__________________ - Peter | ||
|  04-13-2010, 06:17 AM | 
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| Still Doin Time Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Nokesville, Va. 
					Posts: 8,225
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			I know of several products specifically for exposed / polished metal that is wiped on by hand. Preserves the finish for up to a year......not sure if this was done or would be appropriate for aircraft (drag?)
		 
				__________________ '15 Dodge - 'Dango R/T Hauls groceries and Kinda Hauls *ss '07 Jeep SRT-8 - Hauls groceries and Hauls *ss Sold '85 Guards Red Targa - Almost finished after 17 years '95 Road King w/117ci - No time to ride, see above '77 Sportster Pro-Street Drag Bike w/93ci - Sold | ||
|  04-13-2010, 07:46 AM | 
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| Registered | 
			I wonder what that would do to the weight of the plane.  I have heard that commercial jets are very affected by the paint applied and the cleanliness of the airframe.
		 
				__________________ David 1972 911T/S MFI Survivor | ||
|  04-13-2010, 07:54 AM | 
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| Registered Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Fairport, NY 
					Posts: 1,221
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			I wonder if it flies faster now, kind of like when you wax a boat??
		 
				__________________ Von http://vonsmog.com 73' 911T Coupe, 76' 911S Targa 73'& 80' Mercedes Unimog DoKa 59' Austin Healey 100-6 | ||
|  04-13-2010, 09:50 AM | 
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| Registered | 
			Pretty
		 
				__________________ 1977 911S Targa 2.7L (CIS) Silver/Black 2012 Infiniti G37X Coupe (AWD) 3.7L Black on Black 1989 modified Scat II HP Hovercraft George, Architect | ||
|  04-13-2010, 11:15 AM | 
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| Friend of Warren Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Lincoln, NE 
					Posts: 16,500
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			That plane will blind you in the sun!
		 
				__________________ Kurt V No more Porsches, but a revolving number of motorcycles. | ||
|  04-13-2010, 11:53 AM | 
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| Targa, Panamera Turbo Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Houston TX 
					Posts: 22,366
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			oh Polish ... not Polish...   
				__________________ Michael D. Holloway https://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_D._Holloway https://5thorderindustry.com/ https://www.amazon.com/s?k=michael+d+holloway&crid=3AWD8RUVY3E2F&sprefix= michael+d+holloway%2Caps%2C136&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 | ||
|  04-13-2010, 11:53 AM | 
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| Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: N. Phoenix AZ USA 
					Posts: 28,967
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			Beautiful work. If you keep it up, it stays nice. If you let it go and do nothing then its hire these guys all over again! 
				__________________ 2021 Subaru Legacy, 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins (the workhorse), 1992 Jaguar XJ S-3 V-12 VDP (one of only 100 examples made), 1969 Jaguar XJ (been in the family since new), 1985 911 Targa backdated to 1973 RS specs with a 3.6 shoehorned in the back, 1959 Austin Healey Sprite (former SCCA H-Prod), 1995 BMW R1100RSL, 1971 & '72 BMW R75/5 "Toaster," Ural Tourist w/sidecar, 1949 Aeronca Sedan / QB | ||
|  04-13-2010, 11:58 AM | 
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| Registered Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: London 
					Posts: 1,831
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			Machine polishing....do it by hand guys...OK we only did it on the smaller aircraft.  Looks great and if it stays indoors and is maintained then it lasts a while... but fly her and a bit of weather and it all goes dull again (and far better for the airframe it is too..) But it doesn't look as good. Polish them too much and you wear them away...sad but true...   
				__________________ Share with me. Teach me something I didn't know. Make me think. But don't make me a bit player in your passion play of egotism. Dueller. 13/03/09 | ||
|  04-13-2010, 12:23 PM | 
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| Registered Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: AZ 
					Posts: 8,414
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			Pretty cool.  Anyone know why the mission marks (stenciled bombs) have been removed from the side of the fuselage?  You can still see the faint silhouettes in a couple of the pics.  Seems like if you were preserving such a historical aircraft, you would have left them intact.
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|  04-13-2010, 03:20 PM | 
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| Non Compos Mentis Join Date: May 2001 Location: Off the grid- Almost 
					Posts: 10,607
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			Three polished airplanes showed up for breakfast last Saturday- A Luscombe, an Ercoupe, and a Cessna 170.  All of them with just the right amount of red trim, all of them absolutely gorgeous. I love a polished airplane, but I will never own one. I'd rather fly than polish! Enough upkeep just to keep my polished spinner looking good. The rest of my airplane stays painted. | ||
|  04-13-2010, 04:27 PM | 
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| Registered Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Louisville Ky 
					Posts: 2,791
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			Just one little rainstorm it will look bad. All the black residue (polish) hiding under the rivet heads will come out and streak like hell. Back in the day..We had a T33A used for a chase plane at Brookley AFB in Alabama, very dedicated SSGT crew chief polished it to death only to have it come back off mission lookin like hell if the college boy pilots got it wet in a thunder boomer somewhere. Looks good but lotsa work that don't last long.
		 
				__________________ Edgar 1984 Porsche 944 bone stock 1995 Mercedes E320 wagon 1970 Honda CB350 mint!!! | ||
|  04-13-2010, 06:14 PM | 
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| Get off my lawn! | 
			Our 1965 Cessna 206 is a work truck. It has a patina if you want to be polite. We just recently upgraded the 45 year old transponder. It ain't pretty but it is well maintained. The mechanic says it his favorite airplane to work on.
		 
				__________________ Glen 49 Year member of the Porsche Club of America 1985 911 Carrera; 2017 Macan 1986 El Camino with Fuel Injected 350 Crate Engine My Motto: I will never be too old to have a happy childhood! | ||
|  04-14-2010, 05:00 AM | 
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| Midwest R Gruppe | 
				
				Polish My Bird
			 
			When I first got my license, I bought a bare Al Luscombe.  Sure the Alclad was all faded and cloudy - yes I spent a TON of time polishing that bird - BY HAND!  By the end of the summer, my right arm muscles were much larger than my left.  And that is filthy work.  They look great when polished, but are a ***** to maintain.  And inevitably, every time I would spiff her up for a fly-in, some a-hole would come by put his/her hand somewhere on the plane.  Finger prints instantly start the "corrosion" process. I would finish and have to start all over again... I vowed to never own a polished Al airplane again. 
				__________________ Scott 69E Coupe 2.2S LtWt 73.5T Coupe | ||
|  04-14-2010, 11:09 AM | 
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