Anyone use PENETROL on their poptop?

Terry Kay · Banned Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331

I don't know how bad her top is, but all I did was run my Van through the car wash twice prior to laying the penetrol on.
( No optional spray wax)

It was chaulked out almost white, no hairs were exposed.

Do (somehow) wash the top good & let it dry well prior to laying the stuff on your top.

I mentioned the car wash as an option for you --cause of the elevation issue.
That could be a pain too-
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T.K.

dobryan · Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 12:11 pm Post subject:

rockfish · Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 12:54 pm Post subject:

BTW - most car washes run a little bit of their "jet wax" into their rinse water phase - helps with the air dry.

(During HS I had a weekend job as an assistant manager at a car wash).
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Terry Kay · Banned Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331

Not here--that's extra.
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kamzcab86 · Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 8:13 pm Post subject:

Finally got this little project done.

The roof on my '90 was de-oxidized back in 2010, but it all returned in short order and got tired of looking at it when the roof was popped. Used Penetrol in the luggage rack awhile back, worked great; however, I had used Meguiar's #49 Oxidation Remover a few months prior. So, this weekend I finally got around to doing the pop-top. Penetrol alone wasn't going to cut it, and scrubbing the roof with a sponge and cleaner (as others have done) wouldn't work either:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

^That same spot after using the Oxidation Remover and a scrub brush:

(No, the color didn't get lighter; just garage lighting & camera playing tricks.)

Left side = before work began; right side = after oxidation remover:

(Before anyone asks: The ring is just from resting the -stopped- buffer on the roof; pad was damp with the remover cream, hence the round spot... it went away when I did that section.)

Bottom = after oxidation remover; top = after oxidation remover & Penetrol:

Roof finally looks like new again! Dancing

I'll post roof raised before/after comparison photos next weekend for the full effect.

Edit: Forgot to add the before/after comparison:

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singler3360 · Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 9:59 pm Post subject:

Kamz, did you use an oxidation remover like GW's Protect All? I'm inspired by your photos to try this, followed by Penetrol, on my Orly blue top also. Thanks for the pics.

kamzcab86 · Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 10:46 pm Post subject:

tam_shops · Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 6:08 pm Post subject:

I did a layer of Penetrol on mine, could use another, but also realized that it could use another scrub kind of clean first after I started, but I'd just washed it...It is PRETTY! Well, minus all the scratches, dents and imperfections! LOL

Thanks for the cheap suggestion and fun in the sun everyone!

tam

Oh, and I use a mop to wash the top half & pop top of the Vanagon, never thought of the car wash, do that by hand and w/ my mop. Will get dh to use the scrub brush first next time. He seems to enjoy this shining stuff and helped wax too. He has no problem reaching!
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Terry Kay · Banned Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331

Looks pretty good from 60 ft---

Get an entire coat of the penetrol on the whole top, let it sit a couple of hours, and do it one more time just for the heck of it.

It'll look right fine--you'll be plenty happy with the end result.
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T.K.

tam_shops · Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 10:18 am Post subject:

Only 60ft? I thought it looked great at 6! LOL WAY better that's for sure! Of course I did the entire top, that was the half way picture to show how much better it looked!

Only so much time you know, want to take those seats off and clean/lube them first, but have to do some sort of Easter Egg thing w/ my kids for some reason. Will do another coat of Penetrol when I wash it next time, making sure to scrub it better and then put another coat of NuFinish on it too.

tam

Terry Kay · Banned Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331

Nu-Finish not required, and not suggested on top of the Penetrol--

The Penetrol all by itself will work quite well---
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T.K.

tam_shops · Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 1:11 pm Post subject:

Thank you, did that. Penetrol on fiberglass and NuFinish on paint. Sorry, I wasn't clear, but thanks for pointing it out anyway, never know what I might do by mistake! Wink

tam

Royb · Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 11:38 pm Post subject:

Having a whitevWesty, I didn't want to use Penetrol, which can yellow. I did a good scrub and applied T3, with great results. Some got rained off before it fully set, so I may do a 2nd coat, but looks great now.
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1991 Westy

Timwhy · Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 2:45 am Post subject:

I used Penetrol a few years back with good results.
My pop top was looking pretty grimey so this past
weekend I washed, and then scrubbed with Simple
Green and finally rinsed with the pressure washer.
Now to apply the Penetrol and I should be good
for a couple more years.

On another note anyone ever clean up under the pop
top? I cleaned probably 20+ years of dirt off this too,
this past weekend. Simple Green and a pressure washer!

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mr. c · Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:40 am Post subject:

I put my first coat of Penetrol on a little thick in spots and the appearance is obviously uneven. Is it possible to sand/remove some the thicker spots before I apply a second coat? Does a second coat normally even out the unevenness, or do I have to lie in the bed I've made?
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Lifted1 · Samba Member Joined: June 30, 2010 Posts: 57

anyone know if the Penetrol sold at HD is the same stuff?

thanks

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Flood-Penetrol-1-Qt-Cle...d=penetrol

mr. c · Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 12:16 pm Post subject:

shizzon · Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 12:25 pm Post subject:

tam_shops · Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:36 pm Post subject:

Did another coat of Penetrol today. Was *just* warm enough to wash and Nufinish it and then, add some Penetrol on the top!

Will have to wait and see how it looks next week to see if I need to do a 2nd coat....But, while I was up there, I noticed that my stickers, on their last leg of death prior anyway, are now dying a faster sad death since I've added the Penetrol. They seem to have dissolved in spots. Could certainly be age, but thought I'd point it out since while my stickers are original, yours may not be and you may not want to replace yours when skipping the Penetrol in that spot might do.

tam
_________________
1987 Vanagon Westfalia GL Automatic

Making it special:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=545885

outdoornate65 · Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 12:38 am Post subject:

Grabbed a can of Penetrol to use on my faded pop-top. I did a little test square over the weekend and was amazed by the results...can't wait to clean-up the entire top and get it shiny again.

Question: currently my pop-top has no Westfalia decals. Should I put the decals on before doing the Penetrol or will it be cool to do it after? Just wondering if the Penetrol will prevent the decals from sticking to the fiberglass top?

Thanks and Merry Christmas.....

Nate
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1984 Westfalia Wolfsburg "Nana"


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