Cadillac Detailing and Appearance Modification Interior and Exterior including Body and WheelsForum for discussions regarding cleaning, detailing, painting, and accessories for enhancing appearance.
We had the same problem with both our white '92 Roadmaster and our '93 Fleetwood. Both were blackish and looked terrible due to mildew and the like. To get rid of it, we bought a gallon of bleach. Pour some of that into a bucket, and then add water to dilute the bleach. Get a relatively stiff scrub brush and keep getting some of the bleach/water with it, and scrubbing about 1.5x1.5 sections of the roof, hosing the area with the hose for a minute or so. Keep doing this until you've done the whole roof and it's pure white again.
Next, and very important, use a good car soap and wash the car, especially the roof. After dried, apply whatever your desired vinyl treatment is--very important, now that you've stripped the vinyl of everything and it has no protection. I use 303 Aerospace protectant, but you may use something different.
Also, make sure to wear old clothes when doing it, and thick rubber gloves. You don't want the bleach on your hands, and when it gets on your clothes (it will), well, you know what happens. Make sure to hose/wash everything afterwards.
Hope this helps! Ask me any questions if you have them!
The Chrome is blinding, the white paint is gleaming, but the vinyl has been reduced to an almost cream color, grey in some spots... has anyone here ever dyed or stained vinyl tops? Or know of a product I can use.
Hey Pwrhse... I don't know if you tried anything that worked yet, but just last weekend I took a couple hours to clean my white vinyl top. It was brand new around 4 years back... but it turned a cream color and collected lots of (grey/black) dirt/buildup around the edges, opera lamps, and behind the Eldorado nameplate.
Anyways, I used Stoner's Trim Cleaner (in an aerosol spray... can be bought at Murray's or other auto parts stores most likely) and sprayed it directly on the vinyl. So if you have a factory vinly top that hasn't been dyed yet, this should work nicely I imagine. I used a towel so nothing got on the paint, and let the solution sit for 10-20 seconds before working at it. I used Q-tips in all the tight spots and a nice clean terry cloth elsewhere. Everything came out whiter than ever... I couldn't believe it was even that bad off. I finished the top off with some Mother's Preserves Trim/Vinyl treatment.
Hope you're having luck over there with one of these threads.
It's been raining almost every day since I started this thread,
have'nt had a chance to do anything to the top yet.
1st thing I'll try is the bleach with a stiff brush (cheapest).
then if that does'nt work to my satisfaction I'll try your suggestion.
I'll try to remember to take some before\after pictures and post the results
Thanks for your reply.
Pwrhse
Just remember to dilute it in a bucket of water (don't use pure bleach), half and half. You'll only need to make a few inches in the bucket. Wear thick rubber gloves and old clothes, too. Also, remember to hose thoroughly after each 1-1.5' square section, and follow up by washing it well with a good car soap and applying a lasting vinyl protectant.
This should get it back to new condition, and only cost a couple of bucks ($1 for a gallon of bleach at the Dollar Store).
I work for a Limo company, we use Soft-Scrub with bleach, a stiff scrub brush, & a LOT of elbow grease! DO wear old clothes!
Good tip... how often do you clean the top? Just whenever it starts lookin dirty... or periodically so we don't have to use that much elbow grease?
On another note... GumbyClayman... I've seen limo's that have sweet "opera lamps" (I don't know if that's what they're called these days) that glow whiteish blue rather than the standard yellowish color. They're mounted into the side of the vinyl top, usually 2 to 3 together mounted vertically. I'm thinking about replacing mine since they don't work, but I need to know where to get them from. Do you have any idea, or do you have nothing to do with parts like that? Anyone
We scrub the tops once a year OR when they start looking icky, but once a year usually does it.
The lights are called Opera LightsORCoach Lights, depending on who you're talking to. Or even Side Marker Lights! There are 2 kinds of "Blue" lights that you can get...one has BRIGHT White L.E.D. bulbs...they look "kinda" blue, but there are some that are bright blue...check to see if they're legal in your state!! We get most of our limo parts by mail from either Infinite Innovations www.infiniteinnovations.com or from MTG Technologies www.mtgparts.com I checked both sites, and they both DO carry the Blue Lights. In fact, both places have lotsa' cool stuff for "regular" cars too! Hope this helps!
