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Armadillo purchase

V

vette355

New Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2005
Messages
7
It's been a year and I need to apply Armadillo wipes again. Where can I purchase it???? My GM dealer no longer Carries it and the Internet information is vague to non existant. Are they out of business. Please help if possible as I really like the product. Holds up well here in Michigan. Thanks guys and gals in advance.

Ken
 
both of you do yourself a BIG favor, forget the Armordillo.  go to the Refinish Restorer, do a search there's plenty of threads on here about it, you'll find out in the end you'll be much happier you didit!

Didit
 
Didit said:
both of you do yourself a BIG favor, forget the Armordillo.   go to the Refinish Restorer, do a search there's plenty of threads on here about it, you'll find out in the end you'll be much happier you didit!

Didit
Click to expand...

Hey Didit - I've been looking at Refinish Restorer, Gatorback, and several others.  Refinish Restorer is around $80.  I just spoke with the Armadillo rep., and she said that a case (6 tubs of 60 of the towel wipes) is $223.00.  AND the effects last up to 1 year!  :love:

From what I've read around here, that's about the same as RR.  (y)

I'd be glad to go buy the case along with 5 other brave souls at $37.17 each ($223 divided by 6) along with S&H and give her a whirl...  With 60 towels in each tub, you could have Armadillo GTGs and bring the price down even further... (I'm figuring you would end up using around 15 towels for a WBH and 30 for fully cladded).  ;D

Any takers?


 
 
If you dont mind I would like to put my 2 cents in here.

The product now at GM parts departments is called TS-1 kits. Its still armordillo just called TS-1.

I use TS-1 on my AV and I use 6 towels to do my whole AV and its full cladded.  Now I live 90 miles north of houston and it gets hot very hot here and I have to apply the TS-1 to my AV twice a year. Though my parts dept the TS-1 is $20 each so $120 twice a year. Buying in bulk from them sounds like a good deal.

How I apply mine.

I wash the AV top to bottom, degrease it ,clay bar and wax the painted areas.
Spray a degreaser on the cladding and scrub.
Dry the AV
Tape off the painted areas or anywhere else you dont want the TS-1 even the 3rd brake lamp and fog lamps TS-1 will ruin them. I use the scotch blue painters tape.

PREP IS KEY

I use denatured alcohol to prep all the cladding using a white towel keep cleaning till no more dirt comes off on the towel.

Take the covers and vents by covers off and license plates.
Now apply TS-1 start on top and work your way down and around.
Now look where you applied it. It should be a little dry and and you can see where you may need to reapply.
After you are happy with that wipe the areas down with a damp cool wet towel.
Now you should be finished.

From start to finish its about 7 beers or 4 hours for the non beertime users

Jake
 
Last I checked bigLou, the RR was fifty and change for a can, and it  will last you a couple of years if your the only one using it. A little bit goes a long way.  I bought a can two years ago and have done my panels twice and have only used a quarter of a can.  Armadillo lasts a year, hahaha who are you kidding.  The dealer done mine under warranty and three months later had me scheduled for Gator Back, that was back in 04, the GatorBack still looks good, but I top it  with  the RR about once a year or so, gives it that  pretty sheen.  Just my opinion, your money, your choice!

Didit
 
I like doing the TS-1 but here lately I was thinking of doing the gatorback. My painter said he would do it only if I was gone while he was doing it. I'm kinda picky about my AV and he knows it.

To me if you dont mind the work the TS-1 is a good way to go.

If you want a one time shoot and forget for a few years do the gatorback.

Jake
 
Good conversation y'all. 

I have a 2006 WBH, and it looks r-o-u-g-h.

Trying to figure out what to do.  To be honest, I'm not looking forward to the prospect of reselling 5 tubs of towelettes....

Anyone have a link to the $50 RR?
 
Avalanche Maverick said:
If you dont mind I would like to put my 2 cents in here.

The product now at GM parts departments is called TS-1 kits. Its still armordillo just called TS-1.

I use TS-1 on my AV and I use 6 towels to do my whole AV and its full cladded.  Now I live 90 miles north of houston and it gets hot very hot here and I have to apply the TS-1 to my AV twice a year. Though my parts dept the TS-1 is $20 each so $120 twice a year. Buying in bulk from them sounds like a good deal.

How I apply mine.

I wash the AV top to bottom, degrease it ,clay bar and wax the painted areas.
Spray a degreaser on the cladding and scrub.
Dry the AV
Tape off the painted areas or anywhere else you dont want the TS-1 even the 3rd brake lamp and fog lamps TS-1 will ruin them. I use the scotch blue painters tape.

PREP IS KEY

I use denatured alcohol to prep all the cladding using a white towel keep cleaning till no more dirt comes off on the towel.

Take the covers and vents by covers off and license plates.
Now apply TS-1 start on top and work your way down and around.
Now look where you applied it. It should be a little dry and and you can see where you may need to reapply.
After you are happy with that wipe the areas down with a damp cool wet towel.
Now you should be finished.

From start to finish its about 7 beers or 4 hours for the non beertime users

Jake
Click to expand...

Same prep for RR?
 
biglou58 said:
Same prep for RR?
Click to expand...

Most people just dab it on a rag and go to town, lol.  But I'm sure it wouldn't hurt, remember though,  A Little goes a long way, dab it on your rag and go go go.


Didit
 
Log on to Armordillots1@aol.com. They carry the wipes AND the 4oz. bottles. I have been using the Armordillo (TS-1) on my fully cladded AVY for the past few years and love it. It lasts me over a year, and even at that it still looks great ( I am a real fanatic). If you get the 4 oz. bottle it will do many applications as you do not need much on the sponge. AutoCosmetics.com also carries TS-1, but only the wipes. The 4 oz bottle / kit is much more cost effective @ $19.95.
 
No need to ignore but don't use this stuff IF you can find it
 
Hugz said:
No need to ignore but don't use this stuff IF you can find it
Click to expand...

My parents swear by this stuff, told them I need RR based on what I've read about it on here and they laughed and said this was THE STUFF to use  ??? and think that yall all say to use RR cause you can't get your hands on some Armadillo or Gator... was saving this thread to show them  (y)
 
Armadillo was first generation "fix" for faded cladding, some dealerships even applied it for owners under warranty but it was a short term fix since it didn't last. Then second dealer fix was Gatorback and it lasted longer then liquid restorers but it was like a paint and would flake off if not prepped properly or was roughed up some.
Refinish Restorer has proven over time to last the longest in correcting the fade especially if applied according to directions and is not as sensitive as a "painted" finish.
 
Vaeagleav said:
Armadillo was first generation "fix" for faded cladding, some dealerships even applied it for owners under warranty but it was a short term fix since it didn't last. Then second dealer fix was Gatorback and it lasted longer then liquid restorers but it was like a paint and would flake off if not prepped properly or was roughed up some.
Refinish Restorer has proven over time to last the longest in correcting the fade especially if applied according to directions and is not as sensitive as a "painted" finish.
Click to expand...

You sir, are an angel. I may even print that and take it to them.  (y) :love: :B:
 
DixieDarling no need to print just show them this tread. There are some panels to far gone but for the most part R&R will amaze you and last.

http://chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php/topic,101061.0.html
 
DixieDarling said:
My parents swear by this stuff, told them I need RR based on what I've read about it on here and they laughed and said this was THE STUFF to use  ??? and think that yall all say to use RR cause you can't get your hands on some Armadillo or Gator... was saving this thread to show them  (y)
Click to expand...
Unfortunately I still have both gator and Armadillo.
They are sitting in the same cabinet as the R&R but whenever someone comes over they choose always bypass the first two "fixes".
Myself I went to krylon years ago.
 
Sorry to bring this thread BACK up but I have a question for yall, specifically Vaeagleav cause you described the physical appearance of Gatorback.
I bought a can of RR and treated my bed panels but it didn't take away the spots I was hoping it would. Upon further inspection of my cladding (specifically the sails and driver door cladding pictured below) I tried scratching at them and some black came off, showing a lighter gray underneath. My mom looked it up through the GM website and it said it was 'painted' a Medium Charcoal Gray. But didn't say with what. SO, I'm wondering if maybe it was Gatorbacked ?? I'd really like to touch up the worn away spots of whatever this stuff is, but I can't exactly do that if I don't know what they put on my truck in the first place.  :E: Any help/thoughts you can give would be loverly !

Picture 1: Sails scratched at, top circle is what I did with acrylic nails; bottom circle is what my mom did with natural nails.
Picture 2: OBVIOUS tape line on top of driver's door panel, and overspray behind the panel towards the right of the picture.
 

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Yep, it looks like it was Gatorbacked. There's not much you can do with it, except clean it and re-Gatorback it or spray it with Krylon Fusion.
 
I was always suspicious of how dark your cladding is.
To me it looked darker that what came on the 2002 models.

I agree with MyBigToy - looks like it was Gatorbacked.
Or maybe a previous owner tried Krylon Fusion?  :dunno:
 
I can't be 100% sure without your AV being in front of me DixieDarling but from your pictures it looks like Gatorback to me. I had it on my 2004 AV but since the 2004s had the medium grey cladding and not the light cladding of a 2002 the scratches didn't show up as much as yours. I do remember some members on this site choosing a darker shade than it came with to make the cladding look fresher. I remember that the company subcontracted by my dealership gave me a choice of light grey (like a 2002), medium grey (like a 2003-2006) or dark grey like the cladding on a 2007 +.  I chose to get the medium and it seemed to match the cladding well.
I would guess if you couldn't apply Gatorback then the Krylon Fusion may be best to try since the labor to remove the Gatorback would be very intensive.
Good luck with your efforts!
 
Thanks for all your help guys !  (y) I really love the look of it, but it needs to be touched up and I feel like I can't do it right without knowing what it is. Then again even if I did know, there's no telling when this was painted on, and how long its lasted...  :E:

Sounds like I'll be researching the techniques for stripping and Krylon-ing my cladding, cause, whatever is currently on it looks great (color / coverage wise) but if it scratches off like this every year or so I don't wanna put in all that effort for Gatorback.

Oh the struggle of the mod bug vs. my wallet.  :needhug:
 
Your scratches look somewhat similar to some on my Gatorbacked bed panels.
 
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