By Mike Isenberg
By the time prewar tinplate pieces make it to today's collector/operator, many
of them need a bit of “TLC.” I recently bought a prewar set consisting
of a 408E, 418, 419, 431 & 490. Many of the windows and "stained glass"
strips were loose & one stained glass window was missing all together in
the 431.
Graphic Arts being my livelihood, I often think: “How can I fix this myself?”
For missing clear window strips, I use cleared Lithographic high contrast film
that is .005 thick. I turn the emulsion side out for a slightly duller look,
matching the original window strips better. I decided to make a color copy on
transparency film for the missing stained glass window. I think it turned out
rather well.
I used extremely small spots of clear silicone seal applied with the tip of
a toothpick to re-adhere all the windows & strips. Some windows will be
so distorted you will have to weight them down with a small but heavy objects
(fishing weights, small bottles of hobby paint, etc.) while the silicone sets
up.
It makes quite an improvement on the looks of the car, don't you think?
Questions or comments? You can reach Mike at:
grebnesi@aol.com
© 2005 Tinplate Times - All rights reserved.