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Is it better to restore an old set by re-painting everything or leaving it as close to original as possible? Should I reproduce all the cardboard inserts or should I just make sure all the parts are accounted for? Should I make sure all the parts are made of the right metal for the year of the set I am putting back together or just mix and match as long as its the correct part? What’s the best way? Thanks Gary
Hello Gary,
Those are very good questions, somewhat difficult to answer because there are different schools of thought on it. I’ll answer according to how I feel about it, but it’s really up to you and what you are planning to do with the sets long-term.
1. Is it better to restore an old set by re-painting everything or leaving it as close to original as possible?
My Opinion: For set’s I’m putting in my collection, I want them as close to original as possible. Collectors in general also want that and those sets will command the best price. Some of my sets might have a “reproduction” part in it to make it “complete,” until I can find an original part for it.
2. Should I reproduce all the cardboard inserts or should I just make sure all the parts are accounted for?
My Opinion: If the cardboard inserts are missing, I always make reproduction ones. Bruce Hansen has a great instruction sheet on doing just that. One should always take inventory and make sure all parts are accounted for. That’s the first thing I do when purchasing a new set for my collection.
3. Should I make sure all the parts are made of the right metal for the year of the set I am putting back together or just mix and match as long as its the correct part?
My Opinion: In a word, “YES.” You always want the correct period and metal part for the set. Again, this affects the value of the set.
4. What’s the best way?
My Opinion: This depends on your own goals for the collection. I tend to be a “purest,” so I want the set to be as correct as possible. For example the photo below is a 1928 No. 7 1/2 White Truck set. This was my Dad’s set he passed down to me. The only thing I did to it was replace the tires with repros, as they had deteriorated over the years and completed it with a P58 motor, my Dad had burnt up. I gently cleaned the parts.
Now for my models that I build, I have a different school of thought. I don’t use any parts from my “collection” for models. Over the years I’ve built a stash of extra parts, or parts that are rusted, not in very good shape. I will clean these parts, strip the paint, remove any rust and repaint them for my model building. Again, it’s a personal choice and there is no wrong way. Below is a 1950s Ferris Wheel I repainted and built. Sometimes I follow Gilberts colors, but on this one I wanted it to be in a patriotic theme.
Hope that helps,
Best regards,
Michael D. FosterRestore or not? Always an interesting discussion. But it really comes down to what is it that you are trying to achieve. I recently purchased an incomplete set with a ton of potential. But it is one that is unlikely to ever reach a point where all parts are pristine originals. Some of the painted parts were in need of help, while the hunt for some of the original parts for the set is one where these are so scarce that it will take years and still will likely come up short. So I will repaint, even though as many know, finding the shades can be a hunt in itself (I have yet to come across a perfect match for the red-orange/orange-red for those 1920’s era sets, even with mixing my own paints.) And I’ll make the missing replica parts that are difficult to locate. And this is because I want the set to simply have what it is supposed to have, and ultimately use it to build the feature model when reaches that point. Original is fine if it is good original. A set that might be all original but looks like it went through the wars? Not going to be of much value really except as something to be broken up and sold piecemeal. But I’m not really into value as almost all my stuff traces back to flea market days before ebay changed the landscape. So I want them to look good and be useable, but I always bear in mind that in the end they are still toys. And, after all, Type II reached it’s end in 1963, and Type III in 1987- or approximately 60 and 30 years ago respectively. That means that the number of people who know of and are interested in these sets is on an ever downward trend. So value, as with all collectibles, may be something of an illusion. The last man standing just may be able to have the greatest Erector collection of all times if he keeps a sharp eye out what what is sitting along the curb when that day comes. As such, I see the real answer can be found in a 5 word reply – Do what makes you happy!
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