A Restoration Question:

[Devilbat]

I was up in the attic going through some old stuff the other day, and I came across my old Joe headquarters (the original one), as well as my old MCC. I was thinking about dragging them out after all these years and restoring them. The headquarters needs several replacement parts; one my brother's friends stepped on it and broke it when we were kids. My brother tried to glue the broken parts back, bless his heart, but it was never the same of course. I took one of the wall parts out to see if I could clean it up, just to see what I was getting into. The gray is pretty discolored from years of dust and extreme temperatures. I just wonder...does anyone know if there's a cleaning agent that will restore the color? And is there any way to remove the super glue from some of the tab-holes for the walls and jail-cell parts?

 

The MCC is not in as bad of shape...the cab-part has a broken post where the windshield goes, and the labels are bubbled-up. Otherwise it's in pretty-good shape. I'd need a new cab, and maybe some repro labels, if they even make them, but I've kept all of the parts intact, and they're all in like-new shape.

 

I'm pretty excited about this project. I just thought I'd get some advice from some of you guys that have done some restoration. This will be my first attempt. Oh, by the way...I was out in my little building where I keep my toys, and up in one of the lofts I found my original Joes that I've kept since childhood. I was checking out my surviving Tiger Force figures, and I was amazed at the condition they're in. They look like they just came out of the package! I couldn't believe it. I still have the Tiger Force Lifeline, Bazooka, and Dusty, all complete and mint. I couldn't find any scratches or scuffs on them, and their joints are good and tight. I also still have my Version 1 Leatherneck (He has a scuff on the bill of his cap, but my brother bought him for me, so I couldn't stand to part with it...), Version 3 Snake Eyes, Iceberg, Repeater, Downtown, Version 2 Rock 'n Roll, Battle Armor Cobra Commander, and...maybe that's all. I'll have to look again to see who I still have. I sold all of my old Joes several years ago, and I kept only the ones I felt were in mint shape. It was only a relative hand-full out of a hundred or so. I do remember I had a Version 1 Stalker and Version 1 Beachhead, both of them mint-perfect, but I sold them because their o-rings were broken. This was back in the days before I realized you could get replacement o-rings for them. *sigh* Anyway...any restoration tips would be greatly appreciated.

[RobbieDigital]

I have a Terrordrome that is badly in need of some TLC.......I should take it to "American Restoration" on TLC and see what they could do with it.......I've never seen them turn anyone away....