restoring vintage engines and cars

oldmopsey

New Member
I have just gotten 3 boxes of various makes of engines in HO scale but the paint job on many is not too good-how can I restore them to the way they should be? How can you tell if one is brass? A friend of mine is getting rid of his collection from the 50-60's and thats how I got them.
 
J

Jim Nunn

I have soaked (please excused the use of the following word) plastic models in undiluted Simple Green cleaning solution to remove paint. Of course you will have to disassemble the engines. Once disassembled it should be easy to tell the difference brass models are not generally painted on the interior. If not disassembled brass will have a cold feel about it while Plastic will be wormer to the touch.


Jim Nunn
 

oldmopsey

New Member
My problem is I don't know how to take them apart and then get them back together.....I'm a little old Grand ma from middle Georgia who lives on a Hog Farm---HELP and thanks for the reply
 
J

Jim Nunn

First, let’s just say if you can’t disassemble them then your best bet is to do nothing to the paint. Brass train models are usually completely disassembled, that means that parts are unsoldered not just unscrewed for painting.

Take a few of them to a Hobby shop that specializes in trains and have them give you a value for the engines. If there is one that you particularly like they may be able to put you in touch with someone who will paint and finish the Engines for you. Warning nothing in model Trains is cheap

Jim Nunn
 
Top