1950's Dinky Racers Restoration
Discussion
Hey all 
I am new to this section of the forums but had been inspired by what I'd seen to have a go at something basic and at the same time, do something that was special to me.
Whilst helping my Dad clear out some items from the loft, we came across some of his childhood toys including a battered looking, green Dinky Cooper-Bristol die cast racing car. I noticed him raise a smile and slowly regress into childhood, pushing it along the playground at school.
It was a beloved toy and he was given a gift set of them for Christmas one year, a not inconsiderable present for a child so young. It inspired me to try and find an original set to present to him at Christmas this year, but I quickly found that original editions of the Dinky Gift Set 4 containing 5 1950's racing cars went for £500-£1000. A little rich for a nostalgic present!
So instead I have hunted down the old models separately, in varying states of knackeredness and bought a reproduction box. Now comes the challenge of repainting and restoring them. It should be fun!
So I give you, the Cooper Bristol, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, HWM and Maserati 23 series Dinky racers:
Matching the original colours seems to be quite challenging as I'll be using aerosols for the base colours, but I think I have good approximations now. I'm not yet ready for the world of airbrushes but I'm already getting sucked in and looking at Iwata goodness! First it's time to break out the Nitromors!
I'll post the progress and results!
I am new to this section of the forums but had been inspired by what I'd seen to have a go at something basic and at the same time, do something that was special to me.
Whilst helping my Dad clear out some items from the loft, we came across some of his childhood toys including a battered looking, green Dinky Cooper-Bristol die cast racing car. I noticed him raise a smile and slowly regress into childhood, pushing it along the playground at school.
It was a beloved toy and he was given a gift set of them for Christmas one year, a not inconsiderable present for a child so young. It inspired me to try and find an original set to present to him at Christmas this year, but I quickly found that original editions of the Dinky Gift Set 4 containing 5 1950's racing cars went for £500-£1000. A little rich for a nostalgic present!
So instead I have hunted down the old models separately, in varying states of knackeredness and bought a reproduction box. Now comes the challenge of repainting and restoring them.
It should be fun!So I give you, the Cooper Bristol, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, HWM and Maserati 23 series Dinky racers:
Matching the original colours seems to be quite challenging as I'll be using aerosols for the base colours, but I think I have good approximations now. I'm not yet ready for the world of airbrushes but I'm already getting sucked in and looking at Iwata goodness! First it's time to break out the Nitromors!
I'll post the progress and results!
A great project - but are you tempted to leave the one your dad played with 'as is' though? Or maybe buy another (rough) Cooper and keep your dad's patinated with all his school yard scrapes?
I've got a similar condition little tractor from when I was a nipper, and I love all the worn paint and bits missing (that I probably ate
).
Just a thought, and only my opinion - I'm sure he'll love it
I've got a similar condition little tractor from when I was a nipper, and I love all the worn paint and bits missing (that I probably ate
). Just a thought, and only my opinion - I'm sure he'll love it
Ah 1954, had the Ferrari and the AlfaRomeo for my birthday.
Playing with them in the school playground, as you do, I had my elbow crushed by a gang of kids playing British Bulldog.
But
I managed to gather my cars together whilst screaming the playground to a standstill.
Wish I still had my little blue and yellow Ferrari
Playing with them in the school playground, as you do, I had my elbow crushed by a gang of kids playing British Bulldog.
But
I managed to gather my cars together whilst screaming the playground to a standstill.
Wish I still had my little blue and yellow Ferrari
Caustic is your best bet for stripping, much fast and cleaner than Nitormors, although you do have to be careful when using it. If you need any advice on doing these, just yell, I've done hundreds!
The argument as to whether you should restore or not restore is one that often crops up and there really is no right or wrong answer, it is always down to the individual. I have helped an awful lot of people return their childhood toys to their former glory as that's how they want them to look, as they very first remembered them, and in a lot of cases they do display better as pristine. However, the option of replacing the original Cooper with another Cooper that doesn't have the emotional attachment is a good call.
A couple of handy tips specific to these models though.
The argument as to whether you should restore or not restore is one that often crops up and there really is no right or wrong answer, it is always down to the individual. I have helped an awful lot of people return their childhood toys to their former glory as that's how they want them to look, as they very first remembered them, and in a lot of cases they do display better as pristine. However, the option of replacing the original Cooper with another Cooper that doesn't have the emotional attachment is a good call.
A couple of handy tips specific to these models though.
- When you take them apart, keep the wheel/axles with the relevant bodies. They are all different lengths. What I do is use some wire and wrap that around each axle so that I can label the other end of the wire and then dip the wheels safely into the caustic soda.
- Paint the white figures last. You'll get a better line and it will look better, more authentic, that trying to mask it off. Good quality brush and good quality enamel paint.
Wow Dr gn nice set, is that an original?
Many thanks for the tips RF, very useful to have an exoerienced Dinkyer on board.
I'll have a think about the Cooper and whether to get another to paint or leave the original in the box unrestored. I think those are the two best options.
I have used CS a few times when restoring motorbike parts, it's nasty stuff for sure.
Can I ask if you remember which blue you used for the Ferrari, as after some tests I'm not happy with the colour match.
Thanks!
Many thanks for the tips RF, very useful to have an exoerienced Dinkyer on board.
I'll have a think about the Cooper and whether to get another to paint or leave the original in the box unrestored. I think those are the two best options.
I have used CS a few times when restoring motorbike parts, it's nasty stuff for sure.
Can I ask if you remember which blue you used for the Ferrari, as after some tests I'm not happy with the colour match.
Thanks!
RumpleFugly said:
Can I ask if you remember which blue you used for the Ferrari, as after some tests I'm not happy with the colour match.
Thanks!
That was a rattle can from Halfords, which is probably not quite the right colour either (I have a rarer triangle nose Ferrari to replace it at some time, so will airbrush it a nearer match). I'll have a look in my cupboard and see if I've still got the colour.Thanks!
I 'think' the rattle can I used was Vauxhall Regatta Blue. It's an okay colour but not a brilliant match.
Dinky tended to use the same shades of colour across many models, so normally a dark blue is a dark blue on quite a few different models. In the case of the 23H/234 ferrari, the RAL code I have is 5005, which is actually different to the other common dark blue such as used on the 514 Guy Van Lyons Swiss Rolls for instance,which is 5010.
The Alfa and Maser are Audi Signal red and the Cooper and HWM are, from memory, Ford and Rover greens. The Talbot was a Lada blue.
Dinky tended to use the same shades of colour across many models, so normally a dark blue is a dark blue on quite a few different models. In the case of the 23H/234 ferrari, the RAL code I have is 5005, which is actually different to the other common dark blue such as used on the 514 Guy Van Lyons Swiss Rolls for instance,which is 5010.
The Alfa and Maser are Audi Signal red and the Cooper and HWM are, from memory, Ford and Rover greens. The Talbot was a Lada blue.
try and find a decent place that supplys car paint , they will have 1000s of paint chips to compare or even a magic camara that can work out paint forumlas
it will be a little dearer than halfords but they will be able to custom make a aerosol for £10-15
if youre clear coating them, 2k clear coat aersol will give a way more durable finish, again slightly dearer but worth it
it will be a little dearer than halfords but they will be able to custom make a aerosol for £10-15
if youre clear coating them, 2k clear coat aersol will give a way more durable finish, again slightly dearer but worth it
Thanks for the advice everyone, I'm going on a paint hunt today. New tyres, rivets and decals all arrived.
Got the cars in pieces yesterday, base plates removed, and stripped the old paint off using caustic soda. The original castings are absolutely beautiful plain, I'll post some pictures when I get home.
Regarding the repaint/not repaint argument, I purposely bought cars that had either been repainted already or had lost more than 50% of the original paint so I don't feel bad about losing originality. I've also got another Cooper which I'll repaint then decide whether to replace my Dad's original.
Thanks again everyone, been a great help!
Got the cars in pieces yesterday, base plates removed, and stripped the old paint off using caustic soda. The original castings are absolutely beautiful plain, I'll post some pictures when I get home.
Regarding the repaint/not repaint argument, I purposely bought cars that had either been repainted already or had lost more than 50% of the original paint so I don't feel bad about losing originality. I've also got another Cooper which I'll repaint then decide whether to replace my Dad's original.
Thanks again everyone, been a great help!
RumpleFugly said:
Regarding the repaint/not repaint argument, I purposely bought cars that had either been repainted already or had lost more than 50% of the original paint so I don't feel bad about losing originality. I've also got another Cooper which I'll repaint then decide whether to replace my Dad's original.
We are not dealing with say the question of whether or not to re-string Beethoven's piano,there were thousands of these toys produced and I'm sure many still exist in a good original state for future academics and historians to study and take reference
. You have made exactly the right decisions so far, maybe you should ask your father what he would like to do about the Cooper-Bristol, but as his son and heir I would like to think you can influence him into keeping it exactly as it is.
When are you giving him the collection - is it to be a Christmas present? If so I'd restore the full set with the second Cooper you have bought. The original should be kept just as it is as others have said. I'd wrap that sperately and give him that first, he'll wonder why you're giving him his own old toy, then having stirred his childhood memories of receiving his original set give him the full minty set to unwrap once more.
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