Member Poll: Survivor, Repair, or Restore.

[gumby1109]

Here is the Pole Position that I picked up last week. The overall condition is pretty good. The right side edges show some mild swelling from moisture and some vinyl peeling. The left side is in very good condition without swelling. The top of it has swelling on both edges and the rear top edge is swelled with rough edges. The front next to the gas pedal has a Crack and the front edge is indented on the left and right. Would you leave it alone and just replace t-molding, or would you repair the edges and paint to match? or would you pull the side art and fix everything with epoxy and wood flour, then new TOG side art.

 

[gumby1109]

Surely someone has an opinion on this.

 

[CharlieG]

Everyone's tastes/preferences are different. I'll usually take a 6/10 original over a 9/10 restored (definitely prefer a 7/10 original over a 9/10 restored), but that's just me.

In this case, if it was my project, I'd probably leave the top/back as-in, and then repair the edges and paint to match for the bottom-front corners.

 

[KazooBR]

Repair and paint to match, no new side art. I'm coming to feel that side art gets hidden in a row so it doesn't matter much anyway. The front should be very presentable and clean.
That front stuff definitely should be fixed.

 

[gumby1109]

I am considering using resin pigment in my epoxy, the only catch is I don't buy that I can use wood flour if I go this route. The black looks great, the blue only needs a small area and I may forgo the blue and just use a dab of paint. The white is a different story, It maybe damn near impossible to tint the epoxy to a solid white. I added some on a stir stick and it was like I never did it. It absorb into the wood so I'm skeptical.

 

[tstone]

Surely someone has an opinion on this.

Yours is the only one that matters.

Lots of different ways to go.

 

[gumby1109]

Yours is the only one that matters.

Lots of different ways to go.

I would agree but my thinking is a little much sometimes. Tonight I was trying to evaluate my best course of action. IM leaning towards repairing the major damage and touching up the minor stuff. The overall side art is very good, especially in the field, the edges on one side is questionable. The major stuff is the front bottom both sides. I have other projects that need serious attention. This one is solid.

 

[ArcadeTechGW]

I do the following:
1. Paint over the swell. It hides it quite well.
2. Knock off the chunks, paint over.
3. If it's really bad, get someone who is good with woodwork to help. (I avoid "really bad")

 

[ArcadeTechGW]

Had a good day on Tail Gunner 2 - lots got done. See the Arcadeworthy Rescues thread.

 

[bakerhillpins]

They made so many PPs. So many that I doubt that keeping it all original will make any difference in the grand scheme of things. I've seen several better examples out there simply because the production #s make that more likely. So the game isn't rare and it's not a perfect example, it's average. So do with it what you want.

Pulling from my classic car persona... Do all the #s match on the game parts? Monitor/boards/etc. If not go to town. Even if they did if the cab was a wreck I'd still say tear into it. Patina can only go so far.

 

[gumby1109]

I do the following:
1. Paint over the swell. It hides it quite well.
2. Knock off the chunks, paint over.
3. If it's really bad, get someone who is good with woodwork to help. (I avoid "really bad")

I would do my own woodwork. I'm OK at it and it helps that I have a cabin shop.