Hi Woodsy
My Dinky FAB 1 restoration is coming along very nicely. Extremely slow but a solid progression.
I've watched a number of videos and read up on it extensively. Pretty much all of the results can literally only be displayed and barely touched, as I know the paint finishes will mark, if even lightly played with. One of the unseen goals I have attempted to undertake with all of my restorations is to ensure the end result can be handled and even lightly played with.
Hence a good wash with Johnsons Klear and then baking the whole lot in sunlight in my conservatory. The Chassis has been completed and once the wheels are cleaned, I'll be able to fit two out of the three axels.
The next big piece is to strip the bodywork down to the metal. Once that's completed sprayed, and lacquered with a wash of more Johnsons Klear, it'll be on to fitting all the plastic parts. The last time "'er Ladyship's" ride will have looked as neat as this, will have been when I unboxed it in 1966!
I was advised that this FAB 1 is extremely difficult to do. Which is why I'm taking my time. It's a beautiful model, and even though it's not as accurate as the Corgi version, I much prefer its shape. I can look at this, and with its sleek, low-slung design, I can imagine it racing along at 200MPH. Not so much with the Corgi design.
After this restoration. That will be everything from my Anderson toy box. So it's bitter-sweet. I still have a number of Dinky, Corgi and Matchbox toys that can still be restored.
One of these is a huge Luxury Coach with the Chinese-Six wheel base! Although that may never be done, as there are a significant number of parts that are broken/missing. And after an extensive search on the Internet/eBay and everywhere else, the bits just aren't available. Plus, it's a really big model. So even if I were able to restore it, there wouldn't be anywhere to display it.
FAB.
Bill Ev.
