A Ford Restored

Graham dungworth tells about a ‘classic car rescue’ in miniature – a ‘how to’ article with a difference...

I wonder if you have ever paused to think what lies behind our fascination with old vehicles. Nostalgia? Almost certainly. A sense of history? Quite possibly. A memory of times when life seemed to flow at a slower pace and Brexit could have been a breakfast cereal? Probably. In addition to full size examples my own fascination lies in old Dinky and Corgi Toys.

As with any antique, I often wonder where these little vehicles made in the 1950s and ’60s have been for the last half century, before they came into my possession, and what stories they could tell. I am the first to admit that I am not a collector in the true sense of the word. I don’t seek out mint condition examples to be either displayed in a glass cabinet together with the all-important box, or stored away against the day when they can be sold at a profit.

On the contrary, my models are usually found on flea markets, in what is described as ‘play worn’ condition, normally costing a couple of quid. Boxes? You must be joking, I consider myself lucky if they still have all four wheels!

I recently came across a Dinky No168 Ford Escort Mark 1, dating from 1968, complete with what used to be called ‘operating features’, in this case opening doors, bonnet and boot plus tipping seats. I am frequently asked how I go about restoring old toys and why I don’t restore them to the manufacturer’s specification. To answer the second question first, these old toys are more often than not reasonably accurate models of the vehicles they represent (the Escort isn’t, but more of that later) and usually just need the detail bringing out by careful painting to make them more realistic. As to how I go about restoring them, well, read on...