> I haven't tried this yet, but hobby shops sell a paint on masking
> liquid. Sounds like you could paint it on and meticulously outline the
> letters to remove excess material.
>
> Bob Kramer, Austin TX
> Hill Country Triumph Club
> TR6x3, TR250 x3, TR3A vintage race
> rgk@flash.net
> These plates are easily reproduced by photoetching processes. I have seen
> examples of all kinds of brass plate/with paint reproductions when visiting
> the Portland (OR) Swap Meet. There is a vendor there who does wonderful
> work. I am sure that a scan of Hemmings would turn up his name or another
> company.
>
> John McEwen
Yes, there are ways of restoring these. I've done it myself (actually an
artist friend, with a steadier hand than mine). Bob's method is
promising. After you hand paint the masking compound, shoot a light coat
of black, and use it as a guide to scratch off/retouch the masking
compound. Then hit the black for real. Or, as John suggests, give it to
a Pro.
But wouldn't it be nice if you could buy a good stencil for 10 bucks?
Then you could power clean your dirty old plate down to bare metal,
spray a masking compound through the stencil, shoot the whole thing in
black, wipe the paint off the masking compound, and voila, a fully
restored comm plate, with the stamped comm number, color codes,
whatever, still completely original for YOUR car.
Not meaning to be argumentative, but wouldn't that be a nice thing for
one of our illustrious Heritage vendors to offer (and don't forget the
Herald!)?
Bill Kelly
'62 Herald with meticulously hand-restored comm plate
'68 TR250 with very legible original comm plate
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