Original Toolkit - clean up to restore?

[Series V Susan]

Question for the Alpine restoration purists out there.

I have a Series V I've been restoring since March of this year and I found a great number of the original tools in what appears to be the original roll-up kit cover. They are in greasy/grimey/disgusting condition (yes, they were really used!!!)

My question is should I clean them up or leave in as-found condition. I have no plans to use them, just keep them in the boot.

Any thoughts on toolkit restoration? My first idea was just to wipe the tools down and keep all the patina of age, but they sure would be pretty (it might be a girl thing?) if I cleaned them up like the rest of the car. I'm a "take out each screw and run on the wire wheel till it's shiney" type of restoration person.

Thanks so much for your opinion!!

Susan

 

[tylerite3124]

Alpine Tool Kit

Susan:

The first thing you should be happy about is that you have a toolkit! Most of the tools originally with these cars have been long lost somewhere during the car's life. I would say to treat the tools like you treat the rest of the car. If you like them clean and shiny, by all means put them under the wire brush. I see there are new tool kit rolls for sale on ebay that you could use to put your clean tools in for looks but do not discard the original roll. They are scarcer than the tools!

If you are thinking of resale, I don't think it matters one way or the other if the tools are clean or dirty - as long as they are with the car!

Rick Guest

 

[alpine_64]

I'd just clean them up and leave them as is.. the orginal finish is not shiney anyway, they are carbon finished.. you can do this by putting dirty oil in a tub heating it then dipping the tools in them.. gives them a hardened black coating.... there should be some pics of the complete kit in the originality section or articles section of the site.

 

[Series V Susan]

Thanks all for your posts, I will go with matching the general restoration of the car. That feels right.

I'll wipe down the tools, apply a light oil, gently clean up the case, roll them up and store them in the boot. Done. This has been a "loved" Alpine over the years and the tools are no exception.