Tonka rescue

Firstly I apologize if there is already a topic regarding such models but my search produced nothing. So this past weekend at the hunting lease I spotted this front end loader and dump truck just wasting away and I had to bring them home and add them to my growing model collection. Is there anyone here with experience or advice for restoring them?




Thanks in advance.

 

So anyway I just want to keep it simple so I am thinking of just using a fine wire brush on the rusted area's and then applying a protective coat of Rust-Oleum on those brushed area's. After that I would like to re-apply another coat of Tonka 'Yellow' and then lube the moving parts/joints with WD40.

Thoughts?

 

Personally, I would carefully drill out the rivets and take it apart. Then use a light solution of muriatic acid, start at 10% and soak in a bucket. The paint should fall off. If not, go to 20%...30%. Rise VERY well, primer and paint. Use lacquer thinner to clean the plastic parts then paint with plastic paint.

Either that or leave as is with "patina". Doing it half baked will only make it look worse.

 

This is exactly how I would like to do it and when I pulled them out of the weeds and inspected them I was thinking that the rivets need to be drilled out if I wanted to do a proper restoration. Thanks for the information regarding using a muriatic/water solution as I have never done such a resto. Amazingly the wheels are in great shape and only need a good cleaning so having said that thanks again for the advice regarding using plastic paint.