Jack - Restoration

[Jim Clement]

Hi
I purchased one of the final missing pieces of my car - a period correct jack

does anyone have a "how To" on jack restoration ??

[Tom Keating]

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=45547&hilit=jacks

[Mike Wilson]

Hi, Jim:

Seems to me there was a previous thread or two and maybe an article on restoring the jack. They are fairly easy. If you post some pics, we can lend our advice. I can post a pic of a jack I restored for reference.

Mike

[Jim Clement]

Here is my starting point, a very nice place to be..

[Mike Wilson]

Here's my finished jack.

Mike

[Jim Clement]

Mike- I think you have set a very good standard for me to try and achieve..
Looks Great !!
Tom - Thanks for the link, lots of great information there as well.
Much appreciated.

[Peter Silten]

I have restored a number of A and later jacks like Mike's. Here is a photo of one of my restored A jacks for your reference. I have also included a photo of an unrestored base so that you can see the correct original color. To match that color I mixed a variety of paints and shot it using an airbrush.

[Martin Benade]

There are also proponents of a much different color, more like Speedster Blue. Probably both are correct.

[Peter Silten]

Martin, I have restored over 25 Bilstein jacks, and IMO there is only one correct blue, and I have provided a photo of a base in its original color. I have seen a lot of restored jacks with the “incorrect” blue, e.g., Testors Sea Blue (flat) and Dupi-Color’s Chevy/Ford engine blue. These are all very nice shades of blue in their own right but they are not a close enough match for the original blue, at least not for me. So, unless there are other original Bilstein jack bases with different shades of blue, the so-called proponents of the other shades are off base (pun intended).

[Jim Clement]

Mike / Peter
a few questions:
1) how did you polish the shiney part of the mechanism ? and did you put Gibbs penetrant on it ?
2) did you sandblast / beadblast the painted portion prior to painting /
3) what kind of black paint did you use ?
4) how diid you polish the shaft ?
Peter - thanks for the advice on the blue base colour
Jim

[Peter Silten]

Hi Jim. PM sent.

Regards,

Peter

[Mike Wilson]

I sense some interest in an article, Peter.

Mike

[Dan Macdonald]

Guys,
I've restored a couple of jacks, and by far the most difficult part was removing (and re-installing) the circular wire clip(s) on the jack's shaft.
I understand that some of our wonderful vendors sell these clips, but even if I purchase a new clip, rather than reuse the original, I still need to install it without bending or disfiguring the clip.
What is the best method that the "amateur restorer" can use for this task? Any special tools?
Thanks.

Example: https://www.stoddard.com/nla72200200-64 ... 0-nla.html

[Martin Benade]

As for the color I only know what pictures I’ve seen of restored jacks, I have no opinion on what’s original. I shouldn’t have suggested both are correct.

[Mike Wilson]

Dan, I've pried them off with a couple of small flat-tipped screwdrivers and if the gap is wide enough, snap ring pliers. I've been able to install them using both and if the gap is a bit too wide, close them up with Vice Grips. I've thought some kind of mandrel would be useful reinstalling them. Maybe others (Peter?) have a better method.

Mike