C3 Tank Sheet Restoration

[Mark P.]

I pulled the tank sheet off of a 70 L46 and the dang thing looks just like an old brown piece of leather. Needless to say I was thrilled that it was even there, but disappointed that it was in such poor condition. Tough Utah winters, I guess. After I brushed all of the 36 years of dirt off of it (very carefully), I can read the top of the form and all of the titles that were originally printed on the form, but none of the particular bits of information about the car (options, paint color, etc.). In other words, anything that would have been important to be able to read is invisible.

Any magic that can be performed, chemicals that can be used to bring the old faded characters to life? As you might imagine, the paper is so brittle, I can't even hardly handle it. I have made copies of it and have tried to lighten or darken them, but nothing has appeared yet. Has anyone used a professional restorer to be able to read these documents? I know if I could get in touch with a museum or that guy on the movie, National Treasure, I'd be set...but no luck thus far.

Any recommendations? I'd appreciate any help or advice you could provide!

Thanks,
Mark

[Stephen L.]

Re: C3 Tank Sheet Restoration

You might try placing it over a bright light or reading from the backside. Sometimes this works.......
Before you handle it too much, record all the pertinent data. The top 2 lines are very important.

[Jim T.]

Re: C3 Tank Sheet Restoration

Have you searched above the speedometer/tack and behind the radio for the Corvette order copy?

[Jack H.]

Re: C3 Tank Sheet Restoration

There was a prior post (several years ago) that made sense... It suggested the use of infra red photography. What makes sense here is these sheets were made on conventional impact printers using carbon based ribbons. In direct sunlight, what little remains of the original ink/carbon would retain heat at a different rate than the surrounding paper and therefore 'stand out' in the IR spectrum.

Now, you say you cleaned the surface of the paper by brushing it and that might have wiped off residual carbon buried in the original character depressions... But, it's worth a try!

You should be able to get a roll of 35mm IR film (might have to special order these days since so much has gone digital in photography) and give it a shot. You'll notice a 'red dot' on the focus ring of most 35mm cameras representing the focus 'offset' to compensate for the longer IR wavelength.

Load the camera with IR film, place the tank sticker in direct sunlight, focus conventionally and then skew the indicated focus distance gradicule to match the red dot instead of the center line and snap your pix. I think you could buy IR film in small roll load (12-20 frames). So, feel free to 'bracket' the shot (different aperature/shutter speed combinations) to enhance the odds that one of the pictures will come out sharp and clear...

[Mark P.]

Re: C3 Tank Sheet Restoration

Steve,

Part of the problem is that there is no pertinent data to be read or record. Just the headers on the original document....no information on the actual car. It's like it's all invisible

[Mark P.]

Re: C3 Tank Sheet Restoration

Jim,

Yes, the other locations have been searched, but unfortunately nothing was found. My only hope is to get the information off of the document I do have.

Thanks.
Mark

[Mark P.]

Re: C3 Tank Sheet Restoration

Jack,

Thanks for the input. I'll give it a shot and see what happens. About brushing it, it was my only option, since I would have been taking a picture of a dirt clod had I not gotten the extra dirt off of it. It was literally 1/8" or more deep in road grime and dirt/sand caked on it. I felt more like a geologist than someone interested in restoring a Corvette.

Anyway, thanks again and we'll see what happens.

Mark

[Steve Wallach]

Re: C3 Tank Sheet Restoration

Try photo copying it and scanning it, you can play with the contrast and possibly find some of the lost text.....

Good Luck,

Steve

[Tracy C.]

Agree..recent Restorer Article used similar method *NM*

[Kevin M.]

Re: C3 Tank Sheet Restoration

I haven't tried this but a lot of video cameras have a IR option. Anybody tried this? It shines IR light from LEDs in the front of the camera worth a shot.

Kevin

[Clem Z.]

there are companies that restore old documents

but it is not cheap,in the $1,000s

[Jack H.]

Re: C3 Tank Sheet Restoration

That was the basis for the earlier post on this subject...poster used a digital movie camera in IR mode. I suggested using a conventional 35mm camera with IR film because most of us have one of these puppy dogs gathering dust in the closet and the resolution for still frame pix is superior to that of amateur grade digital movie cameras.

BUT, the results he showed with the movie camera in IR mode (one shot under conventional light and almost complete oblitheration; another shot in IR mode and the tank sticker was almost TOTALLY readable) were striking!!!