The finished restoration

MOBAT RESTORATION

GI Joe is my favorite hobby, and as a part of that I am a big fan of restoring ailing vehicles. Here are a few photos of a MOBAT tank that I purchased on ebay for $13 shipped.

--------> Click photos to enlarge.







It was thoroughly thrashed, covered in spider webs and grime. The adhesive of the stickers had leaked around the edges of the decals and had collected copious amounts of dirt and nastiness. This is better seen in the next few photos. To remove the stickers I find that using the tip of my fingernail to lift the edge and then peeling back the decal works best, but be prepared to have some sticky fingers.


The next step is to grab a bottle of Goo-Gone and some Q-tips. I prefer the spray bottle version as one can put the tip of the Q-tip to the nozzle and easily apply a small amount. It is also good for drizzling on areas where large stickers have been removed. To remove the residue most effectively, make sure the area has enough Goo-Gone to lubricate fully or else the Q-tip's cotton will stick to it and string off on your vehicle. The inner part of the sticker residue should melt away pretty easily, but the edges (especially as grimy as the ones on the MOBAT) may take some effort. In the case of brittle decals, where the adhesive has dried, be prepared to be in it for the long haul.


After all the residue has been removed the next step is to wash the vehicle. In most cases I will disassemble the entire toy and scrub each piece with a dish scrubber. I use the kind that can be filled with regular dish soap and by pressing the top, soap can be applied to the pieces you are working on. Don't be afraid to scrub hard and be thorough, I have done this to dozens of vehicles and have never damaged anything. Scrub like you would your dinner dishes.

In the case of the MOBAT I was not able to follow this procedure seeing as how it has electric components, motors etc. For the MOBAT I used wash clothes and warm water and for the detail pieces (especially the vents on the top near the back of the vehicle) I applied small amounts of warm water to loosen the grime and then another wash cloth to lift the dirt.

After letting the vehicle dry thoroughly, I began to apply the decals. I exclusively use repro stickers from Ruben Jiminez. He can be reached at: rubenldm@rocketmail.com. He has dozens of decal sets for both Joe and Cobra vehicles and playsets. I have used other repro sticker suppliers, but have found his to be the most accurate (color) and of the best quality, especially in regards to the thickness of the vinyl is nearly identical to the originals. The stickers are not pre-cut, but with a little time and an Xacto knife that is quickly rectified.

Ruben's MOBAT ($5.99) decal sheet:

A note about sticker application: use your Xacto blade to help position your stickers! Once a decal is cut, I peel it off of the backing and then stick it on the very tip of the blade. This allows for precision placement. Once the decal is in the position you would like it to be in, merely press down on it and pull the tip of the blade out from under it. If your blade slips or you decide you don't like the placement, carefully use the tip to lift the decal off and reposition. I have found Ruben's decals to be very forgiving in this regard and they will usually lift again with little to no damage to the decal.

Finished MOBAT:

By following the above process, I end up with vehicles that looks Christmas morning 1982 fresh. For me it is a labor of love; taking a vehicle that is in dismal shape and restoring it to what it once was is a thrill. I have done nearly two-dozen vehicles like this and will continue to restore as many as I can. Please feel free to email me with any questions you may have: jaiman_stone@yahoo.com