Replacing Antenna Aerials in Diecast Models

I had a question again today from a customer in relation to the process of Replacing Antenna Aerials in Diecast Models.

For the vast majority of makes, the original construction was from the inside. So the assembly line would have installed the antenna first to an upside-down top body section of the model.

So on a model that is otherwise in very good condition, “Do I actually have to drill out the rivets holding the top and bottom half of the toy together?” .

For many models the answer is no, but you need to be ok doing fiddly work on small items and be confident enough that you will not damage the model while doing so.

So my recommendation is, if you are not doing a full restore, definitely leave the rivets alone.

Start by trimming the old stub of the antenna to remove as much as possible. A small pin-drill can be better than a knife, as it give you more control. 

Trim the base of the antenna, but minimal to squeeze into the hole. This means trying to leave as much of the base as possible to provide glue surface contact. 

Then using sparingly a drop of superglue (I always use Loctite 401 or 406). I also place a drop on scrap cardboard and then use a toothpick to pick up a smaller amount and apply to the hole/antenna. A drop from the bottle tends to be too much. 

Certainly I have used this method on the Corgi Toys 267 Batmobile, Corgi Toys 336 James Bond Toyota, and a couple of police cars. Of course, there is always a model that will not work, but that is where your restoration super-power starts!