Terrific Looking job!
Jeff's Restoration Story:
This is a 1956 Tonka AAA Wrecker. When I bought it from ebay...my thoughts were to change it from what it was to a 1957 cab in hopes to make it the 1957. I have to tell you all, I am relatively new to the Tonka world. I got started from watching my best friend Roger refurbishing Tonka's. He is the master in my books. I wanted to try my hand at Tonka's but figured the whole rivet removal thing was impossible for a novice like me. So I bought Buddy L Coke trucks ( I have all the years now), and got a bit bored with yellow paint.

    I have always liked the wreckers...I had a couple growing up. When I stumbled across this one on ebay, it was simply marked Tonka Wrecker. Not knowing what it was and begging my wife to let me bid, I was the proud owner. While it was in transit I had heard Roger tell me over and over...."look for the ones with the hood scoop, they are worth more". Figuring out that hood scoop is on the 1957's, I wanted to turn this rusty tow truck into a 57 wrecker. When it arrived I shot photos (as I do with all my trucks) then proceeded to tear it down. That night our power went out and Roger called me and talked to me about the makeover I planned on doing. All of a sudden he said "measure it", I said Rog....its in the basement and its dark, he said MEASURE IT!!! After a trip to the basement he told me what I had. Come to find out...the 1956 is 12 inches long bumper to bumper. Beings I didn't know what the differences between 55, 56, and 57. And not knowing then the value or the story of the 1956...I didn't keep those 1957 plans. When I did a little research on the AAA wrecker and found out about the production halt and the lawsuit with AAA service. I knew at that point it needed to go back to the original 1956 AAA as it was when it came off the line. This is the point I found Ray...I needed to know what colors the boom should be, if you look at the before photos, the boom is two different colors, red and black. Ray told me to put it back the way it came...so red and black it was.

     When ever I do a truck...I first take it completely apart. Then it all gets a bath (with exception of the chrome) in Muriatic Acid, I think its a 10-20% mixture and gets better with age. This sets for a couple of days till all paint is falling off. Note to those who haven't used Muriatic Acid...don't get it on the garage floor your wife will get mad at you. Once you pull it from the acid wash, it gets hosed of with tap water. Then dry it fast with a hair dryer, this prevents a thin layer of rust which appears if you let it dry. At this point its off to the bead blaster, every nook and cranny is shot. Then dusted or blown off with an air gun.

     Its a good idea to give it a coat of primer at this point. I use Dupli-Color high build primer. It is a sand-able primer which fills any small defects left behind by those nasty rust pits.  
     If there are any dents they get a thin filling with a product that is called Nitro-Stan Red putty 9001, you can locate this at most auto body parts stores.
     I have found that if you go to a large home improvement store, they have sanding sponges in a 400 and a 600 grit. Works great to get that smooth finish. Sanding between all four to five coats of primer.

     After all is sanded to a mirror finish, I use Dupli-Color paints....working fast and with the can less than a foot from the surface, five to ten minutes between coats (no runs hopefully). Then all pieces are placed in front of or under a 75 watt heat lamp.

     I have found leaving your work for a few days helps the paint to set up almost rock hard. Less chance of chipping when you reassemble your work.
     I really want to thank Ray for letting me show you all my 56 Tonka.... Thank Ellen "my wife"... for putting up with my "toys". And a big thank-you to Rog, "my only friend...In Zearing, Iowa" .... Okay he is my only friend. For getting me into this CRAZY hobby.