By: Barbara Spear
Recent interest in gas tank stickers encouraged me to republish the following article. This week, the topic is document conservation. Next week's final installment will discuss other issues related to gas tank stickers.
A small crowd gathered near the lift in the bay where the Goodwood Green 1967 Vette hovered. As the mechanic loosened the gas tank and began to lower it, the Vette's owner paced nervously.
"Be careful, don't pull it all the way down," the owner reprimanded. An annoyed glance from the mechanic sent the owner back into his pace-pattern.
The mechanic signaled to his assistant who gently propped up the loose tank. Gingerly, the mechanic reached his skinny arm around the tank groping his fingers carefully over the grimy top.
As the mechanics lips curled into a smile, a hush fell over the crowd of onlookers. Seconds later, the mechanic's grease black hand emerged gently clasping a filthy sheet of paper.
The owner rushed over as if to grab the paper from the mechanic, but stopped short, then jerked his hands back. "I'm afraid to touch it, it might disintegrate."
The mechanic pushed the paper into the owners hand, saying, "It's yours, I don't want it."
The crowd formed a tight circle around the owner, everyone straining to get a look at the contents of the paper.
Carefully, the owner smoothed the paper. Like an archaeologist cleaning a thousand-year-old artifact, he gently dusted the years of accumulated dust and grime from the surface.
The page was a Corvette factory order copy that, until a few minutes earlier, had been affixed to the top left corner of the gas tank. Authenticating paperwork, worth its weight in gold to a Corvette collector.
This faded, decaying document precisely described the Vette, as it had been ordered from the factory. It listed every option, the serial number, key numbers, even the original dealer.
The owner studied the document. Even from my distance, the printing was remarkably dark and clear.
After carefully examining his treasure, a look of deep concern crossed the owner's face. "I'm going to call the Smithsonian and find out how to properly preserve this, then you can see it," he announced emphatically.
"Why don't you call the local historical society?" volunteered one of the bystanders.
The owner responded with an angry glare, "The Smithsonian will have the answers I need!"
Well, it had been an interesting, if anticlimactic experience, I thought. Then I began to ponder the owner's concerns.
What would be the best way to preserve such a fragile document? Old documents, on display in museums, are kept in special temperature and humidity controlled cases that are air tight. The cost for such a set-up would be prohibitive for all but the most fanatic Vette collectors -- besides, the document belonged on the upper left corner of the gas tank, where it had originally been glued.
What if the numbers and letters had faded illegibly from their less-than-optimal storage?
Because it was just a work document, the paper was probably poor quality, so it was doubtful that it could withstand much in the way of restoration. What kind of glue held the paper to the gas tank? Would this glue, combined with the heat and dirt of its storage location contribute to the disintegration of the page?
The wheels in my brain were spinning wildly as I began to realize the magnitude of the problem.
Of course, this was not a 15th century hand-scribed manuscript carefully illuminated by some bald-headed monk locked in some dank candle-lit monastery -- but to a Corvette connoisseur, it was just as valuable.
My Joan of Arc alter-ego jumped ahead of my better judgement, and before I knew it, I was on a crusade.
Tom Edmondson and his wife, Nancy, have been cleaning and preserving documents for years, so I turned to them for expert advice on cleaning and preserving gas tank stickers.
Recognizing that an excited Corvette owner might take impulsive action upon discovering a document like the Factory Order copy, Tom strongly recommended restraint. If the document might be a candidate for professional conservation, the best thing to do was -- nothing! That's right, resist the urge to brush away the grit and grime, put away the home-brew solvents; just leave the document in its original filth.
Tom volunteered to take a look at a sticker, analyze it, and even put it through the conservation process.
Realizing that gas tank stickers were put on all Vettes starting in 1967, I asked my mechanic to keep a look-out for one. Within a couple of weeks, he proudly handed me a plastic bag containing what looked like a lump of dry rot. "I got this from a '72 Vette I was working on;" he announced proudly, "the owner said you can do what you like with it." Studying the condition of the grimy lump, I doubted that even Tom could salvage this sticker; but nothing ventured...
I called Tom and described the condition of the sticker. He encouraged me to send it. "Even if you can analyze it, I doubt if you can get the crimps and folds out," I commented. "You might be surprised at what can be done," he said reassuringly.
Being in the document conservation profession, Tom was quick to point out the benefits of having a document properly cleaned and preserved. He noted that an untreated document can show serious deterioration within 5 to 10 years, whereas a properly conserved document which is stored or displayed as recommended has an archival life of 100 - 200+ years.
Weeks went by and I heard nothing. I began to suspect that even he, with all his skills, had met defeat. Then, one afternoon, I answered the phone to find Tom at the other end. "I'll bet you'd almost given up on me!" he exclaimed. Tom then explained what he'd been doing with the lump of dry rot I'd sent, and said that a full report and proposal would follow shortly. The lump was, indeed, a factory order sheet.
Tom described its condition with three words, "very rough shape." Over time, the accumulated dirt and grime had deteriorated and mingled with the paper fibers to such a degree that, in some areas, the ink now clung to a surface of dirt and grime instead of paper fibers. Tom explained that even the gentle abrasion of dusting the surface with a gloved hand or soft brush could easily remove ink as well as dirt and grime. Soaking the page with anything but the mildest solvent would have the same effect; so Tom was planning to try a series of "baths" in a gentle solvent to lift the accumulations without further damaging the paper or ink.
I asked about the glue that was used, and whether it had contributed to the deterioration of the paper fibers. Much to my surprise, Tom said that he had found no trace of glue on the page. Instead, he found traces of red primer paint on the back-side of the page. I speculated that perhaps the paint had been used, instead of glue, to affix the page to the top of the gas tank.
Most of the page was still coated with grime, but Tom said the text he'd uncovered showed that the Vette was ordered with two tops.
When discussing the actual conservation process, Tom avoided specifics, though he supplied them in his final report. The process varies based on the type of paper, the type of ink, and the type of glue or other substances found on the document. A typical conservation effort involves:
- Testing: to determine which solvents safely can be used to clean and treat the page.
- Cleaning: to remove destructive dirt, grease, and grime.
- Purifying: to remove acid, glue, and other destructive substances.
- Mounting: to prepare the document for storage or display. This may include putting the document on a carrier sheet of paper, then encapsulating it in a protective sleeve.
- Photos: to show the before and after condition.
If you plan to have a document professionally restored, resist the temptation to do preliminary clean-up. The conservator would prefer to see a dirty, grimy page that is restorable rather than a partially cleaned page that has been ruined by your well-intentioned but amateur efforts.
The document must be packaged and sent to the conservator who will examine the paper, ink, and other substances on the page, then give you a written evaluation of its condition. You get an estimate for the restoration, including the proposed process to be used, and recommendations for permanent storage or display. This report is furnished for your approval and acceptance before any restoration work begins.
To package a document, wrap it in clean tissue paper. Sandwich the tissue between two sheets of foamcore leaving a 1" border beyond the page boundary. Wrap the foamcore in polyethylene, to form a moisture barrier. Sandwich the polyethylene between two puncture proof boards, or several layers of cardboard. Secure the package with duct tape to further prevent moisture from entering. Wrap the entire package in brown kraft paper. Use Registered U.S. Mail to send the package. Many common carriers do not insure documents against transport damage because they are classified as "works of art."
I have to be honest. When I sent the '72 gas sticker to Tom, I didn't follow the recommended packaging procedure. Because the sticker was folded and crimped, I simply put it in a sturdy box nested in some bubble packing. This provided a protective cushion without compressing the crimps and folds. I also sent the document by Express Mail to shorten the transit time. Tom assured me that the gas sticker arrived safely with this packaging.
Tom also gave me a list of DON'Ts that could prevent you from accidentally damaging your gas sticker.
- Never use lighter or starter fluid to clean it. These solutions are highly flammable, can remove the ink, and can leave a residue which can cause further decay.
- Limit photocopies to a single master, then make copies from the master. Heat and bright light from a copier can damage fragile documents.
- Don't use plastic food storage bags to protect a document. The plastic is not stable; with age, it can break down, giving off acid and gasses which can deteriorate the document.
- Don't assume that framing a document under glass will extend its life. Some frames and backings can speed the breakdown of a document.
- Every document is different. Just because two documents look and feel the same doesn't mean they are. Just because a friend successfully cleaned a document with some magic solvent doesn't mean you'll be as lucky. The solvent that simply cleaned your friend's document may disintegrate the ink on yours.
Home remedies are not recommended, and they do not permanently preserve a document. Reluctantly, Tom provided some temporary options for Corvette enthusiasts who aren't ready to plunge their documents into a full conservation effort.
- Gently hand-brush surface dirt and grime.
- Sprinkle w/ drawing cleaning powder (Skum-X).
- Brush surface with hand.
- Rebrush surface with soft brush.
- Photograph document to record its contents.
- Store in acetate photo-negative sleeve.
Much time passed, but eventually I received a package from Tom. In it was the restored gas sticker and a report. I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed with the results.
After extensive cleaning and preservation work, I held in my hands a ragged sheet of discolored paper that was mounted on a thin Japanese paper and encased in polyester film. Not surprisingly, huge sections of the original sheet were missing, leaving the restored piece just 7 x 6 inches. The pre-printed lines and text were clear and readable, but the fill-in portions were non-existent.
To his dismay, Tom had found no traces of the typed-in information. The "two tops" he referred to in his preliminary analysis, turned out to be entries on the pre-printed options list. Tom had done his best, but the information we'd hoped for, simply wasn't there.
Knowing that GM sometimes released Vettes with no gas tank sticker, it didn't surprise me that the assembly line crew might have slapped a blank sticker in place. Maybe some typist forgot to insert the carbon sheet before typing?
Tom had proven that a gas sticker could be successfully cleaned and preserved. My specimen presented a worst-case scenario.
When he first agreed to undertake the conservation, Tom mentioned a fellow conservator named Jack Thompson, who owned the Thompson Conservation Lab in Portland, Oregon. Tom said that Jack also had worked on a Corvette gas sticker and suggested I contact him.
I called Jack and filled him in on the project and its results. Jack acknowledged that he'd done a similar conservation, and remembered it well. Jack's specimen did have the fill-in information, and Jack had successfully preserved and enhanced it. Because the typewriter ink is chemically different from the pre-printed ink, Jack had adjusted his solutions accordingly.
If you have a gas sticker that you might like to have cleaned and treated by an expert, but you're afraid the cost will be too high, here are some figures to help you make a decision.
While both prices and timeframes vary with the document being conserved, Tom and Jack provided some general guidelines.
- A written evaluation including conservation estimate and long-term storage recommendations costs about $50.
- The actual conservation can cost between $200 -$500. If your sticker is in good condition, you can figure that the conservation costs will be at the lower end of the range. A sticker like the one from the '72 will cost more -- and take longer to conserve.
- Most documents are returned, fully preserved, in 30 to 90 days.
The display and storage materials conservators recommend are readily available and reasonably priced. Most conservators understand that common folk have neither the inclination nor the resources to establish museum-quality environments.
There's a unique dilemma associated with gas stickers, however. Restoration purists argue that since the sticker was originally mounted on top of the gas tank, it should be returned to that location for permanent storage and display. Conservators argue that the original location on top of the tank provides a destructive and unsecured environment for the sticker. The conservators suggest making a photocopy of the original, enclosing the copy in a protective sleeve and then mounting it in position on the gas tank. The original can then be stored in a more protected environment. As with many restoration issues, there's no right or wrong answer. But personally, if I'm going to spend a few hundred dollars to clean and preserve my gas sticker, I'd rather protect my investment and take the suggestion of the conservators.
As I sadly discovered, not all gas tank stickers can be restored to perfect condition. But, your chances for success are greatly increased, in the hands of a competent expert.
An expert can tell you whether or not your gas tank sticker can be restored -- or to put it less tactfully -- whether it's worth restoring. If the document is in very poor condition, or has been cleaned with incorrect solvents, it may not be salvageable. In some cases, such a document could be restored, but the effort involved would be lengthy and costly.
If you suspect that you're the owner of such a document, take a chance and have it analyzed by a professional. Even if the document is not worth conserving, you may get some tips on steps you can take to prevent further deterioration.
A valuable document is worth conserving. Only a professional document conservator can safely test, accurately analyze the document, then select the appropriate solvents and conservation methods. Improperly chosen or applied, these chemicals can instantly ruin a document beyond recovery.
A document, like the factory order copy from the Goodwood Green '67, or the Mille Miglia Red '72 has historical value, and can increase the value of the Corvette. It documents the original numbers and options that were included, and authenticates the Vette.
Special thanks to Tom Edmondson of Heugh-Edmondson Conservation Services, P.O. Box 10408, Kansas City, MO 64111 for providing both professional and practical advice on document conservation.
Copyright 1991 by Barbara Spear. No portion of this article can be reprinted without written permission from the author. For reprint permission, please contact Barbara Spear.
Gas Tank Stickers Part II
Gas Tank Stickers Part III
Copyright 1996 Barbara Spear
