Should I restore this MG34 Lafette??

[kpaintner]

I recently purchased a 1939 dated MG34 Lafette. It is in really nice shape. Only bad thing is it is missing the plate that has all the range info. The leather on the pads looks great with only a few stitches gone. It does have some rust in a few places, but mostly just on the surface. It appears to be the original paint...I think. There is only one coat of Dunkelgrau over the red primer....retains about 80-85% of the paint. Take a look and tell me if you would repaint this or leave it as is. Let me know your thoughts. I will try and take some pictures outside if the weather gets better. A lot of what looks like rust in the pictures is actually the primer showing through. Check out how green some of the anodizing still is....the 5th picture shows it well.

[Bil]

Personally,I would leave it just like it is.It shows some history and wear,not a pristine museum piece.Remember,it can be restored any time,and many times,but it will only be original once. ---bil

[longhorn109]

I agree with Bil.

[762x51]

I also agree with Bil - That Lafette is much too nice as it is.

The range plates show up on www.egun.de from time to time and www.mg34.com had some nice reproductions.

[kpaintner]

Thanks for the input. I think that was the direction I was headed. Clean it up and leave it as is. Any suggestions on what I should use on the surface rust. I do not want to sand or use anything too abrasive. I am afraid it will look worse.

I have one of the reproduction range plates...I think it came from MG34.com. It looks ok, but I did not put it on my mg42 lafette...it was screen printed....just didn't look right.

Kevin

[Bil]

I think on the surface rust,I would just put a little oil on a rag and wipe it-I use this on my old truck,it has some surface rust,and I don't want to fix it,or let it get any worse.{original 34 paint] It just darkens it a little and keeps the air from it. ---bil

[railsplitter]

You might want to pick up the parts around it it seems to be shedding machine guns

[Bil]

Nice ones,too! ---bil

[rocco1911]

As was mentioned it looks like it should old & original... like the beatles once said Let it be...

[noonxnoon]

Bil is quite the philosoper!

[Bil]

You just noticed?? ---bil

[noonxnoon]

well...figured it was about time I voiced it!

[railsplitter]

That's what you get from those long Vermont winters