How to clean Fun Ho! and die cast toy vehicles
Fun Ho! toys from Inglewood in Taranaki are a true Kiwi classic, alongside Matchbox, Dinky and Corgi. Here's how to clean them up and decide whether to restore or leave them original.
By the Junkie team
Step by step
Step 1: Work out the metal
Lead toys are heavy and soft. Later Fun Ho! toys are aluminium, much lighter with a sand cast texture. Matchbox, Dinky and Corgi are die cast zinc alloy.
Step 2: Wash it
Wash in warm soapy water with a soft toothbrush, avoiding decals and stickers, which can lift. Dry straight away.
Step 3: Polish bare metal
Bare aluminium Fun Ho! toys polish up nicely with a little metal polish.
Step 4: Original or restored
Original paint, even worn, is usually worth more than a repaint to collectors. Heavily play worn toys are fine to repaint, but say so in your listing.
Step 5: Watch for metal fatigue
Die cast toys with cracking, bubbling or crumbling metal have zinc pest, which can't be fixed. Note it in the listing.
Step 6: Protect
A light coat of car wax protects paint. Visit the Fun Ho! National Toy Museum in Inglewood if you want to learn more about the range.
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