I am new the the forum and have recently aquired a mostly restored 1910 model 71 Stanley. I am about to send out parts for plating and need to know if the brass elbow for the water sight gauge (showing level in the water tank, not boiler) should be plated. Does anyone have a list of what should be plated.
Many thanks for your help!
Greg Johnson
Lakeside, Ca

Dear Greg, All the brass hardware that was seen on the Stanley without either looking under the hood or crawling on your knees, was either painted or nickel plated from the very first Stanley built until the very last Stanley built. All makes of quality cars had polished nickel plating showing instead of polished brass showing. The idea was that anything left in raw metal or un painted wasn't finished yet. Windshield frames, headlights, cowl lights and tail lights were left in polished brass because at first they were all after-market and they were installed by the owners. By 1912, even these items were all nickel plated because they had become factory installed. It seems as soon as the windshield became a factory installed item, all of the polished brass lights went away and became nickel also. Your water tank level indicator elbow was plated, as were also all of the bolt on hardware on the steering column. Check out the photo album on this website for a tongue in cheek guide at to what should be plated on your model 71. Using Stanley examples between 1909 through 1911 should get you through your plating questions. If in doubt, plate it. It always can be painted over later if it shouldn't have been plated. Looking at Loren's model 70 will answer many of yor plating questions too. Welcome to the web site. Pat Farrell