Pearl restauration in New Zealand

[pisa911]

Hi,
very gratefully I've just found out here that my kit seems to be a true vintage, 67 or 69 Thunder King, and I will want to restore it in the future.

Who knows anybody here in New Zealand who could supply parts like lugs etc?

cheers,
Petra

[3pearlkits]

Hi Petra,
Welcome to the PDF!

I had a look at your pics in the export section and I think you have a model 67 Thunderking kit from 1969. Hope that helps.

If you download a copy of the 69 catalogue from the "catalogue corner" thread, you will see on around page 23 that your kit has C-043 lugs on your toms and C-050 lugs on the bass drum.
I scoured around Australia and on e-bay world wide for 12 months to find the replacements I needed for my '72 NC deluxe restoration!
I found them at Billy Hyde's Drumcraft in Sydney in the end, but took all they had as that was what I needed.

All I can suggest is to contact as many of the older drumshops you can find in NZ and ask they have bunches of old lugs from repairs and restorations.
You may get lucky and find what you need.
You can also post a "wanted" in your signature, and someone may see it and have some spares they can let go...

[Kiwi Pearl Fan]

Gidday

when i'm after parts for any of my kits, the first person i go to is Ewald Sturzy here in Christchurch. he has a double garage full of parts, and other garages n sheds full of kits, misc drums cymbals and stands, heads, etc etc. he is active on Trade Me as well, and he's helped me out lots. PM me if you want his number. Cheers, John

[SippyCup]

Gidday

when i'm after parts for any of my kits, the first person i go to is Ewald Sturzy here in Christchurch. he has a double garage full of parts, and other garages n sheds full of kits, misc drums cymbals and stands, heads, etc etc. he is active on Trade Me as well, and he's helped me out lots. PM me if you want his number. Cheers, John

It took me a good ten seconds to figure out what "gidday" meant.

[3pearlkits]

It took me a good ten seconds to figure out what "gidday" meant.

lol Sippy!
The other variation is g'day.

Kiwi Pearl fan:
Just the sort of info the OP needed!
Rep to you mate...

[pisa911]

Thanks guys,

will do!

It'll be quite an experience, but I bought the kit because I liked the look, so restoring it will be just another part of the experience.

I'll be keeping in touch,
Petra

[Kiwi Pearl Fan]

Gidday again

i've replied to Petra and given him some contact details for our man in CHCH.

unfortunately, i don't have any vintage parts i can share myself, hmmm...i guess that means i haven't been buying enough drums. must sort that...

catch ya later.

John

[pisa911]

Eh, "her"

Cheers KPF,

3PK: what's OP?

[3pearlkits]

OP is original poster

[pisa911]

Hey,
I'm back with heaps of pics of the kit as it is at the moment.

The thing I'm really concerned is the pitting of all the chrome,
wondering if Autosol could do the trick? I will try, as I can't afford to have it re- chromed anyway.

Other than that just a claw missing on the bass

Comments appreciated, especially regarding the different badge types, snare and other drums.

[3pearlkits]

Hey Petra,
Good pics there!
It's all in keeping with what I said earlier, 1969. That's based on wrap colour, lugs, double tom mount and badges.
Shame about the crack in the wrap on the floor tom.
The badge on your snare is the only different one and it's a 60's badge too. See here:
http://www.vintagedrumguide.com/pearl_badges.html
I think it's from 69ish(or later) with the diamond cut lugs and the damper to the left of the throwoff (unlike being to the right of the throwoff in '68)

Yes autosol will most likely make a difference to all your chrome.
Pull the kit totally apart, one drum at a time, and work on the chrome with autosol and open weave cotton cloth and a heap of elbow grease. Do everything twice. If, after that, it's still not to your satisfaction, you may need to use autosol with steel wool, Please, only use 0000 grade steel wool. If you can't get it at a good hardware store (I can get it at Bunnnings) you should be able to find it at a furniture restoration supplies store.
After you go over your chrome with the steel wool and polish redo with cloth and polish.
Same method for your snare, but one spot that I can see in the photo will never get back to pristine shiny...
Clean your wrap with Windex and think about a car polish after that. Reassemble (don't overtighten the lug screws or you may snap a lug).
I know it sounds like a lot of work, mate it is!

[KiwiCoopz]

Hi John - I've just picked up some vintage Exports that I'm going to turn into a kit for my wife. The wraps are toast so I'm going to strip the wraps off then walnut stain and tru-oil. The drums I picked up were the 12"MT, 13"MT, 16"FT plus a random 14" snare ... I also managed to acquire a 10"MT so I'm just after a 22" Bass - do you know if that is the type of thing Ewald has?

[Kiwi]

Hi John - I've just picked up some vintage Exports that I'm going to turn into a kit for my wife. The wraps are toast so I'm going to strip the wraps off then walnut stain and tru-oil. The drums I picked up were the 12"MT, 13"MT, 16"FT plus a random 14" snare ... I also managed to acquire a 10"MT so I'm just after a 22" Bass - do you know if that is the type of thing Ewald has?

Welcome to the PDF. John hasn't posted in over 6 years but not to say he doesn't check in anymore. You could also PM him, good luck with the kit.

[3pearlkits]

Hi John - I've just picked up some vintage Exports that I'm going to turn into a kit for my wife. The wraps are toast so I'm going to strip the wraps off then walnut stain and tru-oil. The drums I picked up were the 12"MT, 13"MT, 16"FT plus a random 14" snare ... I also managed to acquire a 10"MT so I'm just after a 22" Bass - do you know if that is the type of thing Ewald has?

G'day from across the ditch!
Welcome to the PDF and the vintage section
According to his profile, John was last on the PDF on December 12th 2019.
I take it he doesn't come here to the PDF any longer.
All I can recommend is check out Ewald on something like Facebook, or see if there's any info available for contact via trademe.
Or continue to search on trade me for an orphan early Export bass drum. Finish/wrap colour doesn't matter if you're going to strip and stain the rest...

[Kiwi Pearl Fan]

G'day from across the ditch!
Welcome to the PDF and the vintage section
According to his profile, John was last on the PDF on December 12th 2019.
I take it he doesn't come here to the PDF any longer.
All I can recommend is check out Ewald on something like Facebook, or see if there's any info available for contact via trademe.
Or continue to search on trade me for an orphan early Export bass drum. Finish/wrap colour doesn't matter if you're going to strip and stain the rest...

Hey there, I didn't realise it had been so long!

Last time I was over at Ewald's he had rack toms and snares, but no kick drums. But that was a while ago.

His username on TM is swisskee so perhaps save him as a favourite and when he's next got an auction going you can message him.

I also searched under whitepages.co.nz in CHCH but nothing popped up.

Best of luck with the search KiwiCoopz!

Cheers