This Lesney Atlantic Trailer has been in my collection for a while. It was included in a lot I picked up. I knew nothing of it but rather liked it anyway. I learned Lesney also produced a an Atlantic Tractor that the trailer pairs with (or even Lesney's Prime Mover as I have often seen it displayed with).


I had a tuff time finding and Atlantic Tractor for a reasonable price that had the tow hook still in tact. Seems it is quite common for them to snap off. Anyways, I finally picked up this Tractor with the hook but it is push against the truck body. I want to pull it back to display with the trailer hook attached.


I am nervous about just gently pulling back on it as I have seen so many of these without the tow hook I figure it will just snap off. I thought about heating it up a bit but an open flame will damage the already play worn paint. Maybe a hair dryer? Will heat even help?


Any suggestions? I just need enough space to slip the trailer's tow bar on.

What ever you try will be very risky as they normally snap when moved, what about a rubber hot water bottle , hold the model on this for a while & then gently tease it with a small flat screwdriver, this will put heat on it & won't damage the paint work & you may be able to prize it away from body.

If the model is not your best condition example and you don't mind adding just a tiny bit more tattyness to it, I would put a needle file through the area at the bottom of the hook and slowly but gently file away the metal that is in the way, stopping you from using the tow hook properly.







What you will be doing is just giving the inner face a new 'Profile' hopefuly allowing you to use the hook as intended.


Rollerman.

That is an interesting solution, file a piece away.
To me that is the best option, because I have the experience that heating a piece of metal only works fine if you use a flame.
A hot water bottle won't heat the hook enough.
Another solution is let the hot water tap run on its warmest level over the hook and then use the screwdriver to prize the hook

I would use a heat gun. Only problem is the tires may no like that. The file method is an excellent fix and it is what I would try first.
Heat will work and I do it with a toaster oven but I would remove the plastic tires first. Heat up to about 120 to 150 (should not damage the paint) and then pry with a flat blade screw driver. Just a bit then back into the oven as if it gets too cool, it will snap off.

And use an ovenglove,you don't want burning your fingers

I am afraid the heat process may not work for "Tick" on this particular model, because it does not have separate tyres, the wheel and tyre is moulded as one Black plastic item, stick with the file method I mentioned.


Rollerman.

Are you sure about that? My book says that the 15B-2 Atlantic Prime Mover has grey or black plastic wheels. It sure looks like axles ends on the one pictures here.
Tick, check to see if you have axles and wheels or not.

TICK,    Before I reached the first suggestion of using a file while reading from the top,  my first and only remedy, the FILE.


If you check some of my avatar trucks, I am handy with the file mostest, and am not an expert but the file is often the best solution. You must think it out first and have a good choice of tools to make it work. (Heat and a screw driver = NAH!)


Do not rush and just a tad at a time. You can also get fancy putting a slight under cut below the top inside of the hook so that the hook will hold the tow bar.


First use a semi flat/angled file (Looks like a wedge) and file straight down using the pointed edge of the file. Only file what is required to set the tow bar on. File and fit, file and fit, file and fit. Just like using a feeler guage. PATIENCE!


Next use a round file and put the slightest notch below the top inside the upright part of the hook. It should look like a mini-hook when finished.


DONE


Hey, let's see your work......................


dinkyboy

Thanks so much to all.


I will check what tools and files I have and plan my approach either file or heat depending on what I got!


Will get back this weekend with the result!

Sorry for the late follow up, got busy this week.


Rollerman I think had a great idea and obviously the safest. It would have been wisest but I started tinkering and really felt the metal would give a bit. Besides I did not have the proper tools to file the hook as per Rollerman's idea. But how to heat the metal? Then I remembered a craft tool my wife had in her craft table. She uses it for drying glitter glue and stuff. It is a hand held butane powered torch but instead of the typical blue jet flame, it is flame-less and only produces an orange glow of heat. I thought this would work as it wont pin-point heat on the paint. Anyways, I took a chance and it heated nicely (little tool gives off a lot of heat in a small area)  just giving the metal enough give to put the hook back in place.

Thanks for everyone's help !!!!!!!











this would be a typical hand held butane torch which I have for around the workshop






this is what I used

great solution. I think the same torch can be used making creme brulee.

The tow hook looks very good!

HAHAHHAH, I think the brulee would really work.

This is a result Tick and glad you can now display the model properly.


Rollerman.

Good job and it is nice to see this back in good shape again.