Bringing the first production Automag valve back to life

[John Dresser]

Progress. I need to either find a body in better shape or find a way to recondition this body so it looks newer.

[vintage]

you can bead blast the body

[John Dresser]

Yeah, I just want the original finish, so I wasn't sure exactly what to specify.

[luke]

Bead blast for sure! It will look brand new.

[Nobody]

Sell it to Bunny for a near mint. He is a sucker for that kindbof stuff

[going_home]

I doubt bunny would pay the price it would take to get that out of John's hands (If there even is a price).

[John Dresser]

Sell it to Bunny for a near mint. He is a sucker for that kindbof stuff

I would require at least 2 mints. But it's not for sale.

I doubt bunny would pay the price it would take to get that out of John's hands (If there even is a price).

Yeah, you nailed it. And even if it was for sale, I can't even imagine what the price would be.

What does the CF designation mean?

Any thoughts on what the original configuration would have looked like?

[Nobody]

What you show in your pics is pretty much what it had. Other than a pot metal frame, dumpy ASA off the back with a short SS braid line into the valve. Not much to the early mags.

Personally, i would update the gun as much as possible: ULE body, Intelliframe and the like. It would show more that a near 30 year old piece of paintball history can still keep up with more modern fair. That is if you aren't the museum look.

[John Dresser]

Funny enough, I did that with RT #0001. I modernized it as much as possible. But I kind of wish I'd found the parts to go the other way instead and turn it back to stock.


http://www.pbnation.com/showthread.php?t=3345817

[Bunny]

Sell it to Bunny for a near mint. He is a sucker for that kindbof stuff

Lol, I appreciate the consideration. It's awesome that both RT #1 and CF #1 are under the same roof. Luckily, I never went down the rabbit hole to collect all of the oldest serial numbers.... I do have CF00186 (My birth year) and RT00062 (My Football number) I think that you should keep everything as is. I'm not sure if I'm the minority, but I really think of these guns like a classic car. I like the original / patina look to it.

I always thought the CF meant Carbon Fiber btw... Can't wait to see what happens!

[John Dresser]

Lol, I appreciate the consideration. It's awesome that both RT #1 and CF #1 are under the same roof. Luckily, I never went down the rabbit hole to collect all of the oldest serial numbers.... I do have CF00186 (My birth year) and RT00062 (My Football number) I think that you should keep everything as is. I'm not sure if I'm the minority, but I really think of these guns like a classic car. I like the original / patina look to it.

I always thought the CF meant Carbon Fiber btw... Can't wait to see what happens!

There's nothing Carbon Fiber on the original, so I can't imagine that's what it stands for.

And as for the RT, I have plans to return it to stock. I just don't know what I'll do with this milled down, cut down vert feed version (presumably with a different valve in it).

[kevdupuis]

Actually I think CF stood for "Center Fire".

[John Dresser]

Interesting. Are all the pre-Classic (non Minimag) valves marked CF?

[Bunny]

Hmm... this is the reason why I always thought it was Carbon Fiber... I never really thought about it before.. lol

https://www.automags.org/forums/showt...Serial-numbers

Current Standings:
EMag: EM00035 (i-luv-my-rt)
RTPro: RTP00170 (Me, but I sold it. I forget his AO name.)
ReTro: VV00463 (Mykroft)
RT: RT00069 (FeelTheRT's Friend)
Sydarm: SY00040 (RKL)
Minimag: MM00238 (Linkin)
Carbon Fiber: CF00186 (AGDJon)
Micromag RT: GFX10009 (a_malfunction)
Micromag: GFX000364 (e21bgl)
Smartmag: SM00413 (Automager)

I remember seeing your post on PBN... do you know any of the history of the gun? I tried to dig up as much information as I could. Is this post accurate at all?

https://www.automags.org/forums/showt...42#post1623842

I know a little about the real old Mag stuff,
my old team the SOB's helped field test the Automag before they were widely available.

We went down to the factory and assembled our own guns from the batch parts for the first run of 100 guns.

Automag serial #'s started at 100 but they were not built in order.

that is an original level 5 valve and rail, the body is newer and will not fit on that rail.
there is no place in the rail for the body nut to fit.

The very first Mags had a separate stainless breach with 3 small plastic nubbins pressed into it that slid into the body and the front grip screw threaded into it to hold the body to the rail.

that design didn't last for more than a few weeks before the breach was integrated into the barrel and all the guns out that Tom could get back then updated to the new design

- Jimbud

[going_home]

Tuna may have some new classic RT rails still.

I bought one a few months ago for an RT project I'm working on.

[vintage]

the question would be how many were built using the pot metal frame? the lowest number classic valve I have is in the low 12,000's and it is a CF prefix. my first mag which I bought in 95 and was bone stock power feed has a CF 35,000 series # but it came with the pot metal frame.

[John Dresser]

Tuna may have some new classic RT rails still.

I bought one a few months ago for an RT project I'm working on.

I have a plan for the RT if I am converting it back. I do need a mainbody though.

the question would be how many were built using the pot metal frame? the lowest number classic valve I have is in the low 12,000's and it is a CF prefix. my first mag which I bought in 95 and was bone stock power feed has a CF 35,000 series # but it came with the pot metal frame.

Well, the first one certainly was. So that's not much of a mystery.

My Minimag was that I bought in either late 1993 or 1994 too.

[Sandman]

John,
Don't touch that gun!
Has the gun been updated at all from level 5? Is the sear removable? Is the ball drop breach stainless and not part of the barrel?
I can help bring the gun closer to original if it has been updated.

[John Dresser]

Hey Tim!

These are Level 7 parts on it so the sear is removable and the breach is part of the barrel. I would love to get Level 5 parts back on it, but I haven't had much luck finding them so far.

I'd also love to find a main body that is in better condition. Or get one bead (or sand or glass) blasted so it looked as new as possible but remained as original as possible.

[paint magnet]

Interesting. Are all the pre-Classic (non Minimag) valves marked CF?

As far as I know, any AGD valves bear the CF prefix. CF stands for "Center Fire," not to be confused with an actual Center Fire valve which had an additional serial number on top and a special logo laser engraved on the valve (but were internally the same).

[going_home]

If you are on a restoring kick on the RT you are better off buying a really nice shape complete marker and swapping valves.

You start buying parts and you are most likely going to be spending more money.

You can resell the modded RT with the newer valve for what ever you can get and recoup probably half of what you spent on the replacement marker.

[John Dresser]

If you are on a restoring kick on the RT you are better off buying a really nice shape complete marker and swapping valves.

You start buying parts and you are most likely going to be spending more money.

You can resell the modded RT with the newer valve for what ever you can get and recoup probably half of what you spent on the replacement marker.

I would be pretty surprised if my current modified RT Classic can only fetch half of what an unmodified/stock RT would sell for. The trick is finding one with the Eurofeed. Because if you're going to go all the way, you have to go all the way.

[Sandman]

John,
I can help you out. I have brand new standard feed bodies. I also have level 5 parts.
Let's chat sometime about getting that valve dressed a little better.
You can reach me though AGD or Fox.

[Spider-TW]

Looks like it just needs a 13 or 17 ci HPA bottle. At least you don't have to use PVC for an elbow anymore.

[going_home]

I would be pretty surprised if my current modified RT Classic can only fetch half of what an unmodified/stock RT would sell for. The trick is finding one with the Eurofeed. Because if you're going to go all the way, you have to go all the way.

You being sort of a paintball celebrity, you very well could get a higher amount than what a "far from bone stock" classic RT brings.

[bowcycle]

Sandman,
I let Bunny use my 186 for the museum. It was one of the Farside mags and I tried to get it back as close to old stock photos as possible. If it is possible to take the valve back to lvl5, I would really like to do so. It had been upgraded to lvl7, but the body and rail still have the markings for the lvl5 breech.
Let's talk.

[John Dresser]

John,
I can help you out. I have brand new standard feed bodies. I also have level 5 parts.
Let's chat sometime about getting that valve dressed a little better.
You can reach me though AGD or Fox.

Thanks Tim! I'll try to give you a call tomorrow. I am actually going to be up in Chicago this weekend for the UWL event. Lots of old timers will be there. You should come out.

You being sort of a paintball celebrity, you very well could get a higher amount than what a "far from bone stock" classic RT brings.

Lolz. I just think a vert feed RT Classic body is rare.

Sandman,
I let Bunny use my 186 for the museum. It was one of the Farside mags and I tried to get it back as close to old stock photos as possible. If it is possible to take the valve back to lvl5, I would really like to do so. It had been upgraded to lvl7, but the body and rail still have the markings for the lvl5 breech.
Let's talk.

Got to love some Farside Mags.

[Sandman]

My gun is #154, it is still level 5 except I do not have the breach and barrel. It was never updated. It is the gun I used during the 1990 Line SI Lively International Masters Championship Tournament against Navarone to hang the flag and win the Championship......she's not pretty anymore...but she has all the history...

I also found a valve just recently Serial#3321 and found it still had a c-clip powertube....I'm not sure how that one escaped updating..

Bow, the issue is, if the valve was cut and modded to level 7 it is really unable to be taken back. It would take some serious magic to recreate some of that stainless steel that was taken away to go to level 7. The powertube for level 5 would fall in...

But hey I"m always game for restoring old mags to as much original as possible... doesn't hurt to try.

[skipdogg]

yay, 1990 masters champs. didnt know you were the one who hung the flag for the win. You should start stamping that on the boxes again...

[Flatliner333]

John, i can Media Blast that body for you if you want to send it to me.