This striking Redex Additive Service Conversion sign is an excellent example of mid-20th-century British motoring advertising. Featuring the brand’s famous red cross design, it represents an era when fuel and oil additives were marketed as revolutionary products promising smoother running, better performance, and engine protection for motorists across the UK.

Product Details

• Brand: Redex

• Product: Additive Service Conversion

• Type: Tin advertising sign

• Period: Circa 1950s–1960s

• Material: Painted tin with printed graphics

• Colour: Red, cream, black, and yellow

• Manufacturer: Produced for Redex Ltd., London

• Condition: Excellent overall condition with light surface wear and minimal signs of age; bright colours and clean finish

Historical Background

Redex was founded in 1922 and became a household name in British motoring by the 1940s and 1950s. The company marketed its fuel additives as performance boosters that “revitalised” engines by cleaning carbon deposits and improving efficiency. Its products were widely endorsed by garages and motoring enthusiasts alike, and Redex even established a network of “Redex Service Stations” across the UK, where drivers could have their cars “Redexed.”

The famous “Redex Conversion” was a popular garage service that involved adding Redex additive to the petrol, engine oil, gearbox, and back axle, promising a smoother, cleaner, and more powerful drive. Advertisements from the time boasted that Redex “transforms performance” and “saves wear and fuel,” claims echoed in the wording on this sign.

Redex’s branding was instantly recognisable thanks to its distinctive red “X” emblem, symbolising the company’s mission to cross out engine troubles. The firm became synonymous with reliability and mechanical care during Britain’s post-war motoring boom, when millions of new motorists were hitting the roads in search of affordable maintenance solutions.

Design and Features

The sign’s bold design captures the essence of 1950s industrial advertising. Its cream background, vivid red “X,” and confident black lettering make it both eye-catching and authoritative. The bottom panel encourages motorists to “Add Redex to Engine Oil, Gear Box, Back Axle & Fuel,” neatly summarising the company’s promise of all-round engine improvement.

Made of tin and designed for wall or garage display, this sign would have been a common sight in service stations and workshops throughout the 1950s and 1960s. The durability of its construction has allowed many of these signs to survive in impressive condition, making them highly collectible today.

Collectibility

Redex advertising items have long been popular with collectors of motoring memorabilia, thanks to their vibrant designs and strong association with post-war garage culture. This particular sign, with its clean typography and bold imagery, is a perfect example of the brand’s classic mid-century look.

Its excellent condition and bright finish make it a standout piece for display in any collection of petroliana or vintage motoring décor. As an authentic survivor from the heyday of the British garage, it evokes the optimism and innovation of the golden age of motoring.

Summary

• Original Redex Additive Service Conversion tin sign

• Produced circa 1950s–1960s

• Features classic red “X” logo with bold typography

• Bright, clean surface with minimal age wear

• Highly collectible and ideal for garage or display use

This Redex sign is an evocative piece of motoring history, capturing the post-war spirit of innovation and performance that defined one of Britain’s most recognisable automotive brands.