Life-Like/Varney Kitbashed GARX Meat Reefer

[sailormatlac]

I recntly decided to take two Life-Like and Varney wood reefers that were in bad shape and to upgrade them drastically into 37ft GARX meat reefer. Yes, I had to scrap almost everything except the walls and everything else was rebuild from scratch. However, I really enjoyed the process. Brake gear was redone correctly, ice hatches made out of styrene and paper and several other details including a lot of hand punched rivets.

I certainly could have been less crazy about it, but I'm lately taking a lot of interest in doing freight car projects as correctly as I can. I have plenty of time to do so and find it extremely relaxing and rewarding. Once again the trick is to split the job into sub assemblies that can be done in one evening.









Matt

[Charlie B]

Matt, good looking cars. I have some older Life-like outside braced box cars that need this. You have inspired me.
Charlie

[sailormatlac]

Matt, good looking cars. I have some older Life-like outside braced box cars that need this. You have inspired me.
Charlie

Great to hear that Charlie! I hesitated purchasing these boxcars last time I visited the LHS. Got luck with your project!

Matt

[Schraddel]

Matt,

that is looking by now already very good

[doctorwayne]

Good-looking improvements, Matt.

Wayne

[e-paw]

Nicely done...

[cnrglen]

Very well done, Matt.

[sailormatlac]

Some progress. Paint and decalling (almost) done (Clover House Dry Transfer). I'm quite happy with the result, but I must point out the fascia seems too wide and I should have lowered the roof pitch a bit. I think Varney made a mistake back when they cut the original tooling.









That said, it was an excellent way to learn how reefers are built and works in real life. Thus, knowledge that can be used to better myself and my modelling. It's quite impressive how much you can do with styrene sheets and brass wire.

Matt

[cnrglen]

Beautiful results Matt. I decaled three PFE reefers with Clover house dry transfer and really liked them.

[Schraddel]

Matt,
a "almost green" recyling work of it's own excellence!


[OT, ironic gag]
Has anybody told the environmentalists, that North American railroads every day run ten of thousand frogs over? :mrgreen:

[sailormatlac]

A few more reefers...

C&BT Shop SFRF reefers... one will need to be painted in the more modern "Ship and Travel Santa Fe All The Way" slogan.







A Rapido GARX 37ft Meat Reefer kit painted in GARX scheme. My kitbashed versions were based on this one.



Another Rapido reefer in need of Swift decals:



Matt