09-13-2013, 01:54 PM
For the past three and a half hours I've been working on the new F3 and almost none of it was on the outside. The extent of the work on the outside was making and installing a handrail to replace the one that was missing from the fireman's rear side door.
![[Image: DSCN5051.jpg]](http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l608/scott-running-bear/Varney%20F3%20super/DSCN5051.jpg)
The rest of the centered around adding weight to this beast. It's going to be the lead on an ABBB consist and I want it to be heavier than any of the B's. With them all being metal Varney B units that's a tall order. I'll be providing links to photos as I go along so I won't be cluttering up the post with photos.
First off I cut down an Athearn superweight to the desired size and shape so it will fit inside the Varney F3 shell.
Cut down superweight on F7 blue box chassis.
The inside of the Varney shell had to be altered to make room for the weight.
Parts of the shell were cut away.
Next the shell was mated with the weighted chassis. This was harder than it looks. Lots of small cuts had to be made. And there's still plenty of room for a decoder in there!
Gordon Varney probably never thought of this!
The roof insert had to be altered so it would fit over the weight.
Altered roof inser
The end result is what I call the F3 Super. A rough weigh in, weighing the pieces individually puts it at twenty-eight ounces or 1.75 pounds. Definitely a heavyweight.
Varney F3 Super
The rest of the centered around adding weight to this beast. It's going to be the lead on an ABBB consist and I want it to be heavier than any of the B's. With them all being metal Varney B units that's a tall order. I'll be providing links to photos as I go along so I won't be cluttering up the post with photos.
First off I cut down an Athearn superweight to the desired size and shape so it will fit inside the Varney F3 shell.
Cut down superweight on F7 blue box chassis.
The inside of the Varney shell had to be altered to make room for the weight.
Parts of the shell were cut away.
Next the shell was mated with the weighted chassis. This was harder than it looks. Lots of small cuts had to be made. And there's still plenty of room for a decoder in there!
Gordon Varney probably never thought of this!
The roof insert had to be altered so it would fit over the weight.
Altered roof inser
The end result is what I call the F3 Super. A rough weigh in, weighing the pieces individually puts it at twenty-eight ounces or 1.75 pounds. Definitely a heavyweight.
Varney F3 Super
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Collector of Apple //e's
Beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam