dave_long 2012 resolution challenge

[dave_long]

Work has stated on modifying the Athearn body to try and correct the big errors. The blower housing has been drilled and cut out but still needs to be tidied up, but I'm taking that slowly as not to damage the engine room doors and the walkway. The Inertial grille above the blower has been sanded back and drilled so as to allow the replacement grille to be glues in place better. The inertial hatch on the roof needs to be removed and replaced but I'm leaving that until the new blower housing has been glued in place and cured to keep some of the strength in the plastic body.


blower housing

First level of sanding started on the filter grilles and the chain drilling on the the blower housing


inertialgrilleandblower

Chain drilling then removal of panel leaving a lot of cleaning up to do, also this shows the cannon blower than will replace the old incorrect housing.

replacingblower

Now on to an inaccuracy from the Athearn body shell is what can only be labeled as a trench than a panel seam!! Not only is this so deep and wide its also too far over to the right and will be under the cannon part so this needs filling and sanding before fitting the new panel!


trench

I shall probably fill the seam line and then add the blower housing a inertial filter grille and then fabricate a panel from 0.005" brass sheet cut to size and glued in rather than try and scrape a new seam in the plastic.

Hopefully now things are underway the updates will be more frequent. Thanks for reading.
Dave