Restoring an old friend, my Mantua Pacific

[secondhandmodeler]

She's back from the paint booth! I got a little carried away with the decals but that's okay, there is no prototype for what this is. I ended up going with a flat finish after seeing the semigloss and hating it.



Now I need to install the motor and assemble the tender. I need to paint the tender trucks as well but those have to be done by hand. Maybe in a few days after everything cures.

[ocalicreek]

Super restoration job! Looks fantastic! How about a video to see (and hear) her run?

Galen

[secondhandmodeler]

She's all show and no go right now! I have to clean up the wheels and install the motor.

[Steamtrains]

Nice going..!! She sure is a beauty...(better than the factory-built Mantua I have...)

Let's see so' more...

P.D. I did wonder why you wanted a semi-gloss finish on it...

[sailormatlac]

Excellent work! I like the decal and think your flat finish worked well. Sometimes, semi-gloss finish seems out of scale and makes things look not right.

Matt

[secondhandmodeler]

Thanks guys.

I think my thinking for the semi gloss is the fact that most locomotives I've seen have some sort of gloss to the paint. However, since I model 1950 or so on a secondary line, the locos would not be very shiny at all. Plus, the flat over the gloss isn't as flat as I thought it might be which is good. I'm pleased with the results of this project so far. It doesn't scream MANTUA to me anymore. I just wish I could find a drop in replacement for the current pilot. That beluga whale forehead just doesn't look very realistic to me.

Now I just hope it runs okay with the motor I purchased. At the time I purchased the rebuild parts, I didn't have very much money and didn't spring for the Helix Humper. I just bought a direct replacement Mabuchi can motor. Oh well, it will be better than what it had before.

Thanks again for the compliments. It means a lot coming from anyone on this forum!

[faraway]

The dull over gloss looks very good! I would not worry about the motor. It has a good reputation. A beautiful steamer

[doctorwayne]

Thanks guys.

.....I just wish I could find a drop in replacement for the current pilot. That beluga whale forehead just doesn't look very realistic to me.....

The big lump on the pilot was meant, I think, to represent a pair of cross-compound air pumps behind shielding, with a radiator for cooling the compressed air mounted at the front between the pumps. On newer versions of this loco, this is plastic and can be trimmed away, while older models have the part cast in Zamac, making it difficult to alter. It does lack a certain amount of detail.

Here's an older Bachmann loco with their version of the same thing, although I added the Cal-Scale radiator and cast steel pilot:




...and a more recent Bachmann offering, with the pumps, but no radiator:




It is possible to change the pilot and add (or omit) the pumps and radiator, as the parts are available from both Cal-Scale (Bowser) and Precision Scale. The main difficulty is determining a method to solidly mount the parts, and usually involves either soldering or drilling and tapping, and often a combination of such techniques. The Bachmann loco shown below also required that the frame be lengthened to accommodate the added appliances.




While the Mantua front end may not be your preference, the new paint job certainly improves the over-all appearance and helps to de-emphasise the pilot, too.

Wayne

[sailormatlac]

Thanks guys.

I think my thinking for the semi gloss is the fact that most locomotives I've seen have some sort of gloss to the paint. However, since I model 1950 or so on a secondary line, the locos would not be very shiny at all. Plus, the flat over the gloss isn't as flat as I thought it might be which is good. I'm pleased with the results of this project so far. It doesn't scream MANTUA to me anymore. I just wish I could find a drop in replacement for the current pilot. That beluga whale forehead just doesn't look very realistic to me.

Now I just hope it runs okay with the motor I purchased. At the time I purchased the rebuild parts, I didn't have very much money and didn't spring for the Helix Humper. I just bought a direct replacement Mabuchi can motor. Oh well, it will be better than what it had before.

Thanks again for the compliments. It means a lot coming from anyone on this forum!

Your comments about semi-gloss finish made me remember a comment by Wayne seen years ago. The idea was to start with a semi-gloss finish all over the engine and overspray a dull on certain part. The idea was that the smoke box was the dullest while the cab and tender sides were the most shinier. It would represent a gradation of how part are more of less affected by dirt and soothe from the stack. I think that kind of effect could be obtained with a light weathering.

You just proved us, again and again, that good-looking steamers can be achieved with little money. Credible details in the right place, a good paint job and just enough weathering make a toy a railroad beast!

I often see this Mantua model rebuilt, looks like an all-time favourite. Don't know if it's because it may be generic but still capture a deep feeling of power and strength.

Matt

[secondhandmodeler]

I contacted Dan from Yardbirdtrains to get a new pilot. Apparently they are having issues with their caster. He did how ever have one of these.



$9.25 shipped, not bad. I'm still under $100 on this whole thing.
I told him I would take it. This should really help the appearance.

[doctorwayne]

That looks like the perfect solution for your loco. I'll have to see if the owner of the one I'm currently working on would like to make a similar change.

Wayne

[secondhandmodeler]

That looks like the perfect solution for your loco. I'll have to see if the owner of the one I'm currently working on would like to make a similar change.

Wayne

I'm so excited about it I can hardly stand it! Isn't it funny how something like that can make your day?

[Steamtrains]

Corey,
I also got the pilot assembly for my Mike "upgrade" from YBT - like yours but with air tanks. The only modification I made to it was adding the air line between the tanks. It was a "drop-in" fit on the Mike...



BTW...How did you get a hold of Dan..??

[sailormatlac]

Wow, this little pilot really manage to kill the Mantua look.

Matt

[secondhandmodeler]

Gus, I emailed Dan about what I wanted and he replied right away.
<!-- e --><a href="mailto:dan@yardbirdtrains.com">dan@yardbirdtrains.com</a><!-- e -->

That replacement pilot looks way better.