Any advice on getting the roof off of these passenger cars to change the light bulbs. I read a book that says to slide a thin metal ruler between the roof and wall, push in on a tab and gently pry up. Not as easy as it sounds. Thanks for any tricks.
The roof and the windows are a one piece mold. Turn the car on it’s side and look closely at the windows. 2 windows on each side hold the roof in place with tiny tabs. Squeeze these tabs in and gently pry the roof upwards.
The other question is there are six little tabs underneath, do they have something to do with getiing the roof off also? Some people have said you need to break those tabs…aahhh! Hope that’s not true.
Make it easy on yourself, try this method:
http://www.jcstudiosinc.com/BlogShowThread?id=663&categoryId=
Pete
The secret to getting these apart is to squeeze the windows in from the bottom or sides instead of trying to reach over the top… hold the car in front of you with the side windows facing to your left & right between your hands.
Press in on the “notched/raised” rear windows with both index fingers using a pushing up motion at the same time to “unlock” the raised tabs from the windows. Switch to the front windows and do the same. Repeat on back windows again… usually by this time you have opened up the roof enough to get a grip on the roof panel and raise it straight up & out of the car.
Don’t mar the finish by using wedges or screwdrivers to pry the roof up - it just isn’t necessary.
Only the earliest Milwaukee cars had the additional tabs in the undercarraige area - and yes, they must be clipped/excised to facilitate bulb replacement.
Rob
The point of using the wooden craft sticks is that when used as described they won’t mar the finish.
Pete
So just to be certain Rob, underneath my three cars they all have six tabs that need to be removed?
Unfortunately, yes.
Lionel soon realized that between the friction fit and the window tabs, the tabs into the floor were overkill.