I have an Athearn GP38-2 that is well detailed and I would like to save, but two of the four plastic tabs that secure the shell to the chassis are broken. The two broken tabs are on the same side and right at the base of the shell, so the shell is a bit unstable when it is attached. The broken-off tips are also lost so I think I’ll have to fabricate something that will latch on to the chassis and hold it.
Anybody have any experiences in replacing these broken tabs? Building up styrene and glue is my first thought but I’m not sure how stable that would be.
In either case the pilot has a slot that allows the shell to slide up off the chassis. What I would look at doing would be to modify the coupler mounting to accept an appropriate Kadee coupler and associated box. This would involve drilling/tapping the frame extension for a machine screw that could be inserted through the coupler box from the bottom into the frame extension in the case of the earlier model. In the case of the later model you would have to come up with a way to basically do the same thing, except that you would need to find a way for the screw to again enter from the bottom.
What you are trying to accomplish is to have a way where the coupler can be mounted to the chassis after the body is on. Once you have come up with a way to do this, then you can frame out the bottom of the slot in the body shell. The prototype naturally does not have this slot. Once the slot is framed, then you can install the body shell, slip the coupler box through the framed opening you just created. and the coupler assembly will keep the body and chassis together. Then you won’t need those tabs. Many of the newer engines out today use the coupler b
Dunno if a plastic replacement for the lost tabs would work. I might try bonding some 2-56 nuts to the inside of the shell, drilling holes thru the walkways and running machine screws up into the nuts. Might have to ovalize the holes to get the screws to line up with the nuts.
Or, I might try fabricating new tabs from strips of springy metal. Cut a strip the width of the missing tab, and as long as the hood is high. Bond the strip to the inside of the hood and bend the free end back to form a hook to lock into the slot in the chassis. Phosphor bronze or the right grade of steel would be springy enough. Brass probably is not sufficiently springy.
