I have an HO scale Athearn rtr GP35 shell and a Kato drive, is there any way to make the shell fit on the drive? Another ? how do you strip a Kato shell from its original paint? thanks.
Not sure if the shell would fit without some filing of the Kato frame, sounds like that is you second option if you cannot strip the paint. As for that, try a product called Chameleon model paint stripper, do a Google search on it to see where you can get it/order it in your area.
Rick Keil
You could check with Kato’s website to see if undec shells are available…
All sold out[banghead][V]
The Chamelelon stripper will make the plastic brittle and crack. Some have used 91% isopropyl alcohol and Pine-Sol on Kato shells with decent results.
Not sure if it is true, but the Kato motor might drop into the Athearn frame, same mounts, and the hex drivelines should fit. Worth a shot. Athearn sideframes are the best.
With some modification of the Athearn shell, and maybe some on the Kato frame, I’m sure you could get them to fit. The shell’s mounts are different, so it would be a slip fit with nothing but the couplers holding the shell on.
I haven’t done any paint stripping myself, but one thing I do know for sure is to never never never use brake fluid. It may work on old Athearn shells, but it’ll turn a Kato shell into jelly (or so I’ve heard)!
The Dec 2008 Rail Model Craftsman has a piece "Modeling a Phase II RS3. The author took short pieces of bar stock, drilled and tapped for 2-56 machine screws, and crazy glued them to the inside of the shell. Holes were drilling in the chassis and the shell secured with four machine screws. That technique oughta work on just about anything.
Stripping paint. 91% isopropyl alcohol has worked for me. I’ve heard that different stuff strips different maker’s paint. I’ll bet a web search would turn up a “what stripper to use” site.