How do you restore a Lionel 2343 F3 Santa Fe diesel that apparently was burned in a fire and then buried in mud for twenty or more years? I have the answer! 
Any more pictures? What is the answer? Is it done yet?
I am sorry for my impatience. I get excited about the resorations of everything once junk into something again opperational.
BTW, where did you find it?
This restoration has a surprise ending. It was found in mud next to a trash heap at the future site of a shopping center by Boy Scouts while working on an Eagle Project to build a garden for growing vegetables to feed needy persons. This is in the Philadelphia, PA suburban area.
I could have guessed as much! Only in Southeastern PA would people be unearthing Postwar Lionel Santa Fe’s from the mud…nowhere else in the world would that ever happen.
By the picture she actually looks to be in decent shape…I’ve seen worse sold for hundreds on eBay recently.
Anxiously awaiting the “rest of the story”
Roland
…Can’t help but think how neat it would be to give this shell and frame another shot at gliding around a Christmas tree on tubular rails…after such a horrible and presumably permanent demise for a toy train…please post the video!!
wow, now i cant complain about rust on my 2025…yes please details…
I know how it ends i’m Gonut1 son i "Restored"It
Everyone, get out your metal detectors, were goin’ train hunting!!
No fair telling Trainboy 414! I’ll try to post an “after” shot or two tonight.
I’m not going to tell.
OK, so lets see it! and please do tell the story of what needed to be done.
Dennis
whoa, i think your gonna have on heck of a job to do there! good luck[:)]
Somehow I don’t think it’s a runner any more…
After the soap and water, brushing and scrubbing, what was left was a frame with no paint, a twisted, buckled, paintless body, some details like the roof screens, headlight and windshield, the battery cover and not much else. Fortunately there was no leaking battery damage! My son surfed ebay and other places and found out there isn’t much out there in the way of motors, horn, or relays. About the only thing available is the reverser. Well it sure would be nice to see it run again but that wasn’t very likely. At least not without spending a lot of time at train meets. Then the other night my son said, “Dad I fixed the F3”. It might even run. Like I mentioned this is a surprise ending…
your killing me here…
…is it alive or?
Zeke, (Your’e not my S Gauge Cousin Zeke are you?) The F3 sure is alive! But not quite the way you imagine. Keep in mind my son is 14 and rather creative. In fact the F3 may well be running in circles under the tree next Christmas, along with my restored basket case 2026 and other older Lionels.
Now it would be nice to see it on three rail track but that will take a lot of costly and hard to find parts. Who would ever have thought that a standard Lego motorblock would snap directly into a Lionel chassis? Plus a Lego headlight kit fastened right into the front of the shell? I couldn’t believe it when he showed me! This morph even runs great!Looks kinda funky, not much left of the Warbonnet!
Now for a replacement shell, motors, horn, reverser, a few other details etc. we’re good to gofor three rail.
That’s pretty neat !! I figured that to go into a scrapyard scene or something !! Good to see the younger ones being so creative !! [:)] [tup]
Thanks, John
That has to be the #1 creative idea I’ve ever seen on any of the train forums. CTT, hint, hint, that would make a great article in your magazine.
Earl
The f3 actually has the original steps,one horn, the battery cover with the rivit still in place, and the windsheld.