STEP 3A AND 3B
BUILDING A SOUTHERN TUXEDO GP7 by BOB HARPE
STEP 3A. MODIFYING THE INTAKE GRILLES. SEE PIC BELOW:


IF YOU ARE BUILDING A MODEL OF 8273 L, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THE
RAILROAD HAD BLOCKED OFF THE FRONT SECTION OF THE FRONT RADIATOR GRILL (THE
GRILL NEAREST THE CAB ). I SPOKE WITH WARREN AND HE SAYS THEY DID THIS TO
KEEP COLD AIR FROM ENTERING THE CAB HEATERS AND TAKING AWAY WARM AIR FROM
THE CAB INTERIOR. THIS MODIFICATION WAS DONE WHEN OUR UNIT WAS PHOTOGRAPHED
IN 1972, SO LET'S BE PROTOTYPICAL AND ADD THIS MODIFICATION TO OUR
LOCOMOTIVE.

BEGIN BY DRILLING # 70 HOLES IN THE SCREENS THE ENTIRE DISTANCE AROUND THE
SCREEN. IF YOU'LL USE THE OUTERMOST FULL SCREEN HOLES TO DRILL INTO, YOU'LL
LESSEN THE CHANCES OF YOUR DRILL BIT WANDERING ON YOU AND DOING DAMAGE TO
THE SURROUNDING PLASTIC. 
(I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT SUPPLYING A SCAN OF THIS STEP).

NOW, AFTER ALL THE HOLES ARE DRILLED, CONNECT THEN ALL WITH A SHARP, NO. 11 
X-ACTO BLADE. PLEASE BE CAREFUL IN THIS STEP AND DON'T LET YOUR KNIFE SLIP ON YOU!!
NEXT, USING A SMALL FILE, CLEAN THE FOUR EDGES AND REMOVE ANY SIGNS OF 
DRILLING. REMOVE ALL SIGNS OF THE SCREEN UNTIL ALL YOU SEE IS THE BRACING 
AROUND THE RECTANGLE.

THE EASIEST WAY TO GET A GOOD, TIGHT FIT WITH THE FILLER IS TO CUT A PIECE
OF THE .015 PLASTIC SLIGHTLY LARGER THAT THE OPENING TO BE FILLED AND THEN
HOLD THIS PIECE INSIDE THE SHELL AND TRACE THE OPENING WITH A SHARP LEAD
PENCIL FROM THE OUTSIDE. TRIM A TAD LARGE TO BEGIN WITH AND THEN SAND THE
EDGES CAREFULLY UNTIL YOU GET THE FIT YOU WANT. DON'T HESITATE TO CUT A
SECOND PIECE IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE ON THE FIRST ONE. MAKE TWO FILLERS AND
GLUE IN PLACE......ONE ON EACH SIDE.

STEP 3B.  SEE PIC BELOW:

WE WILL BE REPLACING THE P2K HORN AND RELOCATING A NEW BRASS 
REPLACEMENT TO ANOTHER SPOT ON THE SHORT HOOD. ONE WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS IS 
TO GLUE THE KIT SUPPLIED HORN IN PLACE, ALLOW TO DRY AND THEN CAREFULLY CUT 
OT OFF EVEN WITH THE ROOF TOP. I CHOSE ANOTHER WAY AND THAT IS TO DRILL THE 
HORN HOLE TO 1/16" AND REPLACE WITH 1/16" PLASTIC ROD. WHICHEVER WAY YOU 
CHOOSE TO CLOSE THE HOLE, SAND UNTIL COMPLETELY SMOOTH AND SET ASIDE.

QUESTION:

I AM ON STEP 3A WITH YOU AND SEE THAT YOU HAVE PUT ON THE LIFT
RINGS. DID I MISS THAT? I HAVE DID 1 THRU 3 AS POSTED. 
WERE WE SUPPOSED TO FILL/PUTTY THE ORIGINAL LIFT RING HOLES IN THE
BODY?

ANSWER:

I KINDA JUMPED AHEAD TODAY AND ADDED THOSE LIFT RINGS. GOOD TO SEE FOLKS ARE 
PAYING ATTENTION!!  ;-)

THE .015 PLASTIC SQUARES THAT YOU INSTALLED UNDER THE LONG AND SHORT HOODS
WILL BE DRILLED WITH A # 80 DRILL BIT AND THIS WILL GIVE THE DA LIFT RINGS
SOMETHING TO HOLD TO WHILE YOU'RE GLUING THEM IN. THERE WON'T BE ANY NEED
FOR PUTTY.

I'M WORKING ON STEP 4 RIGHT NOW AND WILL POST IT TOMORROW.

BOB HARPE

© Bob Harpe 2003
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