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 Posted - February 01 2016 : 8:26:51 PM
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I am trying to fix this Mantua boxcar to the look when I got it. It has a metal bottom. I can not find any couplers to fit the coupler box. As the picture shows, the hole for the coupler is toward the back. I need 4 if I can find them. I am missing one door and the bottom rail for that door. I do not know what to do about the stirrups - maybe get a junk car and cut the stirrups off and glue to this car? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Posted - February 01 2016 : 9:03:27 PM
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Well, you've got a broken end of one of the original couplers. You can even see where the whisker was. Comb eBay for couplers that match.
As for the stirrups.. If the originals were hollow, you could cut ones of the same shape out of a bit of scrap plastic and glue them on, then paint them to suit.
The door rails appear to be flat metal rods bent at the end. Is that indeed the case?
Feedback-hungry attention w****
Edited by - ZeldaTheSwordsman on February 01 2016 9:04:20 PM
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Posted - February 01 2016 : 9:11:23 PM
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quote:I am trying to fix this Mantua boxcar to the look when I got it. It has a metal bottom. I can not find any couplers to fit the coupler box. As the picture shows, the hole for the coupler is toward the back. I need 4 if I can find them. I am missing one door and the bottom rail for that door. I do not know what to do about the stirrups - maybe get a junk car and cut the stirrups off and glue to this car? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Originally posted by thetramp - February 01 2016 : 8:26:51 PM
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tramp - was just going through a bunch of old horn-hook couplers, not sure if I have any in that configuration but I'll look. Edit: nope, could not find any.
Finding an old box car and cutting off the stirrups for yours is probably the best option if you're going for the original look. If not, you can bend brass wire for an alternate replacement. Perhaps you could source a door and bottom rail the same way.
Box car doors are readily available on ebay of all different sizes and types if you can paint to match.
http://tycodepot.com/
Edited by - JNXT 7707 on February 01 2016 9:52:42 PM
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Posted - February 01 2016 : 10:51:42 PM
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quote:
The door rails appear to be flat metal rods bent at the end. Is that indeed the case?
Originally posted by ZeldaTheSwordsman - February 01 2016 : 9:03:27 PM
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Yes, it is a flat metal rod.
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Posted - February 02 2016 : 03:40:40 AM
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quote: quote:
The door rails appear to be flat metal rods bent at the end. Is that indeed the case?
Originally posted by ZeldaTheSwordsman - February 01 2016 : 9:03:27 PM
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Yes, it is a flat metal rod.
Originally posted by thetramp - February 01 2016 : 10:51:42 PM
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Well then, all you need to do to replace it is find some more rod of the same thickness, cut it to length, and bend the ends.
Feedback-hungry attention w****
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Posted - February 02 2016 : 06:02:34 AM
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That set of trucks need not just a coupler but a coupler spring. A old coupler that was a one piece coupler and spring all nylon, where the nylon spring broke off and the horn hook coupler head is still good, can be used to replace this coupler. You need to still file down the thickness of the coupler pin hole to match the old broken one in your photo. The spring you need to make from thin steel wire. The missing still coupler box needs to be made from brass, or tined steel of the same thickness.
There are easier ways to mount a coupler on that truck's coupler arm.
easest
* Later truck sets work the same but use standard tyco mantua X2F couplers and are basically the same in appearance and construction. Change the trucks.
frank
toptrain
" It's a Heck of a Day " !!!
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Posted - February 02 2016 : 06:38:16 AM
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I ended up removing the old coupler box on mine, drilling out the pin hole with a #50 drill, tapping for a 2-56 screw, and then installed a standard Kadee box.
http://tycodepot.com/
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Posted - February 02 2016 : 11:25:20 AM
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quote: quote: quote:
The door rails appear to be flat metal rods bent at the end. Is that indeed the case?
Originally posted by ZeldaTheSwordsman - February 01 2016 : 9:03:27 PM
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Yes, it is a flat metal rod.
Originally posted by thetramp - February 01 2016 : 10:51:42 PM
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Well then, all you need to do to replace it is find some more rod of the same thickness, cut it to length, and bend the ends.
Originally posted by ZeldaTheSwordsman - February 02 2016 : 03:40:40 AM
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I looked this morning and that bottom rail is an L shaped rod.
Edited by - thetramp on February 02 2016 11:26:34 AM
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Posted - February 02 2016 : 11:34:49 AM
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This morning, I found some coupler boxes and trucks without couplers attached. I drilled a 5/64 hole in the metal bottom and attached the coupler boxes. Screwed in the trucks, put it on the track and checked the coupler height which was right on. All I need to find is the L shaped bottom rail, a door and stirrups .
Jerry, do you have a picture of the way you fixed yours?
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Posted - February 02 2016 : 11:34:58 AM
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tramp - do you want it to look good or look good AND be operational? Reason I ask is that it's much easier to fabricate a fix to get it to the point it looks original, a little more involved to get back to a fully operational sliding door.
http://tycodepot.com/
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Posted - February 02 2016 : 11:55:05 AM
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| Jerry, the door does not have open and close. It could stay shut or half open.
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Posted - February 02 2016 : 1:08:32 PM
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Jerry, how do you figure that? From the looks of it, all you'd need is to make or get new door, and a bottom rail.
Feedback-hungry attention w****
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Posted - February 02 2016 : 2:29:55 PM
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quote:Jerry, how do you figure that? From the looks of it, all you'd need is to make or get new door, and a bottom rail.
Originally posted by ZeldaTheSwordsman - February 02 2016 : 1:08:32 PM
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Zelda -
Yes, in any case tramp needs a replacement door. Many sources available for that, both new and recycled old parts.
He'll need a junker for the stirrups if he wants to keep the original look. Not too hard to find that - could even source a gondola, reefer, flat or tank car for those. Finding a junker box car with the correct type rail narrows it down more though. Some come with other types of rail, or just molded on doors/rail. So the thought is, it might be easier to fabricate a rail that you can simply glue on with the replacement door - if an operating door is not crucial.
http://tycodepot.com/
Edited by - JNXT 7707 on February 02 2016 2:30:36 PM
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Posted - February 02 2016 : 3:42:34 PM
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All he'd really have to do (assuming he couldn't find an L-shaped metal rod to bend for the new rail) is glue a thin lip cut from an empty soda can or somesuch to the underside of the rail.
Feedback-hungry attention w****
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Posted - February 02 2016 : 5:42:07 PM
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quote:All he'd really have to do (assuming he couldn't find an L-shaped metal rod to bend for the new rail) is glue a thin lip cut from an empty soda can or somesuch to the underside of the rail.
Originally posted by ZeldaTheSwordsman - February 02 2016 : 3:42:34 PM
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Please explain how to make one from a soda can. Thanks
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Posted - February 02 2016 : 6:53:08 PM
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quote:This morning, I found some coupler boxes and trucks without couplers attached. I drilled a 5/64 hole in the metal bottom and attached the coupler boxes. Screwed in the trucks, put it on the track and checked the coupler height which was right on. All I need to find is the L shaped bottom rail, a door and stirrups .
Jerry, do you have a picture of the way you fixed yours?
Originally posted by thetramp - February 02 2016 : 11:34:49 AM
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Looks like a great fix tramp! Probably better in the long run than mine.
The biggest downside to the way I did it was the minimal clearance between the top of the screw head on top of the coupler box and the chassis. So I used a nylon screw and filed the head down as much as I could, while still leaving enough material to hold the box on. Then I used some CA to reinforce it. Works fine. You can see on the bottom I simply cut off the excess length of screw.
Kind of a permanent installation, but not hard to remove if I have to since it's nylon, and not hard to replace either.
http://tycodepot.com/
Edited by - JNXT 7707 on February 02 2016 6:55:17 PM
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Posted - February 02 2016 : 7:41:10 PM
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quote:
So the coupler box sits on top of the extended metal end that the coupler was originally on, correct?
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Posted - February 02 2016 : 7:48:53 PM
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quote: quote:All he'd really have to do (assuming he couldn't find an L-shaped metal rod to bend for the new rail) is glue a thin lip cut from an empty soda can or somesuch to the underside of the rail.
Originally posted by ZeldaTheSwordsman - February 02 2016 : 3:42:34 PM
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Please explain how to make one from a soda can. Thanks
Originally posted by thetramp - February 02 2016 : 5:42:07 PM
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Well, all I'm talking about making from a soda can is a bottom for the bottom rail. All you'd need to do is cut a strip of the right length and width, and glue it to the underside of the rail at a right angle.
Feedback-hungry attention w****
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Posted - February 11 2016 : 5:33:59 PM
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A fellow TBer, thesiding, sent me a parts car with a door and the bottom rail. The rail was black so I painted the top rail on my car to match.
Edited by - thetramp on February 11 2016 6:55:18 PM
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Posted - February 12 2016 : 06:38:20 AM
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quote:
So the coupler box sits on top of the extended metal end that the coupler was originally on, correct?
Originally posted by thetramp - February 02 2016 : 7:41:10 PM
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Yes, sits right on top and is at the right height for knuckle couplers.
Good deal on the getting that bottom rail - looks great!
http://tycodepot.com/
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Posted - February 12 2016 : 08:56:00 AM
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Interesting thread, and a great looking vintage box car.
Nice work Tramp!
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Posted - February 12 2016 : 10:38:37 AM
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quote:Interesting thread, and a great looking vintage box car.
Nice work Tramp!
Originally posted by Chops124Â -Â February 12 2016Â :Â 08:56:00 AM
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Yep, and I wouldn't change a thing, other than fix the stirrups. It has anaturally weathered look of wear that's so hard to create. Much better than brand new.
http://tycodepot.com/
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Posted - February 12 2016 : 10:53:07 AM
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I also have a Monon Gondola for parts one end of the bin has been cut out
Will get pics up in a few days cause I am preping for NY Toy fair starting tommorrow
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