Can this be salvaged Premier E-6 nosedive

Well, it's going to be the truck body, they're not really that expensive.  I'd contact Midge at MTH and give her the model number and see if they have the truck body.  It's a simple mechanical job to swap out all the parts.  First, I'd take it apart as it kinda looks like the motor mount is cocked and not the coupler connection.  You should identify exactly what the the problem is before buying any parts.

It might be just the pilot that's bent. I have had some luck straightening bent pot metal with a swift/heavy blow. In this case, if it is just the pilot, I would take it off, lay it upside down on an anvil and give it a swift blow with a hammer.

The MTH E8 heritage is Weaver.   Here is a look at the Weaver Pilot.

One screw attaches the pilot to the truck.

The standard mechanical couplers were easily replaced with electro-couplers.

The motor/motor mount is a one screw assembly from the bottom. There is a chance the pressed frame was bent, but it should be fix-able.

If all the pieces can be gently bent back to original, it would save a lot or re-paint work.  IMO. Mike CT

Thanks everybody. After partial disassembly the pilot is the problem. 1 mounting ear is broken off and the other is bent

Can you glue back the mounting ear with some JB Weld?

prrhorseshoecurve posted:

Can you glue back the mounting ear with some JB Weld?

I don't have much luck with that stuff. I have some Bob Smith epoxy I was thinking of trying.

I don't have many MTH diesels, but my MTH DL109 is assembled in a way similar to the Weaver, above. A large central screw; you may have to spin the flywheel to "unscrew" the worm from the spur gear. Remove the body to do this.

The die-cast zinc can be gently bent back into place, at times. You may have to fab some parts - use brass - to replace and or reinforce the damaged original. Take your time. Brass is easy to use; it needs to be thick enough to be stiff, but not massive. .030" - .035" thickness is a good starting place. Good stuff to have around, in any case. Hobby Lobby even carries some sheets.

Not sure what issues you have had with JB Weld (not the only brand) epoxy, but I have found it to be a good material. It requires a sufficient contact area and a clean surface - in other words, if that truck has an oil or grease film on it, the epoxy won't stick. Wash the attachment areas with clean mineral spirits on a rag or swab.

Importantly, take your time. It's just a little machine and can be fixed.

Also, while the body is off, eyeball/snug down your boards and connections.

Another option,  If you don't use the front coupler ?   just mount the pilot to the frame (fixed pilot) and install a Kadee coupler. Like the scale guys do.

clem k posted:

Another option,  If you don't use the front coupler ?   just mount the pilot to the frame (fixed pilot) and install a Kadee coupler. Like the scale guys do.

I thought about that but it's like weathering rolling stock. Once you do one you gotta do them all

DOBERMANN "Mineral Ridge" ( I was born, raised, and matured in the area).  You actually kind of have a spare A-unit pilot.  the pilot from the trailing A that MTH pushed on to us that B&O actually did not run (A-B-A) power consist back in the day.  B&O bought and ran the EA's/EB's and the E6 A&B's  with the B-units numbered as the A with and X added (57&57X  59&59X).  Then around 1948 changed the X to a B and then back to a X in 1952.

I have the earlier B&O E6's 20-2258-1 (57, 5X and 52).  Am preparing to power the B-unit 57X with the components from the trailing (non-prototypical) A-unit #52.  Preliminary external examinations of the B and trailing A units looks like no problem with this transition.  Will not be sure about moving the smoke unit over, but really don't care that much with diesels.

Will probably start this project within a week or two.

Ron