I picked up this 1988 MPC Wabash caboose for $2 at a train show last week. Here's how I got it into Giraffe Express trim in about 12 hours:
8:15 AM: Disassembled the caboose. Got out a pair of MPC pickups from my stash.
8:30 AM: Wired the pickups.
8:35 AM: Installed the pickups in both trucks. Best way to do this is to take out the wheelset on the non-coupler end, put in the pickup and reinstall the wheelset.
Note the hole I drilled in the non-open end of the chassis to pass the wires up into the body.
8:45 AM: Soldered and tested the Radio Shack socket. Note the hole drilled in the chassis for plunger clearance of the socket.
9:25 AM: After giving the body shell a good scrubbing, out to the paint shop (or, in this case, the old cover on my backyard gas grill) for a coat of Krylon True Blue Gloss.
5:00 PM: After letting the body dry most of the day, it was ready for windows and reassembly.
In the best SCROUNGE tradition, the white window material was taken from some scrap parts trays from work:
5:25: Windows epoxied into the shell, then left to cure.
8:20: Assembled, logo applied and ready to roll!
Mitch
