Anybody know any F3 2343 Shell Repainters/Restorers?

[FEClionel]

On December 24th on a fluke of an event I picked up a 1952 Santa Fe F3 AA cheap($150) in good to fair condition. It's a one owner and its my first F3 that I have dreamed of owning since I was 10(now 24). Anyway my delema is that the unit does run, but slow. Closmetically its OK and I actually prefer a unit that has some play wear b/c I plan on playing with and I think its cool thats its not new or perfect. However there is some paint missing on the front of the unit by the cab windshield and silver is dulling as is the graphics.
Does anyone know an excellent refurbisher/repainter who can touch up on fully repaint my shells. Thanks for all your help!
-Geoff

[brianel027]

Howdy again Geoff, as I mentioned in your other post, I do a lot of repainting. That Santa Fe paint scheme on the Lionel F3 is a difficult one... that's a very tough paint mask to make. Touch up on any piece is another matter. The Lionel silver on that F3 is difficult to match, especially on a flat surface of the shell. Nicks and scratchs on a corner, edge or a lip are certainly possible. The red would be a little easier, but keep in mind these original colors have probably faded some over the years.
One thing that motivates my repainting is the question "is this already available somewhere else?" Or if it's available, can I afford it? Nearly all of my repaints are done because the roads I want are NOT available in the size of the pieces I want. For example, I love my K-Line Alco FA's and S2's. But they were never made in Conrail, CSX, Norfolk Southern or BNSF (Well, K-Line has made some uncataloged pieces in Conrail for CR employees). In other cases, I found the manufactured pieces I wanted to be inferior paint jobs... the K-Line MP15 in Reading is a good example. The Lionel FA Alco in New Haven is another example (my NH paint job is eons better). All of the recent Lionel CNJ offerings have also been unacceptable with poor paint jobs (or NO paint at all, as in translucent molded red plastic).
The price you mentioned before of around $100 certainly is a fair ballpark price. One guy I know gets around $250 to do the Lackawanna paint scheme on a double unit. You may just want to keep your eyes open for a deal on another Lionel Santa Fe F3... maybe a MPC unit where the shell will fit your postwar unit... the MPC paint jobs were overall an improvement over the postwar Lionel units. I don't know if the Williams F3 shell would fit your Lionel frame. For example, the Lionel and K-Line 6464 type box cars look nearly identical. But the frames are not interchangeable... there is a slight difference in length between the two cars.
But anyways, maybe you'll strike it lucky again and find a Santa Fe unit that has a very nice shell, but is mechanically shot. Keep your eyes open on ebay. Once in a while, Lionel shells do show up. Lionel sold more Santa Fe units than any other road name. I've read the Lionel Santa Fe F3 is the most popular unit of all time, so there's obviously lots more out there. It'd be different if you had and wanted another of the less common F3's like the New Haven or Canadian Pacific, which hold their prices better.
Anways, good luck and don't be too impatient. I find things with trains have a way of working out in the end... much more so than with life in general.
brianel, Agent 027

[Anonymous]

L and L Screen Printing. They advertise in Classic Toy Trains Mag. He is the best and is not expensive. Len Carperelli

[brianel027]

Ummm, I'm sure L&L Screen Printing is very good... I've heard as much. But when Len offered the special restoration run of the green/grey Lionel 2022 double A Alco (you provide shells, limited run up to 1,000) that was still $250. Granted that included mounting hardward and shipping, but that scheme is not as complicated as the Santa Fe. Maybe there was a royalty or fee paid to Lionel on that 2022 run, but I don't think you'll get too much cheaper in price for a good repaint or restoration, especially on a double unit.
One of the things that prompted me to start/learn doing my own work was the money involved. But now that I've been doing it myself, I understand. It takes time and effort to do quality good work. Decals are expensive, especially if you have them custom made. And making your own decals on a color printer has limitations too... whites, reds, and yellows are not as good as screen printed ones. Okay, regular decals are reasonable, but even with Microscale (which I think are the best), often I find I need several sets in different scales to get what I need, since many traditional Lionel items are not to precise full scale. Therefore I find I have to take a few liberties on doing the decals. And there definitely is an art to doing good decal work of having the decals adhere into and over vents and rivet details. Plus not having the decal lines be visable. And dry-transfers (although there are no lines) also take some skill. Now L&L does screen printing work, and he may already have the screens for the Santa Fe scheme. But take the 2022 alco special offer: that was 4 colors: green, grey, yellow and white. The Santa Fe is also 4 colors: silver, red, yellow and black - and far more complicated than the green alco scheme.
So I'm certain even on a single shell, for something like the Santa Fe scheme, $100 is probably a bargain. Len does good work at L&L, but the rule of life is you pay for what you get. I've never checked though, so good luck.
brianel