Lionel 152/153 restoration

[Anonymous]

The motor is actually in perfect condition. I removed the paint via the boiling couldron method, using detergent and an old pot. I got the paint off, but the disturbing part was that as I was doing it a mouth watering aroma filled the kitchen. The reason I ask is because someone was a little sloppy in soldering on the headlight, and there are tabs to hold the body together, but they have been undone and it is held by solder. The frame is held togeher via tab-slot and has no solder on it.

[Anonymous]

Those are usually soldered. You should be able to safely
sand/bead blast the old paint off. There are many sources
of reproduction paint to refini***his loco. What shape is the
motor in? You may have a bit of difficulty finding motor
pieces for this resto. there are sources for these as well.

[Anonymous]

Im restoring a lionel prewar o gauge 152/153 engine that has been through the mill several times, including as far as I can tell at least three repaints each done one on top of the other. So, Im not sure what was done at the factory or by an overly eager operator. Was soldering originally used to hold the body and roof together or was it all simply tab and slot assembly, and at the factory were the peices painted individually or a coat applied over the whole thing?