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Will a gp35 shell be able to fit onto bachmann gp40 chassis

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Posted by BRAKIE on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 9:24 PM

Soo Line fan
 
BRAKIE
I find this kind of stuff interesting since I enjoy swapping out drives or shells. I once fit a Walthers GP9M shell on a Athearn BB GP7 just to see if it was possible.The Athearn frame needed some light modifications for the GP9M shell to fit..

 

Well, before P2K came out, thats what we had to do in many cases. The GP30 shell on a BB GP 35. The LL F 40 on the Atlas FP-7 drive and all the Rail Power shells which were designed to be used on the old wide body Athearns.

I enjoyed the mounting of shells and repowering. Not so much the painting and masking.............

 

Jim,That Walthers GP9M/BB GP7 drive was done around 12 years ago.. I wanted a lowhood GP9.. I also added Horst air filter.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


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Posted by Soo Line fan on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 7:53 PM

BRAKIE
I find this kind of stuff interesting since I enjoy swapping out drives or shells. I once fit a Walthers GP9M shell on a Athearn BB GP7 just to see if it was possible.The Athearn frame needed some light modifications for the GP9M shell to fit..

Well, before P2K came out, thats what we had to do in many cases. The GP30 shell on a BB GP 35. The LL F 40 on the Atlas FP-7 drive and all the Rail Power shells which were designed to be used on the old wide body Athearns.

I enjoyed the mounting of shells and repowering. Not so much the painting and masking.............

Jim

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Posted by gregomacomb on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 6:26 PM

Even if so, when scaled down its a 2/5 of an inch difference between the two. Just food for thought. But either way im gonna go with the gp40.

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Posted by BRAKIE on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 2:29 PM

Soo Line fan
Its not likely that was done. The Bachmann shells seem to be proportioned pretty well.

I wasn't sure since I haven't paid that much attention to Bachmann's GP35 or GP40 other then a causal glance.

I would still like to see both models and compare the drive to the shells since both has a similar looking fuel tank.

I find this kind of stuff interesting since I enjoy swapping out drives or shells. I once fit a Walthers GP9M shell on a Athearn BB GP7 just to see if it was possible.The Athearn frame needed some light modifications for the GP9M shell to fit..

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

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Posted by Soo Line fan on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 1:45 PM

BRAKIE

Jim,Could Bachmann stretch their GP35 body to fit the GP40 drive?

I also studied a photo of the Atlas/Roco GP40 against the Bachmann GP40 and there's very little difference including the missing step going into the cab...I never caught that before now.

 

Larry,

Its not likely that was done. The Bachmann shells seem to be proportioned pretty well. 

Per the replacement of the Bachmann  a Atlas /Roco or ConCor/ Roco GP38 would also fit with the mod Jeffrey refered to.

Jim

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Posted by Doughless on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 1:13 PM

gregomacomb

If I was to purchase an atlas shell, what version would i be looking for. Thanks 

Frankly, a replacement Bachmann GP40 shell is probably the best way to go.  Its no worse than the Atlas/Roco shell and you won't have to worry about fitment.

Atlas sells decorated bodies for the GP40 Master series, but they have a cab interior that would likely foul the innards of the Bachmann chassis/weight.

Unless you are modeling the early 60's, the GP40 is pretty close to the same time frame as the GP35.

 

- Douglas

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Posted by DSchmitt on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 1:10 PM

gregomacomb

Sorry didnt know that part got in there. Also forgive me as im just starting out more or less. I was kinda figuring higher number meant later date but i looked it up earlier doing some research and yeah i know now that they were produced about the same time.

 

 

I had no intention of critizing you. I am sure many people make that assumption, which is generally true for EMD locomotives. There are exceptions due to different engines used, not turbochared vs turbocharged, and probably other reasons. I just wanted to make the cronology clear.  

I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.

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Posted by BRAKIE on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 12:40 PM

ACY

The idea of stretching a GP35 body to fit a GP40 frame defeats the very idea of "scale modeling". IMO, the idea is to accurately represent the prototype. If the prototype frame is too long, then the model frame will be too long unless it's an inaccurate model.  Stretching the GP35 body will result in an inaccurate GP35.

 

While I fully agree we are talking about Bachmann not Atlas or Athearn.

Bachmann locomotives are far from scale modeling to say the least but,they do fill a void for the budgit minded modelers.

I owned three a GE70 Tonner,A GE 44 Tonner and a DCC/Sound Alco S4.

Larry

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Summerset Ry.


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Posted by ACY Tom on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 11:10 AM

The idea of stretching a GP35 body to fit a GP40 frame defeats the very idea of "scale modeling". IMO, the idea is to accurately represent the prototype. If the prototype frame is too long, then the model frame will be too long unless it's an inaccurate model.  Stretching the GP35 body will result in an inaccurate GP35.

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Posted by gregomacomb on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 12:11 AM

Sorry didnt know that part got in there. Also forgive me as im just starting out more or less. I was kinda figuring higher number meant later date but i looked it up earlier doing some research and yeah i know now that they were produced about the same time.

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Posted by DSchmitt on Monday, December 28, 2015 11:53 PM

gregomacomb
I have a bachmann gp40. It needs a new shell and the gp35 happens to fit in with my timeline better than the gp40.

If the GP40 does not fit the timeline. how can the GP38 (which went into production after the GP49) fit the timeline better?

The GP38 start of production was 3 months after the GP40 start of production and the two models were produced concurently.

I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.

I don't have a leg to stand on.

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Posted by BRAKIE on Monday, December 28, 2015 10:43 PM

Jim,Could Bachmann stretch their GP35 body to fit the GP40 drive?

I also studied a photo of the Atlas/Roco GP40 against the Bachmann GP40 and there's very little difference including the missing step going into the cab...I never caught that before now.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


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Posted by Soo Line fan on Monday, December 28, 2015 7:18 PM

 

BRAKIE

 

 
Soo Line fan

The Bachman GP 40 shell is a slightly reworked version of the old Roco/Atlas/ConCor GP 40. So a Atlas/ConCor GP 38 will fit it.

The GP 35 is too short to fit.

 

 

 

Unless Bachmann took some short cuts in that rework in order to use the same frame and drive.. I wish I could put the old eyeball on those two engines.

 

Larry,

We talked about this before: Smile

jeffrey-wimberly

Perhaps the three best things I did for an Atlas/Roco GP40 were #1 put a Bachmann GP40 shell on it (cut off the screw lugs and it's a drop-on fit) and #2 put in a PPW can motor and #3 put in a Digitrax decoder. For the most part most of my Atlas/Roco fleet are FP7's, one of which was fitted with an Athearn blue box motor, flywheels and shafts.

 

The full thread can be found here:

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/p/225176/2506006.aspx

I looked at a Bachmann in the LHS for a while and to my eyes its the same shell. Look at the left front cab step (or lack there of) leading to the door way. This was always a primary spotting feature for this shell. The rear step on the right has the same filled in appearance.

The Bachmann pilots were also notched........

Atlas/Con Cor

Bachmann

Jim

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Posted by gregomacomb on Monday, December 28, 2015 2:20 PM

If I was to purchase an atlas shell, what version would i be looking for. Thanks 

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Posted by ACY Tom on Monday, December 28, 2015 2:15 PM

For the record, a GP30 used the same wheelbase dimensions as the GP35. Those two should be interchangeable IF THE MODELS ARE CORRECTLY DIMENSIONED.  It's not safe to assume that without checking.  The longer GP38, GP38-2, GP40, and GP40-2 should also be interchangeable with one another in the same way.

Tom 

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Posted by BRAKIE on Monday, December 28, 2015 1:24 PM

Soo Line fan

The Bachman GP 40 shell is a slightly reworked version of the old Roco/Atlas/ConCor GP 40. So a Atlas/ConCor GP 38 will fit it.

The GP 35 is too short to fit.

 

Unless Bachmann took some short cuts in that rework in order to use the same frame and drive.. I wish I could put the old eyeball on those two engines.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

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Posted by Soo Line fan on Monday, December 28, 2015 1:13 PM

The Bachman GP 40 shell is a slightly reworked version of the old Roco/Atlas/ConCor GP 40. So a Atlas/ConCor GP 38 will fit it.

The GP 35 is too short to fit.

Jim

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Posted by BRAKIE on Monday, December 28, 2015 11:34 AM

Probably.. I would check the GP35 shell against the GP40 drive and it may require some minor modification-if  Bachmann didn't use the same drive and frame for both engines.

I know a Bachmann GP30 shell will fit a Athearn BB GP35 drive with very little modifications.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


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Posted by DSchmitt on Monday, December 28, 2015 11:14 AM

The GP35 was still in production when GP40 production started.  The start of GP40 production was earlier than the start of GP 38 production

From  http://www.urbaneagle.com/data/RRdieselchrono.html

 GP35 production Oct 63 - Jan 66

 GP38 production Jan 66 - Dec 71, GP38AC Jan 71 - Dec 71, GP38-2 Jan 72 -

 GP40 production Nov 65 - Dec 71, GP40-2 Jan72 -

 

 

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Posted by wp8thsub on Monday, December 28, 2015 10:47 AM

A GP38 is built essentially on the same frame and wheelbase as a GP40.  The GP35 is shorter, so shells won't be interchangeable. *EDIT* Tom just barely beat me to it.

Rob Spangler

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Posted by ACY Tom on Monday, December 28, 2015 10:45 AM

Wheelbase of a prototype GP35 is 41' 0".

Wheelbase of a prototype GP38-2 or GP40-2 is 43' 0".  I think the earlier GP38 and GP40 had the same wheelbase as the Dash 2's.

It's unlikely that a GP35 shell will fit on your GP40 mechanism.  Better do some measuring first.

Tom

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Will a gp35 shell be able to fit onto bachmann gp40 chassis
Posted by gregomacomb on Sunday, December 27, 2015 10:23 PM
I have a bachmann gp40. It needs a new shell and the gp35 happens to fit in with my timeline better than the gp40. I know that the gp38 shell would most likely work however I do not wish to use this due to paint scheme preference. If worst case i will buy a gp38 shell so it fits my timeline over the gp40. However i would like to make it a gp35 if possible. Even if it took some modification, could it work?

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