Convert High Hood GP18 into a Low Hood

[ChadLRyan]

LMD;

Use this pocture & tune what I did to work in your scale.
I used Canon Cab Parts to convert this HO SD9 to an exMILW SD10 now DM&E, the following Pic used the same techniques to make a GP20M.

Chop the nose.. Get Appropriate cab.. Get Cab Filler Windows.. Fill in the rest...

 

[Mr. LMD]

Update: I loss that bidding, but I won a Santa Fe GP20 low hood, low nose GP18 (NYSW), and a GP18 high hood (MP) for my N scale collection. Was not easy

[Mr. LMD]

wp8thsub

dehusman

Buy a Tyco GP20 and swap cabs or short hoods.

Having built three high nose GP20s out of Tyco shells (before the Proto 2000 models were available), I'd caution against using the Tyco model as a source of parts.  The quality of the tooling is quite poor, and the parts won't line up well with the Proto GP18.  If a low nose Proto GP18 or GP20 isn't available, it would be possible to cobble something using the Tyco short hood, but that would be a last option if nothing else works.

My last GP20 project utilized Tyco long hood parts with a Proto 2000 high nose GP18.  The hood and cab dimensions aren't especially compatible.  In addition, Tyco used a weird nose contour below the walkways, and their battery boxes are completely the wrong shape and size.

Here's the Proto/Tyco model before weathering.  Combining parts from these sources is certainly possible, but unless you're an experienced kitbasher it may also be quite frustrating.

That's true as well. I'm not going to do the kitbashing because I do not want to mess up the complicated kitbashing to get a GP18 low hood to pull local freight on my layout. I will pay to have TMB Custom Models to do the kitbashing for me and while he does that, I will buy a GP18 so when he is complete all I have to do is switch the shells.

Here's their website: http://www.tmbcustommodels.com/custom_model_gallery/

[Mr. LMD]

jrbernier

Based on your 'other' thread - Are you looking for N scale or HO scale?

Jim

I will strictly looking for a GP18 low hood for N scale. I originally thought I would have space for the ideal HO layout that I wanted plus I wanted to prototype the Metra Electric, but the commuter cars (Wheels of Time) were out of stock and not enough space to model.

[wp8thsub]

dehusman

Buy a Tyco GP20 and swap cabs or short hoods.

Having built three high nose GP20s out of Tyco shells (before the Proto 2000 models were available), I'd caution against using the Tyco model as a source of parts.  The quality of the tooling is quite poor, and the parts won't line up well with the Proto GP18.  If a low nose Proto GP18 or GP20 isn't available, it would be possible to cobble something using the Tyco short hood, but that would be a last option if nothing else works.

My last GP20 project utilized Tyco long hood parts with a Proto 2000 high nose GP18.  The hood and cab dimensions aren't especially compatible.  In addition, Tyco used a weird nose contour below the walkways, and their battery boxes are completely the wrong shape and size.

Here's the Proto/Tyco model before weathering.  Combining parts from these sources is certainly possible, but unless you're an experienced kitbasher it may also be quite frustrating.

[BRAKIE]

jrbernier

Based on your 'other' thread - Are you looking for N scale or HO scale?

Jim

If its  N Scale there's only one game in town-the older Life Like or Walthers/LL-same locomotives..

Be careful..

 There's 2 of those GP18s  the early production with a spring drive shaft and the later improved  production with a smooth running split frame drive.Both was produce by LL.

[jrbernier]

Based on your 'other' thread - Are you looking for N scale or HO scale?

Jim

[dehusman]

Buy a Tyco GP20 and swap cabs or short hoods.

[Mr. LMD]

I recently (30 mins ago) lost an auction on a low nose GP18 on eBay and now I am wondering since I cannot find any other GP18 how hoods, what are the steps to making a low hood GP18?

thank you