I bought a Front Range GP7 kit from a sale a while back. The unit has the body shell, frame, and trucks and gear towers, but no drivetrain. It does have worm gears in the gear towers:
Sorry for the bad pics. I found a motor and motor mount that should work, but I will need some way of connecting to the worm gears. Any idea what parts will work? I looked at A-Line, but I can't tell what parts will fit.
Gary
Maybe PPW/A-line has what you need.
https://ppw-aline.com/pages/re-powering-parts
They have shells and parts. Just maybe.
Or NWSL.
Is that a ball on the end of the worm gear? like some Athearn drive shafts?
Mike.
My You Tube
I have several mechanisms based on the old Front Range frames. Note that none of them use the original trucks, as they were extremely poor in quality. You may be in for a lot of frustration if you try to make them function reliably.
The good news is that Athearn parts drop right in. You can use Athearn GP trucks with no modifications. I know you said you have a motor, but for anyone else reading this (or if you change your mind), Athearn's RTR or later blue box motors will work, I think right down to the stock motor mounts. Repower kits from A-Line/Proto Power West can be installed easily too, and can readily be made to work with Athearn universals.
You can also substitute a Kato motor, again using the stock mounting bracket and screws. If you can get them, Kato trucks from the old Kato manufactured Stewart F units are a drop fit just like the Athearn trucks. On all of my Front Range Geeps, I installed the entire mechanism from a Kato F unit, which fit like it was made for the Front Range frame.
Bottom line, decide on the universals after figuring which replacement trucks you want to use.
Rob Spangler
mbinsewiIs that a ball on the end of the worm gear? like some Athearn drive shafts?
Yes, a ball, but a flat plate, too:
wp8thsub On all of my Front Range Geeps, I installed the entire mechanism from a Kato F unit, which fit like it was made for the Front Range frame.
Are you serious...
I have a Front Range GP that was delivered severely damaged. The whole mechanism is destroyed. The body and frame are OK.
I also have many many Stewart/Kato F units.
Wil the trucks, motor, and linkage really drop right into the Front Range GP frame?
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190Are you serious... I also have many many Stewart/Kato F units. Will the trucks, motor, and linkage really drop right into the Front Range GP frame?
Absolutely - I have more than one of these. Almost all there is to it is assembling the Kato mechanism components on the Front Range frame. I can't recall if I needed to file off any material from the worm gear clips to fit just right, but if I did it couldn't have been much.
wp8thsubAbsolutely - I have more than one of these
Rob, thank you for this verification. This is really good news for me.
wp8thsub If you can get them, Kato trucks from the old Kato manufactured Stewart F units are a drop fit just like the Athearn trucks. On all of my Front Range Geeps, I installed the entire mechanism from a Kato F unit, which fit like it was made for the Front Range frame.
Aren't those the same trucks as old Atlas Geeps?
I've repowered a number of Front Range GP-7/9 units with the Stewart/Kato drive. The whole drive will swap over trucks motor/motor mounts and driveline. Years back I also repowered some Athearn GP-35 frames with the Stewart F unit drives then used the Bachman GP-30 body with it. --------Ken
garyaAren't those [Kato F unit trucks] the same trucks as old Atlas Geeps?
Good question. I haven't tried the swap with an Atlas Geep mechanism. Anybody?