Clear bodied RDC BUDD

[gnmodeler]

I was given a RDC Budd car and frame. The body is clear and has holes drilled in each end for light. Cast in chains on the doors. There are no numbers in the car or on the frame. The frame is cutout for vertical motor trucks and there is a lot for what I assume is the reverse lever. Any ideas as to the manufactuer? I was thinking Lionel.

Any ideas??

[cwburfle]

Pictures would be helpful.
I have not seen any Lionel Budd car bodies molded in clear plastic.
I have seen AMT/KMT items molded in clear plastic, and then painted with the areas to remain clear masked off.
On my AMT budd car, the e-unit slot is in about the midpoint of the car, along one edge of the frame. The slot is curved, running parallel (more or less) with the edge of the frame.

I don't have a Lionel budd car out. I believe Lionel e-unit slots are also about midpoint, and centered across the width, with a straight slot, running perpendicular to the long edge of the frame.

[gnmodeler]

how do I post photos so that they can be seen??

[gunrunnerjohn]

Put the photos on www.photobucket.com using their free account, then use the "forum" copy to paste the images here.

[gnmodeler]

       

photo of bottom frame               body shell

[cwburfle]

IMHO, your Budd car is AMT/KMT (not certain which)
The frame has the curved e-unit slot I mentioned above.
The Lionel Budd car frame looks completely different.

The Lionel Budd car body casting is different also.

Unfortunately, your shell shows some damage that seems to be very common on AMT/KMT Budd cars. There should be little skirts hanging down underneath both sides of the doors. Your Budd car seems to have two doors with good skirts, and two doors with one skirt missing.
IMHO, while having all the skirts certainly would be preferable, the shell is still worth having. Both of my AMT/KMT budd cars have at least one of those little skirts missing.

When the car is fully assembled., there is a plastic step assembly that goes between those skirts. It is mounted to the frame.

[gnmodeler]

Are the skirts the small tab on the very end? Since all I have is the body and frame I figure that I will have to build something to fit in the unit. The frame is a little to long for the body so I will have to cut it down a bit.

Do you have a photo of your car that you could post so I can see what the trucks and steps look like. I may have to do some real searching to find trucks and motors and I can always use an electronic reversing unit to repalce the old e type.

There are light holes in the ends are the two middle one red and the outside white?

Thanks for the help

michael

[cwburfle]

Are the skirts the small tab on the very end?

Yes, I think skirts was a poor choice of words.  I think "tab" is probably a better term.
On the right hand side of the cab, the side facing down still has it. The side facing up does not.
On the left side, it's just the opposite, the side facing up has the piece, the side facing down does not.

Your cab and frame probably went together. Those shells may shrink. On one of mine, it was almost impossible to remove the chassis from the shell. I had to carefully pry them apart. I don't think that I will be disassembling it again anytime soon.

Sorry, I don't have any pictures of mine. If I figure out what is required to post some, I will take some shots of the exterior.

 

[ADCX Rob]

Here is an AMT Budd Car:

Looks like a match to yours:

[gnmodeler]

Thank you this shows what I need. Now comes the fun part. Maybe find one on ebay that needs work.

[cwburfle]

Here are links to a few more phots in photobucket:

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o542/CWBurfle/IMGP1676.jpg

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o542/CWBurfle/IMGP1674.jpg

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o542/CWBurfle/IMGP1673.jpg

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o542/CWBurfle/IMGP1672.jpg

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o542/CWBurfle/IMGP1678.jpg

 

[Bob Keller]

It might just be my eye sight, but it looks like the Santa Fe has nine windows (not counting the door windows) and the clear shell has 10 windows. Does the clear shell have ten windows?

 

[gnmodeler]

Not counting the doors I have 9 windows 8 are large and one small one.

[Bob Keller]

Thanks, couldn't tell for sure.