How to remove a Life-Like GP-18 shell?

Chaya Aug 15, 2008

  1. Chaya

    Chaya TrainBoard Supporter

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    I have the OLD version of the Life-Like GP-18 from maybe 13 years ago. How to remove the shell so I can install a new firecracker antenna (the old one broke off) is a complete and total mystery to me. I can't see anything obvious, and the shell is so delicate I'm afraid I'll break it.

    This old NP engine means a lot to me--been toting it around, but not using it except to clean the wheels, lube, and run it once a year or so, since I bought it. It runs beautifully, since it was produced during that brief, miraculous time during which Life-Like began putting out a number of incredible locomotives for reasonable prices from the old, not-yet capitalist China.

    I've looked everywhere online and I can't find a thing except detailed instructions on how to install a decoder--but not how to take off the shell! I won't risk trying any harder than I already have unless I know what I'm doing: I'll just choose to live with the hole in the shell.

    Does anyone know how to do this?

    Cristi
     
  2. DiezMon

    DiezMon TrainBoard Supporter

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    I just removed one of these myself recently. The shell is connected to the frame in the front and the back. I used a tiny screwdriver to pry the front off first, then the shell will lift off.
     
  3. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    First you will need to drop the fuel tank and you accomplish this via a screw that is visible. Now to lift the plastic shell. Look on the sides of the body. You should find two square holes on the sides. Take a small screwdriver and push up towards the hole from the bottom of the chassis. Once you break these loose the body will lift off.

    Lot's of luck with installing the antenna and or DCC. This locomotive has wires running from here to yonder. Do be careful with the wires as they break easy at the point they are soldered to the wipers.

    Have fun!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 16, 2008
  4. Chaya

    Chaya TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thanks, but...

    I went right to my trainroom, all happy and excited, to do what you recommended--and found that it wasn't possible. It explains a lot, though. The two end tabs that you were probably referring to are now permanently concealed beneath Micro-Trains adapters for converting to MT couplers. There is no way I can get to it, beyond cutting out the adapter--and then running without any couplers at all.

    I guess I'll never take the shell off. :tb-sad:
     
  5. Chaya

    Chaya TrainBoard Supporter

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    I'm guessing that you're referring to a later run of the GP-18. This, the very first one they produced, has no screws visible on the fuel tank or anywhere else (that I can see). Since Diezmon's reply I've used a little screwdriver to sort of pry at the chassis and it's really clear to me that it is being held tightly under the Micro-Trains adapters.

    I was thinking I could use a mototool and a tiny cutting bit to very carefully cut away a little bit off the Micro-Trains adapter piece, but thinking about it is about as far as I'll probably ever get. I can just see myself twitching a tiny little bit and obliterating the coupler's mounting hole. It's only 1 mm to the hole--and even if I could successfully remove 0.5 mm without wrecking something, I don't know if it would be enough.

    Diezmon? How long is the little tab that you pried up on?

    Cristi
     
  6. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    Chaya,

    Me thinks I may have confused one of my Life Like GP38's with your GP18. Or is your locomotive a Model Power unit? At any rate you do have a perplexing situation to resolve. You could take the MTL coupler pockets and adapter off. This prompts the question will you be able to put it all back together? Tough decision!

    Sorry, I couldn't be of better help.
     
  7. Chaya

    Chaya TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thanks for trying!

    No, it's definitely a very old Life-Like model. I'm beginning to think there weren't many made--especially since I can't find anything about it on the web.

    I can't take the adapter off: it is firmly welded (with styrene cement) to all the front surfaces of the shell. It's actually now a PART of the shell. Any attempt to remove it would ruin the shell.

    Cristi
     
  8. MRLdave

    MRLdave TrainBoard Member

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    Chaya, unless you have a different adapter, the shell should still come off. I have a number of these that were originally low nose versions. I swapped out the long hoods for Atlas GP9 long hoods to make chop nose GP9's........back to your problem, my MT adapters do not block removal of the shell. I have 9 of these converted with MT adapters, and none have caused problems. The adapter slides between the steps and is in front of the release point for the shell. The release should actually be under the tip (s) of the hood, which is quite a ways back from where the adapter should sit. I don't even have to remove the couplers on mine to get the shells off, and I've never needed any tools. I just grab the step/pilot, and flex it slightly (and carefully) while lifting gently.One thing on mine.....it helps a lot if you pop the long hood end loose first, tip the shell slightly, then lift it off upwards and a little to the front(diagonally?). I'm not at home to look at one of mine, but I'll verify the clearance thing when I get home. Interestingly, my newer LL GP18's (with the split frame, flywheels, ect. comes off with exactly the same procedure, although it locks on with 4 small bumps on the chassis that fit in 4 pockets on the shell.
     
  9. johnh

    johnh TrainBoard Member

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    hold the engine by the fuel tank and use your thumb to push up on one end and then the other, being careful not to push either end up too far and bind the shell on the chassis.
     
  10. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    Cristi,

    I'm thinking and Cristi please correct me. It sounds like the coupler pockets overhangs the chassis. Let's see if I can say this another way. When you put the couplers on the chassis was in place. You glued the coupler boxes in place and they extend out over the chassis. Now making it impossible to remove the chassis. Am I correct?

    I have a locomotive where I did the same thing and it's a bear to work with. Fortunately it is a atlas GP9 and the body shell separates from the walk ways making it easy for me to service the locomotive. Since this learning experience I now use a screw to hold the coupler pockets in place. MTL has a kit you can buy that has a drill, tap and coupler height gauges you can use to accomplish the same purpose. You may have to cut the screw to shorten it otherwise it will protrude through the bridge or deck.

    This worked well until I came to an HO, Athearn GP 9 and there's no place to attach a screw...but that's another story.

    Best of luck!
    .
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 16, 2008
  11. DiezMon

    DiezMon TrainBoard Supporter

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    I'm looking at it right now.. they're just tiny little tabs that allow the shell to lock onto the frame, you can kind of see 'em here:

    [​IMG]

    And it is possible to add DCC.

    [​IMG]
     
  12. atsf_arizona

    atsf_arizona TrainBoard Supporter

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    Hi,

    I've no idea if the old LifeLike N scale GP18 shell is put on the same way as their
    SD7/SD9 - but if it is, that would explain all the difficulties talked about here.

    Is this LifeLike N scale GP18 have the older plastic frame, not metal frame?

    Here is an excellent link showing how the shell comes off the plastic frame
    LifeLike SD7/9. Maybe it will give you some clues:

    LifeLike SD7&SD9

    [​IMG]

    Hope this helps.
     
  13. Chaya

    Chaya TrainBoard Supporter

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    Last installment of the GP-18 saga?

    Newly encouraged, I zipped off to try the new techniques. Now that I thought I understood the problem better, I realized that there was definitely something wrong. I began digging at the edges with a #11 blade. The chassis came loose with a crack, and that's when I realized that some glue had gotten between the chassis and the shell, on both sides. (Apparently I used superglue, not styrene cement. It has been awhile since I did that modification, and I forgot. At the time, I didn't know about gel superglue, and apparently there was overflow of the super-thin glue I used at the time).

    That wasn't the end of the problems, though. Now that I had it pulled about 1/4" out of the shell, I discovered the weight on the cab end was stuck. I pried at that with a knife. It finally came loose--but still would not pull out of the shell. Something was holding the weight to the shell. Who knows what?

    I gently wiggled and pulled this way and that until I finally decided to install the firecracker antenna from the outside. It looks pretty good to me:
    [​IMG]
    But then I figured out that the Sunrise antennas aren't made quite right, so I had to re-install it lower. <sigh> What a day.

    Breaking into the engine compartment will just have to wait until--and if--the thing ever breaks down.

    Live and learn.

    Thanks to everyone for your excellent help: at least if I ever do need to break in, I'll have an idea of how to do it. ATSF Arizona, I'll keep that terrific link in mind, but right now I have no desire to slip a knife between the cab and the walkway. Others here may be able to do it beautifully, but I know I would wreck the edge of the cab--and introduce the loco's first flaw. I just ain't that adept. :tb-wacky:

    Cristi
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 16, 2008
  14. LOU D

    LOU D TrainBoard Member

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    Cristi,if the weight won't come out,you can't remove the shell..The headlight bulb is wired to the chassis,and is right against the numberboard.It lays on top of the weight..
     
  15. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    Cristi...
    If that antenna is on the end the weight is stuck...and...if you havent glued it in yet..and...ya wanna try it...you could push a pin...like a push pin...in the hole and see if the weight breaks loose. Maybe the super glue that seeped in ran up against that weight too. Just a thought...
     
  16. Chaya

    Chaya TrainBoard Supporter

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    Wow, I'll bet that would have been a perfect solution! Nope, I already cut off, re-drilled, and re-installed the antenna. But you're probably right that something is still glued onto the shell.

    Cristi
     
  17. jwaldo

    jwaldo TrainBoard Member

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    I had one of these, they're a pain to get apart. As I recall, removing the cab allowed the hood sections to be removed from the sill. The cab lifts up and off, and may need some gentle prying to disengage the clips.
     
  18. gmaddox

    gmaddox TrainBoard Member

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    I agree with Jwaldo, if I remember correctly, I had a pair of the first release Missouri Pacific 2 tone blue and gray shells that looked good but did not run that well. I had to remove the cab assy first and then the short and long hood by lifting up the middle and tilting back to unlatch the ends from the walkway.I then snapped the shell back together and put the complete shell onto an Atlas GP7 and did not have to modify the coupler height or anything else.
    gene maddox
     
  19. doghouse_thumper

    doghouse_thumper New Member

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    EUREKA I got it! Chaya, my GP-18 must be of the same vintage as yours; I got the CRI&P one - beautiful little bugger. GENTLY pry off the short hood, cab, and raised walkways to get at the nose weight. On mine this weight has 'ears' that extend into the cab sides - no way is this going to drop down thru the body. The wires to the motor are routed thru this weight and must be spread apart to lift the weight out from above. Spookshow shows one of these geeps but his weight doesn't have these ears on it, so his dropped out thru the bottom. Life-Like (China) EMD GP9 / GP18 / GP20 BTW, the railings are just a press fit, but be careful not to bust their pins off in the holes.
     
  20. EMD F7A

    EMD F7A TrainBoard Member

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    ALWAYS BE CAREFUL with these in disassembly- there was a run that had lead weights that overhung into the cab, so the cab shell section must be removed alone before you can remove the frame etc. A bit of a pain. Road number 382 had that problem, the earlier 378's were usually flat-sided lead weights.

    I have 6 of them. Love 'em all. Four are remounted on Atlas modern chassis (GP7/9) and are some of my best locos!! LifeLike did a bang-up job on these considering the plastic frame and low price.... shell detail is as good as period Kato/Atlas stuff, Rapidos notwithstanding.....
     

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