Hello everyone, I had an epiphany yesterday. Allow me to explain. For the last several weeks, in my spare time, I have been working on / improving / detailing my TYCO GP-20 diesel. Now this diesel project needed to be finished before I could concentrate on other projects as it was taking up all my workbench space. The project started out as ONLY converting the powertrain from TYCO to Athearn. OK, job done. Then I had to replace the couplers. That is reasonable project. That led to filling in the huge hole in the coupler pocket. Project done. So far so good Then I decided that a snowplow would look nice on the front. Which led to needing mu hoses. Which led to re-doing the couplers (the original one was to short and wouldn't clear the plow). This meant that I had to redrill and tap another hole for the coupler screw. Ok, engine is finished and ready-to-roll, right? Then I thought, about installing sunshades. I had to make the sunshades. Then match the paint. Now is the engine is ready for the road? Possibly. But wait! There is more detailing I could do. I need to ..... Anyway, when I was finished with one part of the project, I noticed something else that could be done to improve it. Finally I had to say "ENOUGH"! yes, there many things I COULD do to detail my GP-20 (weathering, adding an engineer to the cab, filling in the back coupler pocket etc...), but I am NOT going to do. Otherwie this project would go on indefinetly. Right now, the engine runs and looks ok. That is all that matters. My point is; there comes a time when adding details to a project no longer enhances the project as a whole. Know when to say "ENOUGH"! Then move on to another project. Respectfully submitted by,
LOL... I think that applies to anything in life. There is only so much detail that is useful. The rest is... well... details (wives are better at managing those than we are...). Keep your stick on the ice!
Bill Engvall does a skit on this in Blue Collar Comedy Rides Again. You should watch it. Women are about details, details, details. Men are BASIC.
I have done that myself, I started out with an old Model Power RS2, had it for years and decided I was rather fond of it to just junk it, so it was a motor replacement (so it would work), then a truck replacement (so it was smooth) then I replaced the handrails (so it was semi good to look at) then I added a whole host of other detail parts, the end product cost me more than buying a new, good quality one. One of the only photos I have of it is below, its currently boxed up in storage with all my HO stuff.
With a project like that, updating an old model of lower quality, I generally keep myself to strict limits. Sure, drop in the athearn mech that's easy. Mount couplers, needed no matter what. After that I pretty much restrict myself to Plow, scale fans (not even see through) Air tanks (if the old ones look particularly rough) and better handrails if needed. MAYBE some cab/front details if they are super super bad. Any more effort than that and it moves from detail project to kitbash and is a different level of project. I currently have an old Atlas/Roco SD35 and GP40 that I had gone down the rat hole on, because the fuel tank moldings were so very bad. I finally through my hands in the air and realized it would be easier to just replace the entire chassis than sit there milling the tanks. Plus the trucks would be more plausible dimensions. So now I'm going to swap the motor into an Athearn GP40-2 frame for the GP40 and I think use an Athearn SD9 frame for the SD35. I got a fuel tank from the newer Atlas SD35 which didn't fit the old frame, but will fit on the athearn with just some really basic milling. Replace the fans and replace the batteryboxes/steps (which don't have steps) with Cannon parts, Plow, air tanks and couplers and DONE!
