Lionel 1700E restore 4

[pjdog350]

I'm have a good time repairing Lionel 1700's. Currently I have six 1700 sets. One is being left alone as it's super good. Runs great. E-unit works.

The second I painted all Silver. A good friend told me Lionel did one of those and Dick is very knowledgeable about Lionel.

The third one I did in Orange & gray. However the cars a ribbed (Fluted). But I like it and it's mine so I can do what ever I want.

The fourth one is in primer. I was going to do it Yellow & Brown. The new book says the set should be smooth sided. My cars are ribbed. I do have one 1700 and two 1701's that are smooth. However no 1702. Mine is ribbed.

Number 5 has the paint all removed and the cars are all chrome. The chrome is perfect. Someone had painted the cars gray? So look's like that set will be Red & Chrome. I've been looking for a local shop that would chrome the bodies for me but now I will not need that done.

[Terry]

The 1700 set is a fairly good copy of the North Shore Electroliners.

Here's a whole bunch of pictures of the real ones:

https://www.google.com/search?q=north+shore+electroliner&client=firefox-b-1-d&sxsrf=ALeKk02g1J7fLDMy1yhKYZJiLJswWqYDTA:1607551789074&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjLzOGK9cHtAhUXsJ4KHSRdDrYQ_AUoAnoECAkQBA&biw=1280&bih=551&dpr=1.5

[pjdog350]

Thanks for the link Terry. I bought another 1700 but only to get the motor. Maybe I could try to paint it like the Electroliners? That maybe over my head plus getting the paint colors. Would for sure require the airbrush. Not sure I could even find the airbrush. It’s been 15 or 20 years sense I’ve used it?

In you picture link I sew that MTH made one of them. $599.00. Wonder if they ever actually released it?

[pjdog350]

I have 6 Lionel 1700 cars primed and ready for paint. Today the temperature and humidity will be better for painting.

[pjdog350]

Got the yellow and Brown on the 1700 restore project. Also got another delivered across the street. War time help I guess. Tried to explain yhat if my neighbor would put his address on his house it would help. He never understood. I guess they don't do that where he is from?

The new purchased 1700 is really rough?

[pjdog350]

This morning I did the frames for the red & chrome 1700 I'm restoring. They came out great. Took Terry's advise and used the oven to speed up the drying process.

Took the motor out of the 1700 I got yesterday. Tried to see if it would run. Got nothing. Gave it a bath in mineral spirits and opened it up. It has a very bad wheel. Looks like it was in a strong chemical that ate it. I have a bucket full of old parts. Looked through it and found a good set of wheels. Also put in new brushes & springs. Little sucker runs great. Going to rewire it and install a E-unit later.

[pjdog350]

Got the frames together for the yellow and brown set. I'm trying to put the bodies on the frames. Doing this and not scraping the paint with the tabs is a real challenge.

[pjdog350]

I've got the red and chrome 1700 set together. I still need to do motor work and wipe my hand prints off the bodies. I made these a four car set. I think this set has the best motor. I've still not received the front Lionel logo. Mail is really struggling getting anywhere?

[pjdog350]

I think I'm trying to do to much at one time. I have 4 1700 restorations going at the same time. I'm having a fit getting the observation (1702) back piece to attach to the body.

I have two other observation backs that fit with no trouble. But the one that I have painted yellow for the restoration will not go together? Spent so long on it I got upset so I put it aside for a while.

[pjdog350]

This morning working on all my 1700 projects was a good morning. I got the new E-units with out a arm installed in two motors. Up new tabs on several bodies so I could put the primer on them. I hate making the tabs but if your going to be a fixer upper guy with Lionel prewar it's something that needs to be done. Plus I hate rivets. I'll never be any good at that.

I wish the CV-19 had not messed up all the shipping. I use to be able to get my toy train supplies in 3 to 4 days. Now you never know when they will arrive. I'm still on hold for a Lionel Jr motor. Two front Lionel logo's on the 1700E power units. I was going to have a Christmas tree train this year. I've not done that in a very long time. But being at home all the time I thought I put the tree up and run one of the 1700E sets under the tree. I like the old Lionel tube track in O-Gauge so rather than use MTH track I ordered some Lionel tube track but it's stalled somewhere?

I'm getting close to the end of all the 1700E restoration projects. It's been fun. I love taking a basket case and bringing it back to life.

Still not sure what color I'm going to do the last 1700E set in. The Yellow & Brown set was hard. I'm not real happy with it. Yellow is hard to paint for me. Plus I had the problem getting the back piece on the Observation car. I really messed up the paint. I need to strip it and start over with that car.

[Terry]

Now you can start doing them in fantasy colors. Lionel made a larger two tone green like the IC green diamond.

How about the colors marx used on their streamliners:

Blue, red and silver; green and cream;  copper plated and maybe more. 

You can copper plate in your garage with an autobattery charger.

[pjdog350]

I'm going to do an Chrome & Orange 1700 Lionel set next. I have almost everything. However I will need another power unit frame as the one I have the front has been cut off. What I wanted was the power unit body. That seems to be the hardest part to find. I'll have a electric motor not a clockwork.

[pjdog350]

I've gone as far as I can go without any parts. Poor USPS is having a hard time. I have things in the mail that are a month late. Scheduled to be delivered 11/23/2020. Today is 12/24/2020. Still no parts and the tracking seems to be stuck where it was a month ago? I'm truly at a stand still.

I now have a six car 1700e in chrome & red or two four car sets. Still waiting on the motor for one of them.

Top picture shows the 6 car set. Bottom picture shows the Observation car and power car less the motor.

[starfire700]

If you haven't done one you should restore a set, 1701, 1702, 1703, that includes the head-end car, in Rail Chief colors, dark red with maroon skirts and ends. This was an actual uncataloged set that came with a 259E in the mid to late 1930's. The head-car is the same as the tail car, but with a slot for the coupler to mount. Also the vestibule would have to be reconfigured on one of the cars.

[pjdog350]

Interesting Starefire. I’ll look into that. I’ll look in the Greenberg and see if I can get an idea of your Point?

Currently I’m seeing that three orders I’ve been waiting on are here in Florida. I’m thinking they may be here tomorrow.

Plus every time I handle the silver 1700 the paint comes of in my hand? Not going to use that paint again. Thinking of a clear coat over the silver?