The DOODLE BUGGER is DONE as of 5:30 this evening and I was even able to cut out vinyl lettering and install pin striping while glue and paint was still drying.
Here are a few photos of the build from a few days ago. My wifes brother and niece only stayed for a day and a night before they headed back to Ireland so they were not too much of a disruption.
My Bro in law had no idea what a doodlebug was so I had to school him.
Anyways here was the progress as paint dried and pieces received their final fittings. I thought I was going to need to make headlights but I found 2 in the Big Hauler graveyard box.
Here is the cab with a Bachmann fireman (sorry dude you had to lose your legs) but you got a new shirt and a mustache. The bell was made from a golf tee and the 2 horns are long shafts from outdoor screws. I used my bolt cuttter to snap off the screw threads and carved up a small block of wood to insert them into. I couldn’t find the black chain that I know I have somewhere so the silver will have to do. I carefully drilled small holes in the door frame to accept brad nails, put them through a chain link and glued them in place.
The wiring. I used LED’s in the headlight and taillight and attached them to the pickups for the motor. The rear trucks also serve as pickups for the motor. I wired the 4 Bachmann interior lights together and used the existing switch and 9volt battery box. They worked when tested but now only one works so that will need to be explored at a future date.
The cow catcher was positioned too high so that had to be lowered nearly 1/4 inch.
I ran out of daylight today so hopefully tomorrow I can get a video of this running on the RR for judging. Overall I am pleased how this came out. I bought some styrene strips, a tube of filler that I didn’t use much of and a 5 pack of LED’s for $15 of which I used 2 so this build cost me approx. $17.
