To get the best bond when gluing castings, they should be cleaned prior to use. I don’t normally use a release agent when casting, but the molds can sometimes leave behind a trace amount of silicone oil. Also, the natural oil from your fingers can be picked up from normal handling.

I recommend a quick scrub (don’t soak) with 91% rubbing alcohol to remove any oils.

You can also soak them in soapy water for 24 hours. Add about a teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent to the water, then add the parts. After 24 hours, rinse them off with fresh water. Never use hot water, as the parts may soften & deform.

Do not expose the parts to excessive heat (such as baking after painting).

For the best possible bond, I recommend sanding the backs of the sides, ends, and roof castings with 60 grit sandpaper. CA will adhere better to a rough surface.

Using .020" wire, bend and install all the grab irons now. To secure them, put a small drop of CA on the ends of them before you insert them.

You can bend an eyelet for the center support out of brass, but small fishhooks are a much easier source of eyelets.

Cut the door rods from 1/16" rod. Glue the door roller castings to the rod before you install it on the door. You may have to trim the back of the roller casting slightly to get it to settle on the lower door track guide.

Using a #70 bit, drill out all the holes in the doors for the door rod anchors. Using .020" wire, fabricate the anchors by bending the wire around a 1/16" rod to make a U-shape (you’ll need 32 of these). Dip the end of the anchor in CA, and insert to secure the door rod.

Note that the body also has grab irons on the corners. Using .020" brass wire, bend and install these now.

For the body sub-assembly, I recommend "tacking" all the major parts together with "spots" of CA. If something is misaligned, this will allow you to snap it apart & re-align. When you’re happy with how everything fits together, run a bead of CA along the inside of all the seams. Any excess can be wiped up with a Q-tip before it sets.

If you’re happy with the alignment, now run a bead of CA around all the inside joints. Let the CA cure thoroughly before continuing.

For added strength, you may choose to run a bead of PL Construction adhesive over the CA joint. This has the advantage of staying slightly flexible when cured, unlike CA which can break due to a sharp shock. If you can't find PL Construction adhesive in your area, a polyurethane-based construction adhesive may be substituted.

From the back, drill a couple 1/16" holes and install 2x56 screws. Also drill a 1/16" hole in the bolster kingpin.

Attach the trucks with thread-cutting screws and # 6 flat washers. You may have to use fender washers as shims to get the right coupler height.

NOTE: tack the floor in place and check the coupler height before you permanently secure it.

Drill out a 1/16" hole for the stirrup steps. The stirrups themselves are made from flattened 1/16" copper tubing. Crimp about a 1/8" segment of the ends to a square shape, and insert them into the hole. Secure them with a small drop of CA.

I recommend priming the entire body first with an enamel-based paint. Krylon and Testors Model Master rattle cans have always worked well for me.

Apply the decals using the included prototype photos as a guide.

These decals were printed with an ALPS "micro-dry" printer. ALPS ink is waxed based, thus having low abrasion resistance while still on the sheet. Avoid touching the printed area with hard or sharp objects (such as tweezers or the point of a hobby knife) as the ink can be scratched off.

I recommend leaving a small margin around the decals when trimming them from the sheet. This will give you enough room to pick them up with tweezers without touching the ink.

A glossy (or semi-gloss finish) is a must for proper application. A dead flat surface will result in a "silvery" sheen on the decal.

To apply the decals, soak them in water for 15-30 seconds and then slide them into the desired position. Distilled water is preferred. A wet, soft-bristled brush is an excellent tool to position them with.

The glue on the sheet is only to hold the decal on the carrier paper – it will not hold the decal in its final position. You will need a decal setting solution to bind the decal to the model. I recommend Champ’s Decal Set. Get the decal where you want it, blot out as much water as possible, apply the decal set and let it do it’s thing (don’t touch it again till its almost dry).

Once applied, let the decals dry for at least 24 hours before clear-coating. A clear overcoat (gloss or flat both work fine) will seal and protect the applied decal. If done correctly, the clear film will disappear.

I do not recommend you spray a Krylon clear coat directly over the decals, as they tend to wrinkle. I use Testors lacquer clear coat.

You can vary the opacity of the oil paint with mineral spirits or paint thinner, but be careful going over decals, as it can lift them off if you scrub too much.

Because oil paints dry slowly, I recommend letting the car sit for a few days before applying the final clear coat. I use Krylon #1311 Matte Finish for this, as I have learned the hard way Testors will not stand up to direct sunlight.