It's been three years since someone has posted to this thread...
Anyhow, I have four BN F45 that were undergoing a similar tranformation. I finished one, and it is still sitting in white primer more than six or seven years later. Once Athearn anoounced a new F45 I lost interest and end up gettingthree or four of the new ones. The modeler in me continues to beckon me to finish them, and most likely I'll pick up the mantle somewhere down the line.
Donnell