Kadees on Lionel PS1 Sound Cars?

I have converted the old PS1 cars with Mario's 3D printed parts. It's a pretty easy process IMHO. I think Laidofsick has a YouTube video showing the process too. I kept the factory trucks, replaced with Intermountain axles, and drilled/tapped for Kadees with Mario's spacer and it worked well.

NOTE: This will produce a car that is slightly high riding, which I've learned lately is apparently a sin. So you may want to lower it while you're at it.

I did my sound box cars and reefers....no its not easy. I used Mario's spacers and they work the same as any other conversion. It's just the trucks with pick up rollers are a hassle to work around because you cant remove all the extra metal around the trucks. That is what holds the sensor and roller. I still cut off the coupler and grind off what I need to for draft gear box clearance.

Laidoffsick posted:

I did my sound box cars and reefers....no its not easy. I used Mario's spacers and they work the same as any other conversion. It's just the trucks with pick up rollers are a hassle to work around because you cant remove all the extra metal around the trucks. That is what holds the sensor and roller. I still cut off the coupler and grind off what I need to for draft gear box clearance.

Good point Doug. I forgot about the power pickup. Maybe this is a good reason to stick with Kadee 805's and leave the lobsters on these cars?

Thanks, LOS and Jonathan. Yes, it's the powered trucks that make this so much more a hassle. I resorted to short box Kadees. Had to. Spacers were no real problem although I'm sure Mario's would have been great. I used a sandwich of four fibre spacers . . . also cut to shorter length for the short boxes. The mangling of the trucks was frightful and, yes, a Dremel was used. The first car took four hours! After all the brutality, I was fearful the sounds would even still work! I hope I have it down so that maybe the next will take about half that time? I have another two to do. 

The next trick is changing car bodies. I want the sounds coming from my CP PS1s and Lionel did not see fit to offer sound cars in CP livery. My sound cars are BAR. They're beautiful and I love the BAR heraldic Red, White and Blue, . . . . but they're not CP. 

Jonathan: "leave the lobsters on these cars? "

WHAT? HERESY! 

I hope you were kidding! 

The new design is easy to trim for short or trimmed Kadee couplers & boxes...

Thanks!

-Mario