I came across a thread about the crappy "Spoked" drivers that Lionel used on it's "Gunmetal" TMCC Commodore Vanderbilt (6-18063). The sister to the 6-18063 is the TMCC 763e (6-18056) and the drivers are a direct swap. So grab some 6-18056 drivers and make your Gunmetal CV look like the picture on the box!
Now, if Lionel only would have made the 6-18063 in BLACK, as pictured on the box....
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When the CV was first built it had spoked drivers and plain bearing rods. Later it got Scullins and roller bearing rods. Unfortunately no one has made roller bearing rods with the same axle spacing as the Pullmor hudsons have, 1 3/4". They are all metric and off by about .030".
Pete
I just bought a Lionel Smithsonian Dreyfuss chassis on the Bay. Maybe I'll take the Gunmetal shell off the Commodore Vanderbilt and put it on the Dreyfuss chassis to create a 2-rail CV. I'll have to change the axles on the tender, too.
Charlie, I have the same chassis and considered doing the same thing. You will have to shave the cylinders just like Lionel did on the CV to get it to fit in the body.
If you are doing this for the roller bearing rods sit tight. A forum member is considerimg having some made to fit this engine.
OTOH the detail and DC motor alone makes the swap worthwhile.
Lionel CV cylinders.
Pete
I am also doing it so I can finally get a 2-rail CV.
I am also in the hunt for a Sunset 2-rail Mercury. I should have jumped on one when they were selling on the Bay last year.
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