# kadee conversion Tyco GP-20



## peter havriluk (Mar 31, 2020)

I'm refinishing my TYCO GP-20 (first HO engine I ever bought, 40 years ago) and as part of the job I want to convert the couplers to body-mounted Kadees. I'm having difficulty finding documentation. (yes, I'll have to do something with the cavities for truck-mounted couplers, bit I think some ABS sheet and MU hoses will provide enough believability for an engine that will spend its days in a display case, and yes I got it running last night. 

I'd love some guidance and suggestions. 

Thanks!


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## MacDaddy55 (Aug 19, 2008)

Hey Peter, Go to Kadee website and look for their Conversion Chart, and follow the Coupler Conversions...your GP-20 is there!! Good man, there are some uses for those Old School Locomotives!! Good Luck!


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## peter havriluk (Mar 31, 2020)

I visited Kadee's site before posting, and I found an entry for couplers to replace the horn/hook couplers in the existing truck-mounted boxes, but I didn't notice anything about body-mounting conversions for this locomotive. I'll look again. Thanks.


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## MacDaddy55 (Aug 19, 2008)

peter havriluk said:


> I visited Kadee's site before posting, and I found an entry for couplers to replace the horn/hook couplers in the existing truck-mounted boxes, but I didn't notice anything about body-mounting conversions for this locomotive. I'll look again. Thanks.


Well I'm so sorry!! Before they Updated the site a couple of years ago there was a schematic for conversion of Tyco Locomotives...I even went to the NMRA website and all they have is Kadee Body Mounted Rolling Stock conversion and Truck Replacement(That is fun with Tyco Rolling stock)...so Dr. Frankenstein you'll have to free lance....funny thing is I really like that GP20 Body and actually put a Burlington Body on an Athearn Frame....took some work but it looked terrific!! Good Luck!!


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## MacDaddy55 (Aug 19, 2008)

Hey Peter...check out HO Seeker.com and look for the Forums section...there's a TYCO Forum that looks active! Everything I've come across has been a Transitional Car with Horn Hook on the lead Rolling stock with converted Knuckle on the other end,,,yet HH on the Locomotive, again good luck and let us know how you make out!!


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## SlomoPilot (Jun 18, 2020)

I'm very interested in what you eventually use to convert as I'm also in the process of converting one Tyco GP20 and getting a 2nd one back to running.


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Here's what I did...























I didnt go any further than that because I wanted to put full plows on it. MU hoses would be a snap though.


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## kilowatt62 (Aug 18, 2019)

I believe It was a #149 whisker cplr that I used (which ever # is a long shank, cntr set coupler) and a #242 draft box. Then used plastic shims much like shaygetz did. Then a very long #2-56 bolt. Some dabs of bsi-106, insta-cure+ CA glue as well, of course.


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## peter havriluk (Mar 31, 2020)

peter havriluk said:


> I'm refinishing my TYCO GP-20 (first HO engine I ever bought, 40 years ago) and as part of the job I want to convert the couplers to body-mounted Kadees. I'm having difficulty finding documentation. (yes, I'll have to do something with the cavities for truck-mounted couplers, bit I think some ABS sheet and MU hoses will provide enough believability for an engine that will spend its days in a display case, and yes I got it running last night.
> 
> I'd love some guidance and suggestions.
> 
> Thanks!


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## peter havriluk (Mar 31, 2020)

Folks, my apologies for not answering all the helpful posts when I should have. I'm grateful for all the advice and photos. I'm looping back to working on my rolling stock and this project will be coming up first. 

Thanks again.


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