We certainly don't need any discussion: the current Gützold V180 model is a nearly perfect engine, representing the current stand of model railway technology.

But there´s one question left: isn't it a shame to let the old Gützold versions standing on a siding, in a display case or even let it lying in its box, in the rearest corner of your model train cupboard?

This site will show you what you can do, in order to improve your old Gützold V 180! One of the most important parts will be fitting the enginge with a Faulhaber motor kit from SB-Modellbau!

Moreover, this report will show what has to be done if one wants to operate that model on an AC layout.

For beginners, who doing one of their first conversions, this loco is an ideal object. The plastic parts are ideal to work on, and the surgeries the parts have to undergo aren't so deep. 

Looking on Ebay, I found an auction where a  Gützold 118 117-1 was offered as Trix model! No wonder, that the completely wrongly offered model was only found by a few ebayers and the price remained cheap. So I took the chance and got the loco for a very small price.

The first step before the conversion, was of course, dismantling the complete model. 

Allthough only few DC wheels have problems on Märklin C-tracks, I decided to exchange all wheels. The main reason was to equip at least to axles with traction tires.

I used wheels of a Märklin V 200 (#3021) to replace the original wheels.

The order numbers for the Märklin wheels are: 

211 370 - with traction tires

215 770 - without traction tires

We need four wheels with, and four wheels without tractions tires.

 Don't forget to fit spacing washers! Otherwise, ths loco could get a lot of side flow, so that it could slide for example a platform and derail. Gützold axles have a diameter of  2,5 mm, like those of Märklin und Trix. So I used spacing washers with an inner diameter of 2,7 mm. On every side I installed one spacing washer, which is enough.

I used the Fleischmann pickup shoe 62 2009. It is normally used for tank locomotives with little room for a pickup shoe - like the BR 98.8 (1098) for example. Compared to other pickup shoes, it is consisting of a thin sheet metal. A real advante, if we have a look below our V180...

There is in fact, little room. Certainly, one could remove the gears from one bogie. Equiping the other bogie completely with traction tires, the loss of traction power can be moderated in some way. However, it isn't the ideal solution. So, I looked for a way to keep the driving of all axles!

Now we can start with our worlk. First, we file offe most of the struttings in the middle section of the bogie. However, we leave in the front section about 12 mm of the struttings untouched, where you can see the number 1. Note that the remaining struttings on both sides must have the same length! A part of the covering for gear wheel on the exterior axle (2) has also to be removed. Just like you see it on the picture! The covering for the interior axle's gear wheel has tob be completely removed! Only the struttings remain, the flanking struttings have to have a lentgh of about 4 mm afeterwards! The transverse strutting (3) will later on prevent any contact of the pickup shoe with the gear wheel - which could seriously damage the gears!

The pickup shoe itself doesn't remain unchanged: the protruding parts of the base plate is removed on one side, where you can see number 4. Where you can see number 5, a hole has to be drilled. Please note: the hole has to be drilled outside the gear box - a wire layed through the gear box could damage the gears! Number 6 is marking the coupler. Alos note the new wheels with traction tires (7), and the other axle without any traction tires (8): numer 7 is the exterior axle, number 8 the interior axle!

The position of the wheel contacts has also to be changed, because of the traction tires. Originally, the take of currency directly from the treads. However, this could now damage the tractions tires. They are bended, so that they now slide on the interior side of the wheels (1). Because the model has full metal wheels now, this is now problem at all. Moreover, the power take-off is improved, because both wheels  of an axle are now electrically connected! The both contacts (2) are the electrical connection with the metal frame inside the loco.

Please also note the position of the traction tires on this pictures: the exterior axle (3) has traction tires, while the interior axle (4) has none. This position is also used by Roco models, which are driven on both bogies. However, one can also choose the "classical" position for the traction tires. one bogie completely whith, the other one completely wihtout any traction tires.

After that, the works on the bogies are finished. Finally, let's have a look on the bottom side of the converted chassis!

Here we see the chassis after removing all the old interiors

The metal frame is not only a ballast wheight; it also provides the bulbs with currency.

The chassis, after fitting the Faulhaber motor kit 23009 from SB-Modellbau. There has nothing to be shaped or drilled; the brass block with the new motor is being glued into the holdering of the old motor.

This picture shows the completely converted model. There has been another brass part being glued on the motor, which was contained in the conversion kit: it is supposed to hold the shell. Formerly, the shell was screwed on a plate on the old motor. Because of the conversion, this part had also to be removed, so that a fitting replace had become necessary.

The part has also to be justified, so that the thread in it and the hole in the shell's roof for the screw are fitting. 

This picture shows the position of the decoder. The metal frame shold be isolated, to prevent any contact with the decoder! The sections behind the engine room windows have been painted with black colour; because there is too little room to fit an interior furnishing, that looks, in fact, far better than the colour of the metal shining through the windows. 

This picture shows the completed model running on the layout. The driver's cabs where equiped with interior furnishings, the rubber buffers replaced by such made of metal. 

An old Eastern German model with rubber buffers has become a model with excellent driving characteristics. Allthoug there have been several problems - the result was really worth the trouble!

Disclaimer. I can NOT be held responsible for any damage you cause by following my instructions, on modifying your model railway equipment. Everything you are doing, you are doing it on your own risk!