I disassembled an AR XA, cut the arm off the sub-chassis, added a wood extension and Grace 707. Was a very good improvement. That has to be 30 years ago. IIRC, the cart was a Shure V15-IV. Not a bad set-up.
As for using an arm as heavy as the 3009 and requiring that much real estate on the sub-chassis, that might be a bit more of a challenge. IMO, the biggest issues would be balancing the spring suspension and enlarging the arm hole in the chassis. That said it's probably doable.
As an alternative, you might consider removing the sub-chassis and motor from the main chassis / plinth. Remove the AR arm, extend the sub-chassis to accommodate the SME arm. But instead of reinstalling the sub-chassis into the chassis, construct a separate motor housing and use the sub-chassis as a stand-alone unit. Just get some cones, Vibrapods, Vibrapod cones or sorbothane pucks on which to mount the sub-chassis. Use a little modeling clay to better damp that metal sub-chassis.
You should be able to come up with a few ideas by going through the classified ads for turntables on this site.
Just my 2 YEN worth.
As for using an arm as heavy as the 3009 and requiring that much real estate on the sub-chassis, that might be a bit more of a challenge. IMO, the biggest issues would be balancing the spring suspension and enlarging the arm hole in the chassis. That said it's probably doable.
As an alternative, you might consider removing the sub-chassis and motor from the main chassis / plinth. Remove the AR arm, extend the sub-chassis to accommodate the SME arm. But instead of reinstalling the sub-chassis into the chassis, construct a separate motor housing and use the sub-chassis as a stand-alone unit. Just get some cones, Vibrapods, Vibrapod cones or sorbothane pucks on which to mount the sub-chassis. Use a little modeling clay to better damp that metal sub-chassis.
You should be able to come up with a few ideas by going through the classified ads for turntables on this site.
Just my 2 YEN worth.