HanksB3B Posted October 22, 2011 Report Posted October 22, 2011 It’s Mopar, It’s six Volts, it’s only one number away (Model 609) and most importantly it fits into the factory dash cut out on the 51-53 series. Thanks Davin for giving me the heads-up! I placed the 1 Bid of $18 and a couple of days later, I won! The next day this popped up and it was a Buy-it-Now. It includes the schematic and parts list. I’d post hi-res scanned images but I’d rather let anyone interested know that it was purchased from Greg and Cindy Laxton, recordpickers@gmail.com . RecordPickers claim to have a large collection of vintage radio books. It’ll take a little doing to secure the radio to the dash and to provide a thin rubber or cork gasket to cushion the interface of the unit to the back of the metal dashboard. I’ll also make some sort of trim piece to tie it all together and make it look like a factory installation. How many of these radios are out there? Is it really going to work? I sure hope so! Next step (and any advice here would be greatly appreciated will be to get the radio working. Initial indications are good in that all the buttons work, all the knobs turn, and it looks like the radio has never been opened since 1953 until this morning. The Radio PhotoFact says the radio is for 1953 Models D44, D46, D47 & D48 which I’m assuming are passenger cars. Nevertheless hearing a baseball game in my truck on a tube radio (provided the flux-capacitor is still functioning) may just transport me back in time. I’d be 6 and if I knew then what I know now, there would be world peace and no homeless. I'm ecstatic, Hank Quote
B1B Keven Posted October 22, 2011 Report Posted October 22, 2011 Contrats Hank! That's a fine lookin' radio. Quote
HanksB3B Posted October 22, 2011 Author Report Posted October 22, 2011 Thanks Keven. Guess I'll have to make one last trip to my chrome guy for the buttons and knobs (not shown) I'll get my wind window latches in the batch too. All these $100 here $100 there things... Hank P.S. Anyone (maybe Mark) If I draw up a cover plate could someone laser cut it for me? Quote
Dennis_MN Posted October 22, 2011 Report Posted October 22, 2011 Guess I'll have to make one last trip to my chrome guy for the buttons and knobs Hank, I may have a few push buttons left over, let me know Also, I purchased a radio for my truck and it had beem rebuilt, all new caps,and pretty paint. When I fired it up, no sound so I ordered a new electronic vibrator, Got that and still no sound so then I ordered a oz4 high voltage tube and away she went. The vibrator and the oz4 work together to furnish the high volts for the tube plates. The tube heaters are 6 volt and they all worked so I figured it was the high voltage stuff. The original vibrators were always a problem so the replacement is much better. Good luck Quote
catfishcuz Posted October 22, 2011 Report Posted October 22, 2011 Hide a FM converter up under the dash and your in like flinn. Quote
Rusty O'Toole Posted October 22, 2011 Report Posted October 22, 2011 Can you find an old time radio tech or hobbyist to have a look at it? The main trouble spots are the vibrator (already mentioned) and the capacitors. The old caps were made of wax paper and tin foil and had a life of roughly ten years. Although, some are still working at 60 or 70 years. Capacitors are now made of mylar and have a much longer life. The caps are available, they cost from 30 cents to a buck or 2 apiece and there are 10 or 20 of them in there. It is a fiddly job to replace them but not bad if you know how to solder and have a couple of evenings free. Tubes are still available brand new old stock. Prices are low, maybe $5 or $10 apiece. You will be impressed if you can get it working. Better tone and pulls in more stations than any AM radio of today. Of course what you get these days may not be worth listening to. But it is possible to wire the amp stage to take signals from your MP3 player. Or a hidden FM radio. Quote
Desotodav Posted October 23, 2011 Report Posted October 23, 2011 Good job Hank. I thought that radio would go pretty close to fitting the hole in your dash. Looks like you have done some tidying up on it since I first saw it....and it's even 6V hey!!! It actually looks to be in pretty good order. The hole in your dash area appears similar to the one in Mark's truck. I'm not sure if it helps mate, but I bought my refurbished 802 radio from Donny Bryant from Glenns Ferry ID 83623-5003. As you would expect, I have no idea where that is over there. He sells refurbished old radios on Ebay under the name of 'donny's-vintage-auto' (or something similar). He might be a good person to check it out for you - if he's anywhere near your place? Desotodav Quote
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