This was a hard decision...for me anyhow
Posts: 1,532
Threads: 242
Joined: Sep 2012
City: West Bend, Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Antique Radio Club swap meet was today, and despite the beautiful weather, vendor turn out was meager. I was just getting ready to leave when I saw a late comer just setting up and spotted this:
A 38-116. I asked the out-of-breath guy who just unloaded it from his van how much. He said $30. Wow....this seems to good to be true. Closer examination revealed a cabinet that needed total refinishing (my picture doesn't show the wear, dings, scratches, stains, etc.). I got to talking with him a little and said "At that price you basically are just looking to free up some space?" He said yes. I pressed on. "Has anyone started to restore this or has it been sitting for years?". "I started restoring it about 20 years ago". Hmmm...now it's getting clearer. I said "Did you run into some problems?" Yes came the response. "I recapped it but couldn't get very many stations back then and only at low volume. I just tried it again today and got nothing". So basically I got the sense that he messed something up and just left it sit. As much as I would like one of these, I'm afraid I would've been biting off more than I could chew. Even an original unmolested set is a challenge to restore. Coupled with that... miles of crumbling rubber covered wire (if only this was a 1937 or earlier). In the end, I decided against it. Another guy was going to trade him a 10 year old stereo system for it, so I knew he just wanted it out of the house. I wound up coming home with a Crosley "dashboard" table model instead.
Greg V.
West Bend, WI
Member WARCI.org
Posts: 16,273
Threads: 566
Joined: Oct 2011
City: Jackson
State, Province, Country: NJ
Well,
What can I say. You made your decision.
I would make a different decision.
For 30 bucks unless it is a piece of rust inside, no speakers and everything is screwed up, this is not even a steal, it is a highway robbery.
I would not ask questions, I would grab it and run as fast as I could with this radio in hands before he changed his mind.
People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
Posts: 1,532
Threads: 242
Joined: Sep 2012
City: West Bend, Wisconsin
Space also factored into my decision, Morzh. But, for the right person, I agree it was a fantastic deal. It was just more than I wanted to tackle, plain and simple. I thought of the model 89 I restored a few years back and all of the trouble I had with that. This set would make that one seem like a walk in the park! 
Greg V.
West Bend, WI
Member WARCI.org
Posts: 16,273
Threads: 566
Joined: Oct 2011
City: Jackson
State, Province, Country: NJ
Tons of parts even if not restorable. Tex was looking for the speaker. Chassis alone is worth three time that. Well, if it is not what you want, of course why take the space.
People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
Posts: 13,776
Threads: 580
Joined: Sep 2005
City: Ferdinand
State, Province, Country: Indiana
NostalgiaRadioTime Wrote:Coupled with that... miles of crumbling rubber covered wire (if only this was a 1937 or earlier).
I hate to tell you this, Greg, but...Philco did not start using rubber-covered wiring in wholesale fashion in their chassis until the 1939 season...the 38-116 has cloth-covered wiring...
Man, you missed out on a steal! Or like Mike (morzh) said, highway robbery!
Let's see...what was that old saying about not looking a gift horse in the mouth...???
--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
Posts: 7,294
Threads: 268
Joined: Dec 2009
City: Roslyn Pa
Ron
I didn't have the heart to tell him.
Terry
Posts: 16,273
Threads: 566
Joined: Oct 2011
City: Jackson
State, Province, Country: NJ
(07-12-2015, 04:51 PM)Ron Ramirez Wrote: NostalgiaRadioTime Wrote:Coupled with that... miles of crumbling rubber covered wire (if only this was a 1937 or earlier).
I hate to tell you this, Greg, but...Philco did not start using rubber-covered wiring in wholesale fashion in their chassis until the 1939 season...the 38-116 has cloth-covered wiring...
Man, you missed out on a steal! Or like Mike (morzh) said, highway robbery!
Let's see...what was that old saying about not looking a gift horse in the mouth...???
Even a gift horse breath stinks - don't look it in the mouth. 
People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
Posts: 16,273
Threads: 566
Joined: Oct 2011
City: Jackson
State, Province, Country: NJ
(07-12-2015, 06:23 PM)Radioroslyn Wrote: Ron
I didn't have the heart to tell him.
Terry
Easy for me - I have no heart
People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
Posts: 1,532
Threads: 242
Joined: Sep 2012
City: West Bend, Wisconsin
No, having had more time to think about it, I don't feel like I missed the boat at all, Ron & Terry. It just wasn't for me. The wiring was certainly not the main factor that influenced my decision. It was the massive size of the thing mostly. I know these are desirable sets and sound great when properly restored. I just don't have room for it (remember the 41-616 located not too far from me that I turned down, Ron?), and I am happy with the consoles I already have. But you can bet I was definitely doing some serious weighing of the pro's & con's with myself before finally making the decision I know was right for me and my own situation.
Greg V.
West Bend, WI
Member WARCI.org
Posts: 236
Threads: 43
Joined: Oct 2010
City: Atlantic Highlands, NJ
Next time you see one like that, just grab it. Even if for parts. They are not as hard as thought to restore. You just have to take your time.
I always take those and if the cabinet is really bad I still take it. I took one where the cabinet that was in several pieces. They come up often enough that you end up making one good one from parts pretty easy.
Steve
Posts: 1,532
Threads: 242
Joined: Sep 2012
City: West Bend, Wisconsin
Next time I see one, I'll let you grab it instead, Steve
Greg V.
West Bend, WI
Member WARCI.org
Posts: 13,776
Threads: 580
Joined: Sep 2005
City: Ferdinand
State, Province, Country: Indiana
Greg
Believe me, I understand...
There is a fairly desirable RCA C13-2 console about an hour from here. Am I going after it? Nope...I have more consoles that I need already...
--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
Posts: 765
Threads: 147
Joined: Aug 2012
City: Dallas, TX
I would have jumped on it for that price, if your liked that model I wouldn't walked away from it. I have one restored to the hilt and love it. The sound is amazing , the looks are awesome, its a power house from the past 
Posts: 1,532
Threads: 242
Joined: Sep 2012
City: West Bend, Wisconsin
Thanks for understanding, Ron. Believe me, I agonized over this one. I'm sure if I would've waved a twenty dollar bill at him he'd have taken it. He just wanted it gone.
That wasn't the only Philco console I passed up today. There also was a 1929 model 86 just like the one Buzz did a restoration video series on YouTube recently that could've been had for $35.
Greg V.
West Bend, WI
Member WARCI.org
Posts: 16,273
Threads: 566
Joined: Oct 2011
City: Jackson
State, Province, Country: NJ
I like the looks of 37-116 better, but performance-wise they are the same. An awesome sound.
People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)
|
|
Recent Posts
|
|
An attempt to remove the Field Coil from a G speaker
|
| Gary
I in fact did, on a 38-14, I think, where I had a speaker with the dead coil.
Well...it kinda worked. Kinda, be...morzh — 10:38 PM |
|
An attempt to remove the Field Coil from a G speaker
|
| Mike, what ever happened to that plan you had to try using a rare earth magnet to magnetize the pole? This looks like a...GarySP — 10:25 PM |
|
RCA T62 is playing.....
|
| Beautiful set.morzh — 09:07 PM |
|
An attempt to remove the Field Coil from a G speaker
|
| Well....here it is.
The green stuff. Unfortunately, probably penetrates deep.
I opened the top layer and saw that:
...morzh — 08:58 PM |
|
Philco 91 Restore Code ??
|
| :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Really nice workmanship!!! Top of the chassis looks great.
Sorry about the long winded e...MrFixr55 — 08:09 PM |
|
Philco 40-120C Restoration
|
| Thank you for your reply. I will check voltages on the other tubes, look at resistor 23 and cap 25, etc. If all else fai...bluecap — 07:58 PM |
|
RCA T62 is playing.....
|
| Nice looking set great save. DavidDavid — 07:48 PM |
|
Philco 89 indicator light.
|
| Hello Jim, I have done several 89s. The trick is to move the drum in or out on it's shaft. You will need to loosen a set...dconant — 07:36 PM |
|
An attempt to remove the Field Coil from a G speaker
|
| MrFixr
Yes, it is my plan to go with 45rpm spider if I go that far.
No, the pole was not left-handed as I unscrewed ...morzh — 07:14 PM |
|
Philco 40-120C Restoration
|
| Change the tube. Check the tube's bias network.
Are any other tubes experience the drop or just this?`
Is resistor 23 OK...morzh — 07:09 PM |
|
Who's Online
|
| There are currently no members online. |
|
 
|
![[-]](https://philcoradio.com/phorum/images/bootbb/collapse.png "[-]")
