[Nathan Slingerland]

Radio37- regarding the restoration:

I plan to restore the exterior of the unit and am debating if it's worth rebuilding the components or just install new audio equipment hidden inside the old unit. I'm sure people have gone both ways with these old consoles....

The cabinet looks to be in really great condition from the front. It's not perfect, but it's very presentable and appears to be original. Is there damage not shown in the photos? If it were my radio I would just clean it (GoJo hand cleaner - the non pumice version - works great for this) and if there were minor scratches I'd wipe it down with something like Howard's Restore-A-Finish. Those two things can really bring an older finish to life.

As for the electronics - most folks here on the Phorum like to keep and restore the original electronics. It's usually not that difficult to do, but does require learning about the process. Lots of great resources and help here on the Phorum for that. In my personal opinion much of the charm of an old radio comes from seeing the tubes glow and waiting for it to warm up, tune in a station, etc. It is however somewhat common to add a bluetooth or other aux input for playing content other than AM radio.