05-31-2023, 09:14 PM
After more than 18 months my Philco 366A is complete. The model 366A is the Canadian Philco version similar to the US model 60 or 66. When I took possession of this radio it was in horrible condition – finish was flaking off, missing veneer, cabinet was delaminating and structurally unsound, wrong knobs, missing tube shields, list goes on and on. The underside of the chassis was covered in some gooey substance that was practically impossible to clean up. Someone had previously attempted some repairs but many of the connections were not terminated and hanging in free air. I really had no option but to gut it and start over. Fortunately, all the transformers and coils were good. The volume control was defective, and the power switch had been previously jumpered as it was also not working. A new control was obtained from Mark Oppat. Several attempts to obtain tube shields went unanswered until Bob (member name fenbach) graciously offered me a full set. Thank you Bob, I think they turned out looking very nice in this set. I found two sets of period correct rosette and hexagonal knobs and I thought the hex knobs looked best on this radio. Many hours were spent restoring the cabinet and after I had it finished and lacquered, the face looked good, but I didn’t like the look of the rest of the cabinet. I put it on the shelf and waited a couple months until my ambition returned. I stripped and finished it again and the second time was a charm. I took far too many photos to include here but below are some before and after pictures. If anyone is interested in the photos of my entire journey, I’ve included a link here. https://photos.app.goo.gl/yXNNaXgPWi4rUojFA