Western Auto Radio Restore -
KCMike - 05-23-2016
Picked this up at the last radio club auction.
[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/Western%20auto%20radio/DSC01050_zpsr86sukcr.jpg]
Thought I would go ahead and restore it
[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/Western%20auto%20radio/DSC01053%20-%20Copy_zpshidu0xiy.jpg]
[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/Western%20auto%20radio/DSC01058_zpswpzqk4cg.jpg]
[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/Western%20auto%20radio/DSC01082_zpsyv8m4n03.jpg]
New wire for the IFs
[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/Western%20auto%20radio/DSC01075_zpskmut5swf.jpg]
Bottom view finished
[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/Western%20auto%20radio/DSC01090_zpshoblco3f.jpg]
Back together and ready for power up.
[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/Western%20auto%20radio/DSC01085_zpsj6nrswch.jpg]
Sounds pretty good for small speaker. Still need to clean cabinet and get new dial cover.
Thanks for looking.
[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/Western%20auto%20radio/DSC01087_zpst93k7sq8.jpg]
RE: Western Auto Radio Restore -
morzh - 05-23-2016
Mark Palmquist might have the cover.
RE: Western Auto Radio Restore -
Paul Philco322 - 05-23-2016
Very nice, wasn't Western Auto HQ in KC?
Paul
RE: Western Auto Radio Restore -
KCMike - 05-23-2016
Thanks Paul. I will check with Mark on the dial cover Mike. Yes they were here. Their big building downtown here was turned into lofts after they closed. My father bought my first and only new bicycle from Western auto. It is a true tone model D1013. Here isa pic. of the old building. If link works.
https://www.google.com/search?q=western+auto+kansas+city&biw=1366&bih=651&tbm=isch&imgil=I5GUu1n7uftWKM%253A%253BogSHatQq44UTwM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fen.wikipedia.org%25252Fwiki%25252FWestern_Auto_Building&source=iu&pf=m&fir=I5GUu1n7uftWKM%253A%252CogSHatQq44UTwM%252C_&usg=__-swGL-9WI0RM7HFLLTdhSAofQXs%3D&ved=0ahUKEwionb6MyPHMAhUHNSYKHZtSCA4QyjcIMQ&ei=xa5DV-imKIfqmAGbpaFw#imgrc=I5GUu1n7uftWKM%3A
RE: Western Auto Radio Restore -
Paul Philco322 - 05-23-2016
Very Cool. Must have been a neat store, I do not think of Walmart as fun, what changed in retail? Used to go to small stores and then a department store was an adventure.
Are you going for a cleanup or a refinish on the box? Who made that one, Detrola? I have a Trutone by Detrola, kind neat but a basic one...
https://www.google.com/search?q=truetone+d905&hl=en&biw=1600&bih=815&site=webhp&tbm=isch&imgil=PjrYYfd2MxkjNM%253A%253BYRbC5CRsI56lAM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fm.ebay.com%25252Fitm%25252F391038627497&source=iu&pf=m&fir=PjrYYfd2MxkjNM%253A%252CYRbC5CRsI56lAM%252C_&usg=__4ZgcazulLVWq1LiNm0uLJu3BdXM%3D&ved=0ahUKEwiYqpvvzfHMAhXL5CYKHSf6BlQQyjcIKw&ei=0rRDV5j5NcvJmwGn9JugBQ#imgrc=PjrYYfd2MxkjNM%3A
Paul
RE: Western Auto Radio Restore -
KCMike - 05-23-2016
I can't tell who made the cabinet. I'm going to try to just clean it up and leave it original. There is an ink stamp on the bottom of cabinet that reads: " C. R. T. factory No. W09-XD7Y
Western Auto Stores".
Thanks for the link to history of company. Interesting you live around something all your life and don't really know the history of how it came to fruition.
RE: Western Auto Radio Restore -
Arran - 05-24-2016
(05-23-2016, 10:18 PM)KCMike Wrote: I can't tell who made the cabinet. I'm going to try to just clean it up and leave it original. There is an ink stamp on the bottom of cabinet that reads: " C. R. T. factory No. W09-XD7Y
Western Auto Stores".
Thanks for the link to history of company. Interesting you live around something all your life and don't really know the history of how it came to fruition.
I think that C.R.T stands for Continental Radio & Television, which was the original name for what later became the Admiral Corporation. I have a very similar model of Truetone but the cabinet is different from yours, the speaker grille wraps around the right hand corner and the veneer and the top are made from walnut rather then mahogany.
Regards
Arran
RE: Western Auto Radio Restore -
Eliot Ness - 05-24-2016
Nice job! That is a neat looking cabinet and the escutcheon looks to be in nice condition (no warping), it should clean up nicely.
RE: Western Auto Radio Restore -
Dan Walker - 05-24-2016
Your radio has a vey unusual plastic dial configuration. Usually they are square. Very nice job on the chassis.
Nice and clean.. Good job.
RE: Western Auto Radio Restore -
Squire - 05-24-2016
How nice to have the tube numbers stamped into the chassis! Nice work so far BTW!
RE: Western Auto Radio Restore -
TV MAN - 05-24-2016
How did you clean the chassis so well?
RE: Western Auto Radio Restore -
KCMike - 05-24-2016
Thanks for the compliments from all.
The escutcheon is in good condition or I might not have bid on the radio.
I cleaned the chassis with just wet rag to get the heavy grime off lightly sanded the rusty areas and then used the lock- tite naval jelly on those spots. Took 4 treatments to get the rust off.
I don't usually paint a chassis but decided to try it with this one since it was all apart.
Used rust- oleum satin nickel paint. Followed by 3 coats of lacquer. I could only find the metallic, would have preferred a plain but can't find it in store.
By the way anyone that doesn't know, if you paint a chassis make sure you tape off or clean the areas where the components require a chassis connection or ground.
RE: Western Auto Radio Restore -
Radioroslyn - 05-24-2016
Hey Mike,
Looks like you've been a busy little bee!
Great job!!
Terry
RE: Western Auto Radio Restore -
KCMike - 05-24-2016
Thanks Terry. I know you were helping me with the silver tone console. I put that on hold and thought I would finish this one up. I did get the FM working on the console by changing the 7F8 tube. I'm waiting on a drive pulley the Voice of Music is rebuilding for the wire recorder then back to it.
RE: Western Auto Radio Restore -
KCMike - 06-17-2016
Went ahead and refinished the cabinet and got a new dial cover. Still need to put in some station push button tabs.
Her is a before and after.
[Image: http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/220kohms/Western%20auto%20radio/DSC01050_zpsr86sukcr.jpg]
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