The PHILCO Phorum
Found in my attic. Help!! - Printable Version

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Found in my attic. Help!! - 43ddoc - 10-02-2018

                    So, I found this wonder in the attic of a home I just purchased. It has the model and chasis number but I cant seem to find any information on it. I was hoping to find what year it was made. Except for some superficial damage to the top which might not even be anything but dust, it appears to be in perfect condition. It appears to have all original electronics. It also has extra speakers sitting behind it. We were blown away when we found this thing. Does anyone have any information about the item or where to find original manuals? (Which might actually be in it as we havent had a chance to pull it out of the attic because we're renovating.) Also, any ideas as to the worth? We are wanting to have it restored if needed and center it in the living room.

RE: Found in my attic. Help!! - 35Z5 - 10-02-2018

That model is covered in Sams 708 that was published middish 1964, Sams info usually 6-10 months after introduction. Being AM has CD markings was likely introduced fall of '63.

RE: Found in my attic. Help!! - klondike98 - 10-02-2018

Welcome to the Phorum!
Icon_wave

Probably a 1970's vintage and it looks like Sams Photofacts has a schematic for it for $22. As far as value, some of the others on this site are more familiar with this vintage so I'll let them suggest value, though I don't believe it is worth very much. They are so big and cumbersome that they are hard to even give away. Thus the reason its still in the attic of the house you bought...but I could be wrong.. Icon_biggrin

RE: Found in my attic. Help!! - klondike98 - 10-02-2018

35Z5...I think if it was a 1963 set the model number would have started with an "L". http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=14941

RE: Found in my attic. Help!! - 35Z5 - 10-02-2018

(10-02-2018, 01:28 PM)klondike98 Wrote:  35Z5...I think if it was a 1963 set the model number would have started with an "L".  http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=14941

So how do you explain the CD marks and fact Sams covered it in 1964?? After Jan 1 1964 those were no longer used, by '65 were history. 

My story & I'm stickin' to it.

BTW if it was a '70s model, would be branded Philco-Ford.

RE: Found in my attic. Help!! - klondike98 - 10-02-2018

35Z5...You are right since the Sams was a 1964 issue. Icon_thumbup

RE: Found in my attic. Help!! - radio63 - 10-02-2018

How the heck did they get it up into the attic? Big cabinet and small space looks like.

Gilbert

RE: Found in my attic. Help!! - 43ddoc - 10-02-2018

Thx guys. Very helpful

RE: Found in my attic. Help!! - morzh - 10-02-2018

(10-02-2018, 02:32 PM)radio63 Wrote:  How the heck did they get it up into the attic?  Big cabinet and small space looks like.

Gilbert

I guess the desire to preserve it was too great. And the owner was "strong back - weak mind" type. Icon_lol

RE: Found in my attic. Help!! - Jayce - 10-02-2018

It might be a big hog, but that is a cool looking big hog. Icon_smile

RE: Found in my attic. Help!! - Kestas - 10-02-2018

I have an electronic copy of Sams 708-3. PM me with an address and I can send it to you.

RE: Found in my attic. Help!! - Chas - 10-03-2018

Just opinions, no matter how wrong they may be.

Attic, maybe the house was built around it?

IMHO I don't think it was up there because it is or was working. Probably the TV crapped out and there were other radio/phonos in the house that took up less room...

I do think it can be restored, but as a former TV collector/technician, keeping a vintage TV going in daily service is costly. Often they will need repair every few months. There is no new or rebuild service for the picture tube. Large devices like the yoke, power transformer or fly-back will always be in jeopardy.

One could, install a modern LCD flat screen to take-up the unused space. Wire in the audio if desired, as far as the radio/phone that is a no brainier... With vinyl making a comeback it would be a pleasure to use as a record player. The larger speakers in the baffles would enhance the TV sound...

Out on a limb, the TV chassis could supply some recoverable components that could possibly offset the cost of an LCD TV...

There is a beauty part to a LCD TV installation, when it craps out in 3-5 years, it is a drop-in, plug-in deal...

Still running two CRT tv's with D/A converters but they are getting to their last round-up...

YMMV

Chas

RE: Found in my attic. Help!! - 35Z5 - 10-03-2018

I fully agree with Chas.

Attic storage means it's likely gone through 1000s of extreme heat/cool cycles, I'd guess it was up there for last 35-40 years. Definitely a detriment to HV xfomer, yoke ect. It's a B&W set, kinda cool but it'll require extensive repair to be somewhat reliable. Most tube sets required service every couple years, of course were usually played several hours daily(I repaired this stuff from '66 to '05). If not already bad, a major component fail in a few years may well be unobtainium. Basically I 2nd the motion for LCD install.

RE: Found in my attic. Help!! - morzh - 10-03-2018

As fa as I remember, even old Soviet TVs did not need service every several months, and those were used daily, usually in the evening hours, though of course back then we did not spend as much time in front of it as we d now: there was not much to watch. Still 2-3 hrs every day and more on weekends.

RE: Found in my attic. Help!! - Chas - 10-03-2018

My Dad's Sparton smoked the selenium's on a regular basis. His Zenith B&W replacement did chug along for 5 or so years before needing a tube, but the pix was fading. Even my first Arvin portable B&W went for a few years then got intermittent. My first color sets were used Silvertones CTC-15 chassis, after the usual re-soldering, pix rejuvenation it was every 3-4 months needing chroma alignment, 6GH8's I bought in sleeves. I had two, when one crapped I had a spare and a jig to test it on. Even got bargains on re-built pix tubes and spare fly-backs... Said goodby to those time and $$$ eating monsters in '95... One-gun boosters, with a triple gun filament booster, storing the spare pix behind the couch Icon_crazy

The restoration and everyday or even occasional use of the TV will be a tough experiment for the average person...
Yes, it must be used regularly as the new electrolytic capacitors will fail even sooner... Keeping it off will not preserve it...

YMMV

Chas