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Aesthetics Question - 38-7 - Should I "fix" it? - Printable Version

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Aesthetics Question - 38-7 - Should I "fix" it? - Guest - 09-12-2006

Hi,
I'm a newbie to this forum but not to antique radio restoration. I have a question that is more about history and aesthetics than the actual repair.

My uncle recently passed and I got my grandparents 38-7. The radio is in good shape; I remember listening to it as a kid - and playing with the tuner but it is missing the band switch. I asked my dad about this and he told me that, after the war broke out, all the Italians in the area had to turn in or disable any short wave radios they had. I guess the War Department thought Italians on the West Coast were a security risk. Anyway, my grandfather called the Philco dealer who came out an removed the band switch, trimmed back the leads and installed a nickle or chrome chassis plug in the hole.

Now that I have the radio, should I attempt to locate a switch and knob to restore the short wave or should I leave it as it is - a bit of little known history?

Would the value of the radio change substantially if I "fixed" the radio?

I have two Trans Oceanics and a restored SIlvertone - so Short Wave Listening is not a problem.

What do you folks think?

- Guest - 09-12-2006

If it were mine, I'd have to get it working again.

Last Christmas, I picked up a Zenith 9-S-365 console in Alabama that had also been shortwave crippled. The push button assembly had been removed (?) as well as the shortwave oscillator coil. A phono input had been added perhaps as a consolation. The current owner said that the original owner was an immigrant (don't know which flavor) and that the local police actually picked up the console to ensure the work was done.

It was a devil of a time, but I eventually located a donor chassis to bring back all the functionality.

- Bill Hutchinson - 09-14-2006

Tell you what...I'll take the other side on this one. Icon_smile

Normally, I'd dive right in and put it back to it's original configuration, especially if I got it at a swap meet or someplace else (without the historical significance to go with it). However, since you have a GREAT story associated with it, I'd leave this one be. That's aside from recapping it. But I would leave the modification alone, just because you have this terrific story to go with it.

Just my $0.02.

Bill

The decision is getting easier - Guest - 09-17-2006

After som more discussion and finding out I may be missing a COIL and the switch, it sound like it is time to get the schematics, find out how crippled it is and relegate this to a bit of family history / Americana.

I guess I need to write up the story or have my dad record it so it can be passed on with the radio.

My dad lit up when he came over last week and saw the console there. He told me that he remebbers the day it was delivered to the house and how it was the first radio my grandparents had. He remembers the longwire in the attic and the special "Radio Plug" in the wall.

By the way, does anybody here know the correct name for the "radio plug"? It is a two blade oultle that has one cocked at a 45 so it can not be confused with a power outlet. My house was built in 1939 so it has one too.