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Hybrids or Frankenradios - Printable Version

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Hybrids or Frankenradios - Ron Ramirez - 07-22-2007

I just won an auction for this Philco 116B late version cabinet.

However, I lost the auction for the matching chassis and speaker.

What to do?

Hmmm...

I have a restorable 665 chassis in the basement. The chassis is the same size as a 116 chassis.

Looks like this will become a custom one-off 665B (Philco never made a 660B or 665B in 1936).

Sacrilege? Perhaps. But this way, a more or less complete radio is made out of pieces. I think if I place something inside the cabinet mentioning the set is a hybrid, no real harm is done. And, best of all, it is completely reversible.

I've done it before. A good friend now owns a 665X that has a 116B chassis in it. (Yeah, maybe I could fix up the 665 chassis and offer him a trade...)

And I am about to ship out a 16B cathedral that has a 116 chassis in it. Custom-made at the request of a client.

Another project on the back burner is a Model 32B tombstone cabinet I have, which I plan to mate up with a Model 89 chassis. (Edit: It isn't an "unused" chassis...it was pulled from an old console. Poor choice of words on my part.)

Your comments, thoughts, flames, etc., etc. ...???

Frankenradios - AI2V - 07-22-2007

Sometimes you just have to have fun. To H**l with those who insist that every radio is brought back to it's original state.

I've got a 37-620 that now has 9 tubes instead of the original 6.; it also has an LED tuning indicator, and a high fidelity speaker. It began as a parts- only junker so I don't feel guilty; it's also not a rare model. Doing all of these modifications proved to be a great education. Of course it will never be sold as an original and will remain as my regular daily listening radio.

That late 1936 116 cabinet that you won is not at all popular so there should be no guilt in changing the chassis. Go for it.

- Ron Ramirez - 07-23-2007

Hi Pete,

Two questions:

1. How did you manage to cram three extra tubes into an already overcrowded 37-620 chassis?

2. Can you please give me more details about your LED tuning indicator?

I used to own a partial 38-690 (missing the lower chassis). I had grand plans of building my own audio amp/power supply chassis for it. Unfortunately those plans never materialized, and the set is now gone.

As to the unpopularity of the late version 116B, strangely enough, that cabinet is my favorite Philco model. I have a complete set already, and I was kind of hoping I would end up using my 665 chassis in this cabinet anyway since I already have a complete 116B. Philco only used the 665 chassis in console cabinets, so this will truly be a one-of-a-kind set.

- Texasrocker - 07-23-2007

I say lets "save all the old Radios, best way we can"!! As Ron said, its reversible if we use factory-interchangable parts from same mfgr!! Let the real "purist type-orig cap-restuffers" figure it out later!! Right now, I am in the middle of collecting orig Philco parts to complete my wifes ( deceased Dads) orig family Philco radio that only the chassis was remaining during cleanout of their estate. The most important part missing was the orig cab (37-630X cab) with the shadowmeter escutcheon, and clips to hold the shadowmeter!! Trying to find that missing escutcheon part is like finding a needle-in-a-haystack, even on eBay!! I "think" I found one on my recent eBay purchase out of Canada!?? So far, just to please my wife & her family, I will be doing a full electronic-restoration of their orig Philco chassis (model 37-630X with factory shadowmeter harness), then, retrofitting that orig philco chassis into another recent eBay purchase, a very nice Philco model 37-610 shouldered tombstone cabinet because it will fit , (thanks Ron for your advise!!), then when my most-recent eBay purchase arrives from Canada, a Philco model 38-09A (orig built in Toronto), hopefully I will have the missing "shadowmeter-escutcheon assy" that will fit??? I left a post for Ron on the cabinet-restoration thread also. Chucks website makes no-mention of a Canadian made Philco model 38-09A having a shadowmeter. That is understandable. I have never seen the Canadian model either until this past eBay auction!! The Toronto made Philco model 38-09A does have the shadowmeter also. If all parts fit, I will have a true Philco "retrofit" crossbred from 3- different vintage Philco Radios, from 2- different countries!! As Ron suggested in his post, I will attach a note in the rear of the radio about its "retrofits", to let the next service-guy what really happened to save the radio. Best of luck on your retrofitting also Ron!! Sometimes, we have to work with the parts we have to complete these old sets. A "clone" is better than nothing, and saves another vintage radio from the dumpster to be enjoyed many yrs in the future!! Randal

- rickd - 07-23-2007

Ron, Either the substitution or the double swap sound reasonable to me. If you were looking for criticizn', you probably need to go to another forum where the amateur musum docents hang out. Seems the posters here are a lot more practical and enjoy the hobby too much to worry about something like this. One other possibility is reuniting the cabinet with it's original chassis. Do you know where it went and what the buyers intentions are? Regards

Crowded 37-620 chassis- nah! - AI2V - 07-23-2007

Ron-
Room for three (actually 4) tubes wasn't that difficult on the 37-620 chassis.

Since the original xfmr had smoked I used a Greenlee to punch a new hole for a 5Y3 rectifier next to the 6F6; with the two filter caps now underneath, that left room for two octal gas regulator tubes, 0D3; on the RF deck I removed the large electrolytic and installed another octal socket in it's place- that became a second IF amp (another 6K7). All this makes for a VERY sensitive and stable radio especially with a balanced antenna input (coax-to-toroid).

The escutcheon was replaced with a larger console type with the shadow meter window; behind that is a large bright LED. I will pull the chassis in the next couple of days to see how I connected the LED but it was somewhere in the AGC circuit (not the AGC line).

- Ron Ramirez - 07-23-2007

Rick,

Not looking for criticism - just an attempt at stimulating discussion here. I was being facetious when I asked for "flames." Icon_lol

Forgot to mention, I have no idea who the other bidder was. I outbid the other person for the cabinet; he or she outbid me for the chassis and speaker. That's all.

Pete,

It sounds like quite a job you did on that 37-620! Did you add another IF transformer somewhere on/in the chassis? Yes, I look forward to hearing how you connected the LED in the circuit.

- Ron Ramirez - 07-23-2007

More comments:

I mentioned future plans to install a Model 89 chassis in a 32B tombstone cabinet. What I did not mention is: Having heard so many complaints about the autodyne mixer circuit used in Models 89 and 19, I have an idea on how to cure the trouble once and for all. It requires some modifications to the receiver's det-osc circuitry. When I find that elusive round tuit, I intend to use the 89 chassis which is going to be installed into the 32B cabinet as the guinea pig. If it works...I will dub it the "Super 89" and report my findings here in the Phorum. If it does not work...I will report that also. But I believe it will.

- Texasrocker - 07-31-2007

Ya know, I figure if anyone can retrofit the old Philcos, you are the Master!! Best of luck Ron, and keep us posted!! I know how those "roun-to- it" jobs go!! I have plenty of those here also, but somtimes, I get lucky, and turn out some really good Frankensteins also?!!! Icon_surprised Randal

RE: Hybrids or Frankenradios - Ron Ramirez - 03-22-2008

After quite a bit of effort, I now have this jewel in my collection.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/Phorum_Stuff/super71b.jpg]

Looks like a nice Model 70, doesn't it? Barry Jones did a great job on the cabinet. I added the escutcheon, grillecloth (glued onto a new speaker gasket), and chassis.

The escutcheon is brass. Most of the patina had been stripped off, and it was blotchy. I used dark walnut toner to make it the right color, then polished the highlights for effect. The shading effect around the "SUPER HETERODYNE 7" was unintentional, but really turned out better than I expected. After polishing, the escutcheon received a coating of clear Deft for protection.

The knobs are not correct for an early 70, but I do not have any small rosettes at present.

Now here's the kicker: This, too, is a hybrid or Frankenradio.

I have had two rust bucket 71 parts chassis for years. Last year I acquired this cabinet, which was very dark (nearly black), and had no front panel. I actually acquired the front panel before I bought the cabinet.

I had no 70 chassis.

Hmmm...

One of the 71 chassis was completely stripped, repainted, rewired and rebuilt. It also has some modifications - 6A7 first detector, and a tone control potentiometer.

I did the 6A7 mod just to see if it would work better than the often finicky Type 36 tube, used in an autodyne circuit. Boy, does it ever! With a good longwire antenna, this is the HOTTEST 71 in existence!

Let me know what you think, folks.

- Steve Davis - 03-22-2008

Ron,
I would like to know more about the 6A7 modification on your model 70/71. Could you post a drawing? I have a model 91 and a couple of model 19s that I would like to try to adapt your mod to.

Thanks, Steve

- Ron Ramirez - 03-23-2008

Yes I will, Steve...please allow me a day or three to put something together. Icon_smile

- Texasrocker - 03-23-2008

Beautiful Restoration Ron!! Great Job indeed!! Icon_wink

- Ron Ramirez - 03-24-2008

I've posted details of my 71 mod here:
http://www.philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=1035

Enjoy...

Re: Hybrids or Frankenradios - Ron Ramirez - 12-09-2010

To get things going on this thread again, here's a Philco Franken-Tropic on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/280600630145

I have an interest in Philco Tropic sets, and this one caught my eye. However, it has some issues which have made me decide to pass on it. The main one being, the 39-750 chassis is not in its original cabinet; it is in a 1941 model 41-758 cabinet.

I own a 41-758, which is how I know this. Philco did not make that cabinet during the 1939 season.

The back cover taken from a Peruvian television also doesn't help. But it is due to the chassis being in a cabinet that is two years newer that is causing me to pass on it.

Oh, and to bring you up to speed with the 665 chassis and the late version 116B cabinet...I no longer own either. Sold them to a friend who had a 665X cabinet and a 116 chassis. Now he has two complete sets.