Posts: 40
Threads: 5
Joined: Apr 2008
Last night I won the bidding for a Capehart model 101 that was only seventy miles away from my home. I will go pick it up on Friday. The cabinet looks pretty good in the pictures. The biggest problem is the record changer has been replaced with something from the 1950's and the speaker has been replaced with a Philco model.The speaker is not a big conceren for now but I would love to find the Capehart record changer if they are not priced out of this world. There does not seem to be a lot of tech data on these radios. My Riders for that model only lists a wiring diagram but no schematic. Have any of you guys ever restored one of these and do you have a parts or schemetic source for Capehart radio and amplifier models. Riders does have a lot of data on the record changer. Hope to hear from the Ron and Chuck of the Capehart world. Who knows, I might hear from even Ron and Chuck. I bet both of them have tangled with this brand sometime in their vast radio experiences.
Dave D
Posts: 404
Threads: 53
Joined: Feb 2009
Some of those Capeheart sets were top of the heap in the day. I saw one that sold for over $2500 back in the depression days. Impressive radios and turntables. Got any photos?
tractorforum.com *** I reserve the right to be wrong
Posts: 40
Threads: 5
Joined: Apr 2008
Music, Thanks for your post. You are right about these old Capehart rigs being a high dollar set back in the day even before I was born. I'm a 1937 model but the Model 101 I brought home seems to be a 1931/32 model. It does work, including the incorrect record changer, and the cabinet is in pretty good shape. Nor perfect but still nice. I was glad that you brought up the problems loading your pictures on the Phorum. I have some pictures loaded on Photobucket but I could not figure out how to get them on the Phorum. I feel like a real computer dummy. Maybe when Ron gets help for you we will both be smarter. I bought the book The Incomparable Capehart for $40.00 , and while a good book , it did not tell me much about the Model 101. It does cover the record changers very well but not much about my model. The Model 101 was upgraded in 1934, and mine appears to be an upgraded model but that is about all I know. I would still love to find a schametic. I would also love to have the correct changer but I doen't expect that will happen unless I save up a lot of money and get lucky. I have seen two changers for over $200.00 and they were in as is condition. Maybe pictures will come soon.
Dave D
Posts: 40
Threads: 5
Joined: Apr 2008
Here is my Caphart model 101. Hope someone has a schematic or any other information on this radio.
Dave D.
[Image:
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122...un/017.jpg]
[Image:
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122...un/019.jpg]
Posts: 4,707
Threads: 51
Joined: Sep 2008
City: Sandwick, BC, CA
Dave;
Have you examined the bottoms of the legs? It's hard to tell from the pictures but the cabinet seems to be a little short, even for a lowboy style cabinet. Sometimes people chopped the legs off, either because the legs were damaged or to make the unit appear more modern. As for the original phonograph I don't know what Capehart used in the early 1930s, whether they were into the elaborate changers someone else will have to answer.
I remember that someone on the other forum mentioned that perhaps Capehart radios were built by Howard, I don't know whether this is true or not as that poster is often wrong about such things. He claims the same about McMurdo Silvers, which is irrelevant since it is how it is designed, built, and performs that matters, not where and by whom.
Best Regards
Arran
Posts: 40
Threads: 5
Joined: Apr 2008
Arran, The Legs look to be original. Since I can not find another picture of the 101 I can not be sure. You are correct about the manufacture. The tuner does indicate that it was build by H.R.C. I would assume that this is Howard Radio Company. The model 101 should have the fancy record changer and I bet I never find one that I can afford.
Dave D
Posts: 404
Threads: 53
Joined: Feb 2009
Dave D Wrote:Arran, The Legs look to be original. Since I can not find another picture of the 101 I can not be sure. You are correct about the manufacture. The tuner does indicate that it was build by H.R.C. I would assume that this is Howard Radio Company. The model 101 should have the fancy record changer and I bet I never find one that I can afford.
Dave D
I wouldn't say that yet. You could still get lucky! By the way, both my Mom and Dad are from 1937 and still going strong!
tractorforum.com *** I reserve the right to be wrong