[Ron Ramirez]

Some time ago - some time last year, don't remember exactly when - I bought an empty Philco 38-624T "Bullet" cabinet.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum..._00003.jpg]

Then in March of this year, I found this poor 37-640B at a nearby antique shop, cheap:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum..._00001.jpg]

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum..._00002.jpg]

It looks better in the photos than it did in real life.

Kirk was wanting to practice with photofinish, so he now has the 37-640B cabinet.

This left me with a recipe for a hot-rodded 38-624T with a seven tube 37-640 chassis.

The cabinet is all done and waiting for a working chassis:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37610_034.jpg]

Incidentally, the cabinet now sports the escutcheon from the 37-640B cabinet, which I needed since it has an opening for the shadow meter above the dial.

So...here we go!

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_001.jpg]

I began by cutting off the old power cord. Then I removed the cover from the top of the audio output transformer mounted on the speaker, unplugged the four pins at the ends of the speaker cable, pulled the cable from the cover, and put the cover back on the audio output transformer by reattaching the two bolts holding it in place. Now I will set the speaker aside for awhile. I might even bolt it into the cabinet to protect it from damage.

more to come...

[Ron Ramirez]

I am going to remove the RF unit, set it aside, and work on the main chassis before working on the RF unit.

So, some disassembly is in order.

First, the dial scale must be removed.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_002.jpg]

Using the jaws of a pair of needle-nose pliers, stick each end into the two holes in the metal dial scale retainer, and twist 1/4 turn counterclockwise.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_003.jpg]

The dial scale may now be removed. Watch out for the tab in the fiber retainer at the bottom of the dial scale - remove the scale gently from this tab, then you can pull the scale off.

Now let's remove this fiber retainer.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_004.jpg]

It just pulls off. Set it aside with the dial scale.

Now, pull the dial lamp assembly off from the back:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_005.jpg]

Now it's time to remove the shadow mask. The metal tab which holds the dial lamp assembly is part of this shadow mask, which is why the dial lamp assembly must be removed first. Remove the two bolts holding the mask in place, and remove.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_006.jpg]

more to come...

[Ron Ramirez]

As we continue to disassemble parts in preparation to remove the RF deck...

The next thing to remove is the other part of the dial scale retainer. It is held onto the tuning shaft with a set screw. This set screw is usually frozen in place, and often requires several applications of PB Blaster before the screw will loosen.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_007.jpg]

I was lucky - the set screw loosened without any liquid persuasion.

Just loosen the screw - don't remove it! Now remove this piece and set it aside safely with everything else you are removing.

Next we need to remove the dial indicator assembly. This has an actuator arm which is held in place on the band switch shaft by...another set screw.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_008.jpg]

As before, this set screw is often frozen in place and also requires persuasion from PB Blaster before it will loosen.

Again, I was lucky and this one loosened with just the screwdriver. Again, just loosen the screw - do not remove it from the piece.

Pull the felt washer from the dial indicator assembly as shown below...

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_009.jpg]

...and remove the dial indicator assembly.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_010.jpg]

Now you are left with this:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_011.jpg]

more to come...

[Ron Ramirez]

Sometimes you can remove the RF deck without removing the band switch shaft, but in my experience, I usually have to remove it before the RF unit will come free from the main chassis.

So...

Using your pliers, carefully turn the band switch to the AM (standard broadcast) position. When the flatted side of the shaft is straight up, it should be in the AM position.

Carefully using a flat-blade screwdriver to pull the RF unit up, remove both bolts holding the band switch shaft in place.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_012.jpg]

Now pull the band switch shaft out and set it aside.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_013.jpg]

The chassis now looks like this:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_014.jpg]

[Ron Ramirez]

Let's flip the chassis upside down...

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_015.jpg]

At this point, I like to make a diagram showing where the various wires coming from the RF unit connect in the main chassis. This way, I know where to reconnect the wires when I reinstall the RF unit.

In my next post, I will show you such a diagram which you can print and use yourself.

[morzh]

Reming me to NEVER restore a 37-640
This one is dirty!

Not For the faint of heart it is.

I can see that trip and all that turkey really restored your strength!

[Radioroslyn]

Quick Quick turn it off!!!!!!!!!
The front of that set reminds me of a 660.
I'm going to have nightmares tonight!!!
And it doesn't have a sub chassis to remove!!!

[Ron Ramirez]

No...not for the faint of heart...but not impossible.

Think of a 37-620 or 37-630 chassis, which is jam-packed enough...then add another output tube, more parts, and you have a 37-640. The chassis is even the same size as a 37-610, 37-620 or 37-630...which is why it will fit inside the Bullet cabinet.

Does that induce nightmares yet?

So anyway...

When I work on a Philco with an RF unit, I like to make a diagram of the wires coming from the RF unit and connecting to various points in the main chassis.

Here's the one I made for this 37-640 (click to enlarge):

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

more to come...

[Ron Ramirez]

Having made the diagram so I know how to hook the RF unit up when I reinstall it, I then use a Sharpie to put dots on each RF unit wire that will be unsoldered, corresponding with the numbers above; i.e. 1 dot for 1, 2 dots for 2, etc. You could use those numbered stickers made for wires, or letters...whatever works for you to make sure you remember how to hook up the RF unit when you replace it.

So let us proceed with the removal of this RF unit.

You also have to remove the volume control shaft. This is held in place by a small clip just inside the front of the chassis where the shaft passes through the metal.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_016.jpg]

Use a small screwdriver, needle nose pliers, or whatever you can use to remove that clip. Be careful...don't lose it...you'll need it again when you put everything back together!

Now that the clip is removed, the volume control shaft should just slide out.

BUT WAIT!

There is a small piece of metal that is used as a wedge between the end of the volume control shaft and the volume control itself. When you pull the shaft free from the control...be sure that you do not lose this piece! Your volume control shaft will fit loosely without it.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_017.jpg]

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_018.jpg]

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_019.jpg]

Set the control shaft, clip, and wedge together with your growing pile of removed parts. Don't lose anything!

more to come...

[Ron Ramirez]

Let me try this again. Somehow I managed to lose an entire post, so my last post didn't make a lot of sense out of context. So...

The next step is to unsolder all of the wires coming out of the RF unit from the twelve points where they connect on the main chassis.

Once that is done, let's remove the bolt in back of the RF unit which helps hold it in place:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_020.jpg]

Place this bolt with the rest of your growing pile of removed pieces.

Now, push the RF unit forward as far as you can, then tilt it forward:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_021.jpg]

Then, you should be able to easily pull it free.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_022.jpg]

Place the RF unit someplace safe and out of the way for now. We will return to it later.

The chassis now looks like this:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_023.jpg]

Now, the fun is really going to begin.

[Ron Ramirez]

Now let's look underneath again:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_024.jpg]

I decided to start on the right side of the chassis as shown above.

An hour later...

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_025.jpg]

Things were jam-packed so tightly that I decided to go with the "bull in a china shop" approach and just unsolder all of the components at once. As you can see, I also removed both IF transformers. The IF can shields will get polished, and all of their wires will be replaced.

I was lucky this time - I did not break any of the solder terminals on the right. Those are somewhat fragile, and it doesn't help that the ladies who assembled these sets usually wound component leads around the terminals more than once, making them very difficult to remove. I've broken terminals on 1937 Philco sets more than once in the past. The excess heat one must use to unsolder all of the components doesn't help matters any.

Mike (morzh), I took some time to brush off and vacuum away dirt...

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_026.jpg]

While it is tempting to remove everything and repaint the chassis, I'm not going to do so. It looks better. Not perfect but better. Removal of dust, dirt and grime always helps.

[sam]

aww come on ron
your gona take off the 2 cans and rebuild.  think your going to paint trans ?
so why not take off the 3 sockets and do frame

sam

[Ron Ramirez]

Two reasons I won't repaint this chassis:

1. It's too cold for painting (and lacquering) here now; and
2. I'm a bit lazy.

[sam]

cold and laziness will not be tolerated mister

sam

[Ron Ramirez]

Tonight's progress:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/37640_027.jpg]

Both IF cans have been polished, and the IF transformers have new cloth-covered wires.

I also started replacing the components which I removed yesterday with new ones.

I don't have a lot of time for bench work during the week, but I'll keep plugging away at it...

Oh - One more reason to not repaint this chassis - It still has all of its original stickers on back, which would be lost if I tried to repaint. I can tolerate a little rust here and there.