[Arran]

>What is the black shiny junk at end of the tuning cap stack?
Looks to be what's left of the rubber mount for the cap.
You've tons of room in that chassis. Also looks like it's
a Canadian built model w/a 25cy power transformer.

Terry;
  I'm not sure if they made a 38-5 equivalent in Canada, but all Canadian Philcos had a brass data plate riveted to the back of the chassis rather then the perishable paper ones the U.S models all got, if they did it would have been called a  38-35. Contrary to popular belief not all Canadian sets came with 25 cycle transformers, and Canadian Philco sets in particular could come with either. There were also areas in the U.S that had 25 cycle service, such as parts of New York state near Niagara Falls, places like that required radios with 25 cycle transformers which many manufacturers like Philco would supply. I can recall someone either on here or the alternative forum that had an Atwater Kent model 84 with a 25 cycle transformer, which was fortunate for him as the 60 cycle ones had an almost Brand Z propensity for going out in a puff of smoke.
Regards
Arran