[Ron Ramirez]

This afternoon, I decided to visit my favorite local antique/junk/second hand shop, to see if they had found any new treasures since I had been in there last.

Turns out they did have a new acquisition - this 1933-34 Model 16L lowboy.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/ARF/16-1.jpg]

As you can see, it was in very, very rough shape - truly "barn fresh." It is actually worse than the photos seem to indicate.

Here's a view of the back:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/ARF/16-2.jpg]

But look closely at those two pictures. Something just isn't right!

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/ARF/16-3.jpg]

As you can see in the photo above, the escutcheon isn't the usual brown elongated octagon typical of 1933-34 Philco 16 sets - it is the more rectangular black of the 1935 season! Notice also the dual tuning knobs which are 1935 style - yet the other three knobs are brown bakelite!

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/ARF/16-4.jpg]

Yep, no doubt about it - this is a 4-band Code 126 chassis, not the 5-band Code 122 you would expect to find in this cabinet.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/ARF/16-5.jpg]

I removed the escutcheon to find a very smooth hole, the proper shape for a 1935 escutcheon. It shows no signs of having been modified from the 1933-34 octagon style.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/ARF/16-6.jpg]

Here, you can see the larger hole for the dual tuning shaft. Again, this hole looks factory, not redrilled.

My thoughts:

After careful examination of this radio, it is my opinion that Philco must have had inventory of 1933-34 style 16L cabinets left in stock after the new 4-band 16 chassis came out in late summer or fall 1935, and they simply stuck some 4-band chassis in the leftover 16L cabinets to use up inventory. They probably modified the cabinet as needed.

It wasn't the first time Philco had done something like this.

Unfortunately, the tube layout sticker was long gone. Had it been in place, and had it been a sticker for the Code 125-126-127 Philco 16, that would have been enough convincing evidence to prove my theory.

It's just too bad this cabinet is not salvageable. I think Bill (Exray) could save a cabinet like this, but he's too far away from me.

If this radio could only talk...

Well, at $29.99 plus tax, at least it will yield a restorable (if rusty, from mice living in this thing at one time) chassis and salvageable speaker.