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Help identifying radio
#1

Hello all,

Last year my wife picked up a Philco radio from our neighbor during a community garage sale.  We were told it did not work but she was interested in it from a purely decorative perspective.

This week we were looking at it and decided to identify exactly what model radio it was.  However, the label with the model information is no longer attached to the radio.  Here is what we know/are guessing at:

1. It looks to be either a model 38B or 60B.
2. Not sure how years are designated but I think it is a 1936 (introduced in 1935).
3. Serial number is: L10867
4. It has the larger escutcheon.
5. The dial scale is faded to the point where it looks blank; no print is visible.
6. It was in much better shape on the front face just a couple of months ago; we just moved and the movers did not take very good care of it when packing it up.

I have attached several photos below to help with the identification.  Thank you for your help.

By the way, I plugged the radio in last night and it works perfectly.  Great sound!

   

   

   
#2

Cannot be 38B, it was a battery set. Either 60 or 66.
Judging by some things - it is a 66.

People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
#3

Hi Pete & welcome.
As Mike said not a 38 farm radio. But don't think the 66 used that cabinet, it used a cabinet that looks like a 89B or the MB cabinet. My vote is for a 60. Philco made a billion of them, maybe two billion.

Don't know that the sn tells us much in regards to the manufacture date or much else. There may be a run number stamped on it that would help pin things downs some. All the 60's are very similar except for some minor changes here and there.

If you are lucky the dial is just out of alignment (your able to turn it passed where the numbers are) or the numbers are printed w/ a water base ink and can be EASILY remove by cleaning w/water. If so check Radiodaze for a replacement scale.

You say the set plays well but unless you know that it has been service in the last 10 or 15yrs  I would pop the chassis out and give it a good looking over. I you are unsure what you are looking at just post some pics and we'll figure it out.

When my pals were reading comic books
I was down in the basement in my dad's
workshop. Perusing his Sam's Photofoacts
Vol 1-50 admiring the old set and trying to
figure out what all those squiggly meant.
Circa 1966
Now I think I've got!

Terry
#4

I think you are right Terry. Its likely the 1936 (June 1935) version that Ron describes in his evolution of the 60 thread:
http://www.philcoradio.com/phorum/showth...?tid=15007

The tube shield are square instead of round and that was around June 1935.
#5

Bob nailed it; he wins the prize.

What prize?

Bragging rights Icon_thumbup

--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
#6

http://radioatticarchives.com/radio.htm?radio=8082

This is 66.

As you can see, the cabinet is the same.

But as Ron said, it is a 60.

People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
#7

The Radio Attic Archives is full of errors. It is not the webmaster's fault. He had to depend upon the accuracy (or lack thereof) of his contributors.

The Philcoradio.com Gallery has been extensively researched. So was the page from which Bob drew his conclusions (the Evolution of the Model 60 thread).

Model 66 was never issued in that cabinet, nor did any 66 chassis ever have square tube shields.

--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
#8

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1935-PHILCO-RADI...7675.l2557

Still not sold think that it is a 60 or a 60 w/a 66 chaiss.
On the web there is very few (like one) that show a model
66 in a B ( baby grand) 60 style cabinet. Mostly I found them in the
S or MB cabinet.

Need Ron to the rescue!!!
Just saw ur post Tnx.

When my pals were reading comic books
I was down in the basement in my dad's
workshop. Perusing his Sam's Photofoacts
Vol 1-50 admiring the old set and trying to
figure out what all those squiggly meant.
Circa 1966
Now I think I've got!

Terry
#9

Several years ago I had my eye on a MB set on epay. I found pretty hard to tell the difference betwixt the 60 and the 66MB. No stickers inside. Short reading the dial calibration of pulling the chassis out to see if it has the terminal board on the under side they look the same to me. I won it and was pleasantly surprised that it was a 66. Like the 66 a bit better as the SW coverage is higher in frequency and covers a few ham and sw bc bands.
It still sitting in the closet patiently awaiting it's turn to be serviced.

When my pals were reading comic books
I was down in the basement in my dad's
workshop. Perusing his Sam's Photofoacts
Vol 1-50 admiring the old set and trying to
figure out what all those squiggly meant.
Circa 1966
Now I think I've got!

Terry
#10

Thank you all for your feedback, it has been very helpful.

I don't have the time at the moment but plan on cleaning it up and servicing it at some point in the future.
#11

I do know of another 60 cabinet that has a 66 chassis in it. 

I was resto-ing one for a gift to a bud in NY, and got so fed up with the '60 chassis that I stuffed the 66 chassis in it. Had to grind the back of the escutcheon aperture so that both bands were visible. Other than that, a sanitary installation. 
Nice thing is he now listens to a lot of shortwave programming, something a 60 can not do as well. 
#12

Here's something else to keep in mind.

Model 66 chassis has a blue label with white lettering. It was only produced during the 1935 season.

Model 60 was produced from July 1933 until April 1936, yet all Model 60 chassis have a gold label with black lettering (the exceptions being 25 cycle models, which would have a silver label with black lettering).

Terry, the link you posted is to an honest-to-goodness model 66B cathedral.

--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
#13

Here's something I have a Q about, maybe Ron knows.
The padder/trimmer holes in the back that are plugged are different from what either 60 or 66 have.
Why?

People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.




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