[gary rabbitt]

Hi,
OK , I admit I am a Storage Wars addict.

In any case, tonight's new season opener, Jarod and Brandi found a Philco, I believe a 41-295 in a locker. Missing dial glass, usual rotted buttons, but everything else appeared to be intact and the cabinet looked pretty good.

They took it to "a guy that restored old radios". Not sure who it was, but in the So Cal area. He had shelves of old sets in his garage. The values on the show are usually too high, he said in as found condition the set was about $250. Restored, over $1000. Ok, whatever.
He also claimed it was the "top of the line set" for 1941.

I wonder who the fellow was they took it to, no name was given.
You can probably catch the show in a rerun this weekend no doubt.
Hopefully, it will be sold to someone that will restore it.
Take care,

[Arran]

Sounds like one zero too many in that appraisal, even in California I assume. Compare that with Pawn Stars where Rick Harrison says he gets $300 for them fixed up and refinished, that makes sense although still more then I would pay. On that same Auction Wars show some so called expert claimed that a BMW Isetta (Steve Urkel car) one of the guys found could be worth between $40,000 to 60,000 restored, on what planet did he get those numbers from? Collector car values are and have been well documented and established through both magazines and books for a long time, and I doubt if you could get $15,000 for an absolute cherry one. have there been a number of Isettas going through the Barrett Jackson auction for inflated prices that nobody else knows about but this guy?
But then again there is a guy on You Tube (the guy that can't pronounce chassis properly) that claims his RCA Radiola 62 console, same as my Canadian Westinghouse 89 but without a tone control switch, is worth $350-400, in what Jamaican or Hong Kong dollars? He also claimed that there was $50 worth of parts in a late 40s early 50s tube portable he bought, how? Of course he claims that old radios are getting harder and harder to find too, but anyone browsing craigslist and fleabay would find that hard to believe.
Regards
Arran

[TA Forbes]

Another example of the drivel on the TV.

[gary rabbitt]

Arran,
I saw that too about the Isetta. The Petersen Auto museum was where Barry took the car. Inflated prices for sure. Even a best case scenario, that car would not be worth the amount he said. IIRC, his estimate of the car's value as is was around $800. It needed a total resto.

I don't watch Storage Hunters (short scrawny guy with the loudmouth wife). Tru TV should be called fake TV. Same acors, finding Lambos, rockets, meth labs etc.

Storage Wars uses actual folks that have been in the business for years and have retail outlets. What you see is just a fraction of what they end up with. Thy of course don't show the 90% of junk they usually end up with.

As far as drivel, there are far worse shows on, filth, disrespect for adults, asinine behavior that is supposed to be funny.
I don't mean this to be a discussion about the show itself, but was only asking if someone knew the radio collector they went to.

[TA Forbes]

Gary, I meant nothing personal from my post. If that is how it struck you, then please accept my apology.

I agree about the shows currently on the TV. A couple of years ago I saw an advertisement about a show about people and animals getting racked up/mauled, etc in accidents and by other animals. That did it for me, and I have not had an active TV in my home since.

TV insidiously influences every aspect of our lives. We would all be better off without it.

[Arran]

Gary, I meant nothing personal from my post. If that is how it struck you, then please accept my apology.

I agree about the shows currently on the TV. A couple of years ago I saw an advertisement about a show about people and animals getting racked up/mauled, etc in accidents and by other animals. That did it for me, and I have not had an active TV in my home since.

TV insidiously influences every aspect of our lives. We would all be better off without it.

That is one of the reasons my TV alternates between the Sun News Channel, Turner Classic Movies, and the nearest MeTv station in Bellingham, they actually play things I want to watch. I've also been watching some foreign programing like Japanese and older British programs online, some of the newer British TV is just as bad as American TV.
Regards
Arran

[PHILLYPHILCO]

Just saw the episode mentioned. The "experts" collection looked like a bunch of low end junk that I flip at shows all the time. Anyway, there was no way I would pay 250 for that box and 600 to 800 to restore and get $1,200-1,600 to sell??? WOW!!!!I guess they don't call it the left coast for nothing. Maybe he is quoting what it would cost if it was sent to AMERICAN RESTORATION???? (another show I enjoy).....

[Arran]

Just saw the episode mentioned. The "experts" collection looked like a bunch of low end junk that I flip at shows all the time. Anyway, there was no way I would pay 250 for that box and 600 to 800 to restore and get $1,200-1,600 to sell??? WOW!!!!I guess they don't call it the left coast for nothing. Maybe he is quoting what it would cost if it was sent to AMERICAN RESTORATION???? (another show I enjoy).....

I guess if he has nothing but low end junk then a 41-295 must seem like a high end set to his thinking if he is someone used to playing with AA5s. Both the 41-300X and 41-316X are higher end models then the 41-295, the top model being the 41-616 like Ron is fixing up, although the 41-295 would be a fairly decent set restored. Like all of these 1939-42 Philcos they are chalk full of rubber wire so even one complete and in good shape is an involved restoration project. As for American Restoration those guys wouldn't know where to begin on the electronics in such a set, since I've never seen them work on a radio I would have to assume that they don't take those on for restoration, and rightly so. I did see a Seeberg "Trash Can" juke that they restored for the Pawn Stars, they basically botched the refinishing job stripping the faux graining off and replacing it with a disgusting paint smear.
Regards
Arran

[TA Forbes]

I do miss the Brit humor on the TV. Faulty Towers, Are You Being Served, and Putting on Appearances are some of my favorites.

[Michael Dennis]

Love Fawlty Towers.

Mike

[gary rabbitt]

Hi TA,
No problem, no apologies necessary, you're ok
I know what you mean about the lack of good shows on TV anymore. I just thought that SW was kind of harmless. We all know that all TV is supposed to be entertaining. High values and some written-in 'drama' is supposed to hlep the ratings...I guess.

The shows we love to hate , I think that's the point of the producer to get a reaction from an audience whether it is good or bad.

I occasionally watch the Restoration show. Most of the stuff is over-restored. Sure, if an item is completely torn up there is no other choice. If an item is saveable, (like that art deco Philco they redid) they should try and preserve an original finish.

Anyhow, I'll let this thread rest a bit, I need to install a power trans right now, and the coffee is ready
Take care guys.

PS Arran, I do miss Are you Being Served, and some of the other British TV shows.