[Ron Ramirez]

I've never seen a 37-116 that had any sort of wood blocks on the side of the chassis...and I've had a few 37-116 sets pass through my hands.

These originally used four special "J" bolts to hold the chassis in place for shipment to the dealer, and ultimately to the original purchaser. These "J" bolts hooked over the studs which stick out on the sides of the chassis, and then passed through holes in the wooden supports under the chassis. The "J" bolts were supposed to be removed by the dealer when the radio was delivered to the original purchaser. Most were, and most were tossed afterwards. But I once owned a 37-116 that was in very poor shape...that still had the "J" bolts holding the chassis in place. I kept the bolts, they are around here someplace.

You now know, Morzh, that two of the control shafts do indeed take one (each) of those rubber spacers.

[PhilcoJohn]

Morzh, Send us some pictures of your 37-116 radio. Keep us up to date on its progress that way...We are all looking foward to seeing the pictures. Especially as to all of us have the 38-116 console appose to the 37-116. Thanks!

[Radioroslyn]

Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike!
What day is it??
It's the day you will see how the chassis is mounted!!
(Sorry had to do it!) http://www.flickr.com/photos/53710524@N06/9680804517/
Here's some pics of a 37-116 /121 with the wooden braces on and the inside of the cabinet. Your set is a code 122 but they the same. This is where the extra pieces go. I couldn't put my hands on the long screws that go from the wooden side pieces down though the cabinet. As you can see there are some rubber washers mounted in the cabinet along the front and rear edges. The long screws also have these washers too.
I made up a pair of mounts for the other 37-116 I've got. It's easy just need a drill and hand saw.
Hope this brings it in to focus. As for the J bolts I've never seen them but I'm no expert and have only seen 4 or five of these sets. Some had no mounting but center rear screw and others had the wooden braces.
Terry

[morzh]

Ron, Terry, thanks for replies.

John, will post pics (I think I posted what I could so far).

Terry, before I look at the photos: I think Ron's theory is corroborated (no wooden blocks) because I have just finished speaking to a guy whose name is John Goller (he is in Indiana) and who was recommended to me by name by Ed Shultz, the owner of the "Renovated Radios". John has just finished restoring 37-116 and has done many of them, and he says that the wooden blocks are not used on 37-117 - they are used on those with tilted front panels (690 and such).
According to John the chassis is held by one single bolt in the center of the back of the chassis and the rest is the weight and the hub of the dial mechanism.

So at least I think I don't have to worry about the missing blocks.

And a question:

Ron, Are these by any chance the "J-bolts" you've mentioned?
I have these in the bag of goodies that came with the radio. Here's the photo.

   

[morzh]

Terry

Thanks for the pics, very helpful.

Now after I looked at them I have an impression that those are the shipping contraptions Ron referred to and the bolts I have are from them, but this is probably why most folks do not see them - they had been tossed.
So maybe even though those can be used to hold the chassis they would be discarded in most cases.

What do you think?

[morzh]

John

This is how it looks now.

   
   
   
   
   

[Radioroslyn]

I think you are right. Also if chassis weight rest on the dial hub you wouldn't be able to use the auto part of the dial! Resting the chassis on wood and rubber would seem to be the better option than using small clamp to mount it in terms of microphonics
Terry.

[morzh]

Yes resting on the dial is not a good idea, with the dial not working, let alone the fact that the metal is pretty thin on both the hub and the escutcheon and considering a very heavy chassis they would bend each other - John probably meant the fact that if you tilt the radio side to side or backwards, the fact that the dial protrudes through the hole of a close diameter will not let the chassis fall out which it would do otherwise being heavy and held by a single (and not that thick) screw at the back (the leverage is hyoooooge!).

And yes - the wood does not help the microphonics and will in fact defeat any dampening action of the rubber washers, so those got to be shipping fixtures.

[PhilcoJohn]

Morzh..Thaks for the pics and good luck with the radio it will be a great console when you get it finished. I love to listen to my 38-116 at night!

[morzh]

John

BTW speaking of "all of us having 38-116" - no, quite a few people here recent'y posted of working on 37-116.

This is why I was hoping to get many replies, but I guess many folks are on vacation now or something....

But I think at least 2 other people here have 37-116.

[Radioroslyn]

Those things you have a pic on post 124 are called T nuts. Most used in furniture construction. Never have seen any in radio cabinets.
Terry
I know of four 37-116's

[morzh]

Terry

Got'em with this one. Not sure what they are and why....but they were there in the bag.

[Ron Ramirez]

Ron, Are these by any chance the "J-bolts" you've mentioned?

Nope, not even close. Someone added those things later.

If I get some time soon, I'll look for a photo I have around here someplace of a J-bolt from a 37-116.

[morzh]

Well, I bought some felt furniture pads, stacked them in two and placed under the chassis.

Then using razor blade I trimmed the height of those so the hub of the autodial would go in the middle.

Anyway: wow. And I mean WOW! What a sound! That leaves my Zenith in the dust!

Here are some photos.
   
   
   
   
   

[Radioroslyn]

If you want to do something quick, easy, non destructive, and cheap to clean up the cabinet. Get some GO-GO (Non pumice/no grit) give it a good rubdown with the GO-JO and a soft rag like an old t shirt. It will clean up the old finish, remove years of dirt, and darken the scratches. All in all will make a big improvement on the looks. Don't know if you have already have but pop off the handles (knobs) and soak them in a bowl of warm water and a bit of shampoo for 15-20 mins. Scrub with an old tooth brush or finger nail brush till nice and clean.
I take it that you like the sound of it!!!
Terry