[Jayce]

Got a call a few days ago about this radio from an area shop I know. The guy was in the process of stripping it for parts for eBay sales when he suddenly got the urge to call me to see if I was interested in the whole unit. He's into radios himself, but we both knew Tim and both of us need to thin out! Still, knowing this is a rare set (only a little over 3000 made) and that it was fairly complete, I decided to chance it. I couldn't see this just being parted out and all the globe tubes even tested good except the 27, which I have swapped in the photos.
Good news: Transformer seems fine and I have audio. Has the dial hood and good knobs! Bad news: No channels are coming in (except the lights!). Needs a grill cloth, have to repair the speaker, wicker on the back door is gone, cabinet needs some work. Grill cloth is going to be a cinch on this radio as the whole grill simply snaps in. This will probably stay and I'll just add another more common radio to the auction list.

   

   

   

[Eliot Ness]

Nice!  That big boy cost $285.00 in 1928   

[Image: http://www.radiolaguy.com/images/Radiola/Radiola50.jpg]
Image from Radiola Guy (http://www.radiolaguy.com/images/Radiola/Radiola50.jpg)

[Jayce]

It's quite a price jump from the basic model 17, which cost $130!   No wonder they only sold around 3000 of the model 50. In fact, I could have had three model 17's for $90 a while back, with some tubes! Sadly, they were all missing the dial light hoods.
An article I read on that same site says the Radiola 17 was RCA's first true AC radio. Would that make the 50 their first true AC console? Being from 1927-28, these along with my Radiola 33 do seem to be the earliest all AC radios I have seen. Yes there were models like the Radiola 30-30A, but those were more like a hybrid of battery set combined with an amp/battery eliminator chassis.

[OldRestorer]

Ummmmmmmmm, Is that ATARI Pole Position???

I think it is and I want to come play it,

Kirk

[Joe Rossi]

Great find! 

[Jayce]

Ummmmmmmmm, Is that ATARI Pole Position???

I think it is and I want to come play it,

Kirk

Why yes, that is an ATARI Pole Position. In fact, it is a Pole Position 2! Needs the monitor recapped though... Took two machines to get enough parts and a decent cabinet to make one. So far, $140 invested, which is cheap for Pole Position! These things can be nightmares!

[PAradiogeek]

Jayce,

I'd love to see a picture of the underside of that chassis. Is it all original under there?

[Jayce]

Both chassis look untouched as far as I can tell. First, here is the IF chassis. Pretty simple underneath except for what looks like a capacitor can.

   

Next is the power supply. Three Rheostats? (Am I spelling that righ?) I knew there was one which seemed to act as a hum control, but three? What do they do? Nothing on the schematic I found mentions these, but it appears this is the way the 17 was built. All three are adjustable from the top, though you need a long shanked, skinny screw driver to reach the one.