UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum - View Single Post

sexton_mallard · 22nd Aug 2014, 5:47 pm

I was fortunate to be given this radio along with some other items which will feature on this forum. After the usual safety checks and slow 'wake up' via a lamp limiter, I am rewarded with very good FM reception. The tuning is sharp and not 'lumpy' like the older pre-stereo era FM equipped radios in my collection.

The AM tuning gang and drive cord is not moving and all the AM bands appear to be dead - I suspect the switching which I will investigate when I pull the chassis from the cabinet. The mains electrolytic looks original and is dated 1959. Along with a few of the usual expected black Hunts Moldseals, I see a few small transparent plastic caps which appear to be transparent polystyrene? I take it these were appearing in the late 1950s as a search of a few under chassis shots of other 384U sets shows these same caps with the shiny metal foil visible inside. From experience, how reliable are these seemingly modern caps? I will check them as normal. Another question I have is has anyone successfully removed and replaced the plywood baffle from the cabinet as I may attempt to replace the speaker cloth which is damaged?

22nd Aug 2014, 5:47 pm	#1
sexton_mallard Heptode Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Ellesmere, Shropshire, UK & Co. Cork, Ireland. Posts: 502	Ferguson 384U (Finesse) I was fortunate to be given this radio along with some other items which will feature on this forum. After the usual safety checks and slow 'wake up' via a lamp limiter, I am rewarded with very good FM reception. The tuning is sharp and not 'lumpy' like the older pre-stereo era FM equipped radios in my collection. The AM tuning gang and drive cord is not moving and all the AM bands appear to be dead - I suspect the switching which I will investigate when I pull the chassis from the cabinet. The mains electrolytic looks original and is dated 1959. Along with a few of the usual expected black Hunts Moldseals, I see a few small transparent plastic caps which appear to be transparent polystyrene? I take it these were appearing in the late 1950s as a search of a few under chassis shots of other 384U sets shows these same caps with the shiny metal foil visible inside. From experience, how reliable are these seemingly modern caps? I will check them as normal. Another question I have is has anyone successfully removed and replaced the plywood baffle from the cabinet as I may attempt to replace the speaker cloth which is damaged?