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Old 16th Sep 2003, 7:50 pm   #1
high_vacuum_house
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Default What's the worst condition radio you have recieved

Hello there,
I was wandering what is the worst condition radio or telly that you have found or been given to restore. Last year a friend gave me a large wooden radio that he was going to throw away, It had a lift up lid and a basic early 50's chassis underneath this lid. The condition was terrible, It had been left out in the rain for many years and was completely unrestoreable. the chassis and components were one solid block of rust, the cabinet had severe woodworm and other things crawling around and it even had grass growing through the wooden joints splitting them. The rest of the wood was damp,soft and rotten. I did not restore this radio and there was absolutly nothing at all to salvage not even the valves were useable!
On the other hand I bought a Murphy A272C console reciever recently that was badly scratched and dented and after many weekends and evenings of work it is looking very nice indeed! and will soon be finished.
Christopher Capener
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Old 16th Sep 2003, 8:35 pm   #2
jim_beacon
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Default Re: What's the worst condition radio you have reci

I have a Wirless set No38 which was partialy removed from its cover, and then left in a leaky shed for around 25 years. The extremly well made and plated outer case collected the water beautifully, allowing the (not so well plated ) chassis to become an almost unreconisable lump of corrosion - the valves could be seen, but not removed, and the only other part that is identifiable is a " Plessey " type ceramic trimmer.

I keep it to show people what can happen......

Jim
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Old 16th Sep 2003, 9:58 pm   #3
Norm_Leal
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Default Re: What's the worst condition radio you have reci

An old battery radio was left in the rain and the cabinet fell apart. I was given a pile of wood and rusty chassis. Took time but turned out ok.

Norm
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Old 17th Sep 2003, 6:24 pm   #4
Paul Stenning
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Default Re: What's the worst condition radio you have reci

I have bought some absolute no-hopers in auctions for a pound or two for the parts. Like a Bush VHF80 with half a cabinet which cost me £1 - I wanted the tuning scale and also got a set of good valves, output trannie, speaker, knobs, dropper etc....

Sticking to sets that were restorable, the worst was probably my Murphy A242. The cabinet was falling to pieces, had woodworm and was rotten in one corner. The chassis was reasonable, but needed a lot of new valves. It was an interesting restoration project!

http://www.vintage-radio.com/recent-...y-a242-2.shtml
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Old 17th Sep 2003, 6:37 pm   #5
Tim
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Default Re: What's the worst condition radio you have reci

This has to be a draw between an Alba 461 and Murphy AD32.
The Alba is falling apart, partly through the effects of damp but also has more woodworm holes than wood and crumbling rubber wiring. It is currently in quarantine and will more than likely end up as a breaker.
The poor Murphy has a fairly intact cabinet but is missing( ready, here goes......) output valve, knobs,dial lamps,smoothing capacitors,speaker,dropper resistorand volume control/mains switch. It was the second valve set I ever obtained so will probably get done one rainy day. Both these were " freebies " .
I also have an old Philco midget with a built in clock, but this dosen't really count as it is only a chassis!
Happy collecting.
Tim





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Old 19th Sep 2003, 7:43 pm   #6
quantum
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Default Re: What's the worst condition radio you have reci

Probably my worst condition set for restoration was the Cossor mentioned in the 'Success Stories' section - I've had sets which have been even more damaged, or more parts missing or falling apart cabinets, but these sets are stripped down, not restored. I suppose that I've been fortunate in that no friends or relatives have given me impossible sets to restore...
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Old 4th Oct 2003, 4:37 pm   #7
joe
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Default Re: What's the worst condition radio you have reci

I would never normally pay more than about £30 for a set but I had the opportunity to pick up a Philco peoples set for £50 and a round Ekco for £100 from the same guy.
The Philco looked as if it had left in the rain for a year. The chassis is thick with rust to the extent that i cannot get the screening cans of the valves, the speaker cone is 3/4 missing and the plywood baffle its mounted on is disentegrating from water damage, the tuning gang is growing some sort of white powder from the vanes, the back is missing and the dial is not to healthy either although this is not uncommon on these sets. Amazingly the cabinet is OK apart from being in need of Tcut, polish etc.
I like a challenge and I reckon of got one with this.
The Ekco is in better shape - but only just.
Oh ! by the way I did see what they were like before I bought them.

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Old 4th Oct 2003, 6:09 pm   #8
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At first I saw the words " Round Ekco for a hundred quid " . I kinda knew there'd be a catch somewhere.
Good luck with it Joe, it'll be well worth the effort.

Tez.
 
Old 18th Oct 2003, 7:37 pm   #9
avro
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Default Re: What's the worst condition radio you have reci

Last week I got a Grundig 5079 from Germany. It is one of those big German tabletops with a record player in the top. The set looks like it was lovingly cared for and the chap I bought it from (for £18 ) packed it well with lost of insulation padding but without bubble wrap. He even included the Docs and original manual and some 50s British Coins. It arrived last week and there were no marks on the box which was marked fragile (in several places. My heart sank when I heard the broken glass. The dial (which judging from the pieces was in good shape) was totally smashed and the plastic surrounds were also broken. The cabinet and the chassis seem in very good shape. Looks like I will be looking for another one for some spares!

Brian
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