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Console Radio project

Jim_No_Garage

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 15, 2011
Messages
3,305
Location
Millington NJ
Folks:

I'm thinking of buying a console radio and replacing the internals with more modern bits.

I know there was a thread on here where a guy did this already? TLJ someone? Any help would be appreciated finding that thread.

Below is close to what I would be starting with. The case on the one I'm looking at is a little nicer -but not much. True pics are on my dead phone.

Anyone done anything like this?

Cheers

Jim
 

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DrRick

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Joined
Mar 31, 2014
Messages
104
I have an extra console radio (a couple, actually).I'm in New Jersey also. Let me know if you want one.

Folks:

I'm thinking of buying a console radio and replacing the internals with more modern bits.

I know there was a thread on here where a guy did this already? TLJ someone? Any help would be appreciated finding that thread.

Below is close to what I would be starting with. The case on the one I'm looking at is a little nicer -but not much. True pics are on my dead phone.

Anyone done anything like this?

Cheers

Jim
 

gayler

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 22, 2011
Messages
3,272
Location
Lakin Kansas
Don't do it! Have someone fix it! It would.be much nicer! Have someone covert the phono input so you can hook up a CD player.
 

racingtadpole

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 3, 2011
Messages
2,029
Location
The far side of crazy.. but sometimes Australia
Folks:

I'm thinking of buying a console radio and replacing the internals with more modern bits.

I know there was a thread on here where a guy did this already? TLJ someone? Any help would be appreciated finding that thread.

Below is close to what I would be starting with. The case on the one I'm looking at is a little nicer -but not much. True pics are on my dead phone.

Anyone done anything like this?

Cheers

Jim

I believe this is the thread you seek:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=104125
 

stsmytherie

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 16, 2005
Messages
171
Location
VT
I recommend a proper restoration. These were top of the line in their day, inside and out. The electronics are solid and will work if restored correctly.

We found a fairly rare Atwater Kent console in the trash many years ago and had it fully restored by a guy in CT. Totally worth it.
 
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Amrjon

Active member
Joined
Apr 7, 2014
Messages
40
I've got several of these, most in original condition, but one fully restored and with a modern system added as you are considering. I love it. It looks 100% original and I've got the power and lights hooked up the the original Bakelite knobs. Often gives people a shock when I switch it on and they hear the sound it puts out. I'll get a pic tomorrow.

Of course the easy option is to just put a portable wireless speaker inside (bose soundlink or similar). That way you can restore the cabinet and leave the original radio in place if your at all worried about messing with it, but still play whatever music you want.
 
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Amrjon

Active member
Joined
Apr 7, 2014
Messages
40
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
OP
J

Jim_No_Garage

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 15, 2011
Messages
3,305
Location
Millington NJ
I have an extra console radio (a couple, actually).I'm in New Jersey also. Let me know if you want one.

Wow - very nice of you to offer. I haven't moved forward on this project so I might take you up on your offer.


Thanks - I found that thread after a long search. I got the O/P userid wrong . . . Unfortunately the images for the stereo cabinet work are no longer linked properly and he's been offline for several months.

Don't do it! Have someone fix it! It would.be much nicer! Have someone covert the phono input so you can hook up a CD player.

I recommend a proper restoration. These were top of the line in their day, inside and out. The electronics are solid and will work if restored correctly.

We found a fairly rare Atwater Kent console in the trash many years ago and had it fully restored by a guy in CT. Totally worth it.

I've got several of these, most in original condition, but one fully restored and with a modern system added as you are considering. I love it. It looks 100% original and I've got the power and lights hooked up the the original Bakelite knobs. Often gives people a shock when I switch it on and they hear the sound it puts out. I'll get a pic tomorrow.

Of course the easy option is to just put a portable wireless speaker inside (bose soundlink or similar). That way you can restore the cabinet and leave the original radio in place if your at all worried about messing with it, but still play whatever music you want.


Amrjon - I love your radio - that dial is magnificent! Very cool.

This is sort of the audio equivalent of the "barn find" of an original unmolested vehicle. Clean it up and drive it versus modernize it /"hot rod" it.

The model I was looking at didn't really meet my original needs. If I was going to totally reinvent it - I would look for a model with a angled/tilted front so a small touchscreen could be inset and used as a control.

Reading some of the replies quoted above - if the ability to have a line-in audio played through the existing amplifier is viable - that might be a better approach.

I am concerned about getting/keeping a 70+ year old piece of electronics working since the local radio repairman dropped off the scene 20+ years ago.

The GJ sure is a wonderful place - I figured this thread would die after a few days with no activity.

Cheers

Jim
 

nine4gmc

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 24, 2012
Messages
14,357
Location
Dallas
The veneer work on those old cabinets is pretty amazing. Jim, be sure to post up if you move forward with this. :beer:
 

SteveH-CO

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 29, 2014
Messages
283
Location
Southern Colorado
I have restored perhaps a dozen old radios. Most of the time, if you replace the leaky capacitors with modern (high voltage) ones, the radio will work fine. The tubes don't have to work at 100% most of the time, either. You do want to avoid old radios with bad transformers (burned windings), as the transformers are nearly impossible to source. Some very old tubes can be quite expensive ($70 for a used output stage tube)

Also, the really old stuff, like my 1929 Atwater Kent, is TRF, rather than Superheterodyne, so they are touchy on interference and require careful antenna length choice and proper grounding, to work properly. In some ways, I wish they were less temperamental, and in other ways, I'm ok with them being old and clunky.

You might start by restoring a table radio first and learning on a simpler project than a big console model.
 

DrRick

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 31, 2014
Messages
104
Hey Jim,
Just let me know if you want one.
I have a huge collection of tube audio gear and a few old radios.


Wow - very nice of you to offer. I haven't moved forward on this project so I might take you up on your offer.



Thanks - I found that thread after a long search. I got the O/P userid wrong . . . Unfortunately the images for the stereo cabinet work are no longer linked properly and he's been offline for several months.









Amrjon - I love your radio - that dial is magnificent! Very cool.

This is sort of the audio equivalent of the "barn find" of an original unmolested vehicle. Clean it up and drive it versus modernize it /"hot rod" it.

The model I was looking at didn't really meet my original needs. If I was going to totally reinvent it - I would look for a model with a angled/tilted front so a small touchscreen could be inset and used as a control.

Reading some of the replies quoted above - if the ability to have a line-in audio played through the existing amplifier is viable - that might be a better approach.

I am concerned about getting/keeping a 70+ year old piece of electronics working since the local radio repairman dropped off the scene 20+ years ago.

The GJ sure is a wonderful place - I figured this thread would die after a few days with no activity.

Cheers

Jim
 
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