[kiwi_steve]

Well, I couldn't help myself.  Never seen one of these before and it kind of just asked me nicely to buy it... Seems they might be a little bit rare?  According to the gallery there were only 7500 made, including the battery sets... Is there a near enough approximation in grille cloth available for these?  It almost looks a little like the 60 style but not quite.

Interestingly enough - it looks to have the same speaker plug the 38 I got the other day has... feast or famine!  I'd never seen an early Philco with a speaker plug on it until about a week ago - now I own 2!

I should be all good for radios to restore now for a while... as if I wasn't already

   

   

[palegreenthumb]

It can't be all bad. It's got a spider knob on it. :-)

I think it's the only 9-point knob in the biz. Only one I know of, fer sure.

[kiwi_steve]

Yep, I like the look of that tuning knob.

D**n, the service info for this radio is also rare it seems - nothing on Audiophool, and the Nostalgia Air one is in very poor shape. Might be a job for Chuck to sort for me...

[Ron Ramirez]

Steve

Great find! Is that a model 97, or model 98E? The 98E is similar to the 97, I think, but was made only for export.

Grille cloth - this pattern was being reproduced at one time. Radio Daze has brought it back. Although it doesn't look quite the same as the cloth John Okolowicz was selling when he was in the business, it is a reasonable substitute.

http://www.radiodaze.com/grille-cloth-05-item-grc05/

Unfortunately it is listed as being "on backorder." Hopefully they will be restocking this pattern.

If they get more in stock, the green threads should run top to bottom, not side to side as shown in their photo.

[kiwi_steve]

Steve

Great find! Is that a model 97, or model 98E? The 98E is similar to the 97, I think, but was made only for export.

Grille cloth - this pattern was being reproduced at one time. Radio Daze has brought it back. Although it doesn't look quite the same as the cloth John Okolowicz was selling when he was in the business, it is a reasonable substitute.

http://www.radiodaze.com/grille-cloth-05-item-grc05/

Unfortunately it is listed as being "on backorder." Hopefully they will be restocking this pattern.

If they get more in stock, the green threads should run top to bottom, not side to side as shown in their photo.

Its a 97E, and in pretty good order.  The cabinet needs refinishing, but not badly.  I can't find any trace of the green trace in the cloth... it will be interesting to see if its there under the fretwork and is just faded...  I think I may just get it working for now and give the cabinet a bit of a spit'n'polish

One thing I will say is that it's about the heaviest radio I have in my collection.  Its scary heavy!

   

It was an unusual find... I've never seen one before and had to do a double-take on it.  Push-pull 42's - I hope they are ok, my 42 supply is getting low...  I'll pop it in the Philco pile beside my 89B, my 38A, my 37-640, my 37-630, my Hippo, my roll-top portable and my alarm-clock radio... I think thats it for Philco's at the moment!... I may strip the mustard tomorrow.  Am I right in thinking that because the 38A's got the old pressed metal escutcheon it had no decal?

[KCMike]

  I like that style of cabinet. Should be a good looker when restored.

[Ron Ramirez]

I can't find any trace of the green trace in the cloth...

It's there, just faded. You *might* find traces of it on areas that were not exposed.

Am I right in thinking that because the 38A's got the old pressed metal escutcheon it had no decal?

Correct.

[Radioroslyn]

That one really clean compared the other Philco's you've posted. Some of the mid level sets use the 42's p/p with that screen grid phase inversion. The fancier ones use the 42's triode connected w/ another 42 in the driver seat. You can go though a lot of 42 tubes pretty quick. Nice find!!

Terry

[Kenneth F. Besso Jr.]

 You say scary Heavy,,,WOW,,---scary 230 volts,,,I say

[kiwi_steve]

I can't find any trace of the green trace in the cloth...

It's there, just faded. You *might* find traces of it on areas that were not exposed.

Am I right in thinking that because the 38A's got the old pressed metal escutcheon it had no decal?

Correct.

Thanks... I'll check when I start stripping it... and good to know I don't need to use one of my decals...

That one really clean compared the other Philco's you've posted. Some of the mid level sets use the 42's p/p with that screen grid phase inversion. The fancier ones use the 42's triode connected w/ another 42 in the driver seat. You can go though a lot of 42 tubes pretty quick. Nice find!!

Terry

Yes, its pretty straight for its age... I'm not planning on doing too much to it other than getting it going for now, but it will need grill cloth if I can find some.

I think this one uses a transformer for phase inversion... so many transformers... so much copper... and I suspect a 1/2" thick lead sheet in the bottom somewhere too!

 You say scary Heavy,,,WOW,,---scary 230 volts,,,I say

230V isn't scary... we use half the current you guys do so the actual power draw is the same.  And its about the same as the HT in most radios so its not like it hurts any more or less 

[radiohenry]

Steve,
 That's a nice looking radio. The spider knob really sets it off I think.
                                                  Henry

[kiwi_steve]

Well, it goes (see the thread in the electrical restoration section) - and the correct-ish grill cloth Ron pointed out is in stock but only in a big piece... which I don't really need - but short of putting the wrong stuff in there and being shunned by Philco people everywhere (  ) I don't see an option... I'm sure I can find a use for the rest in other radios where the original cloth is either not available or where it doesn't matter so much.

I'm thinking I might leave the cabinet completely alone... I wonder what briwax over lacquer would do... I wonder if this is the right radio to find out? I really just want to clean it up a little (its beyond gojo on the shoulders but the front panel is in pretty good original shape) and try to hide the missing lacquer a bit without having to fully refinish the cabinet.  I might try the briwax in a corner somewhere just to see.  Or maybe a coat of shellac would do... another corner, another trial 

The shadowmeter isn't operating correctly... that still needs pulling apart yet... I'll do that tomorrow I think.

But it goes!  I've got a couple of new valves coming for it... and I now officially have no 42's left without robbing them from other sets... my valve guy has none left either... 

Did I mention... it goes!