Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

My rule of thumb is to just replace all caps as a matter of course.. the old saying in vintage radios is that the caps have already failed, or they're about to... they're cheap enough, the main deterrent is labor/time.

I'm at a decision point on my 54 Signal Seeking radio to have it restored and converted to 12v -G (from 6v +G), or just have it sent out to be gutted and a modern radio conversion board installed in the chassis.

So far based on estimates I have got back, the conversion board is the cheapest option and gives me FM in addition to the AM.

The downsides to conversion is it's a one time thing so no going back if originality or a future owner is a concern. As another poster found, if the conversion is done some boards or methods are apparently proprietary and can't be repaired just anywhere. I believe he wound up having to get a new unit because his inoperative one was unfamiliar. The 12v conversion might be a reversible thing but not the entire box.

I am going to restore mine but either have a line input added or else go with the RediRad unit if I do it myself.http://www.rediscoveradio.com/ Either would give more source input options. Of course that won't offer stereo but I can live with that.

If a capacitor is faulty there will be a symptom. If there weren't symptoms then they wouldn't do anything. Nothing in this discussion has indicated to the uninitiated what those capacitors are there for.

If you took your car to a shop and the diagnosis for a "coast down stall" (dirty throttle plate) was "replace all parts" would you continue?

For the fellow who is thinking about a modern radio consider my suggestion about installing and auxilliary input. That might be a good test about whether one of these radio experts knows what he's talking about.

For example:

"Hey could you put an auxiliary input into my radio so I can play an FM protable or CD player? AM doesn't have enough trash on the airwaves."

If they answer is they don't have a clue then shop somewhere else.

Quote:

Just a thought. If the radio still works, another option is to get that 12 to 6v voltage reducer/regulator sold on ebay (item 141140317295) for $70 and keep the radio stock. You could then add the RediRad for any number of choices besides AM and FM.

Sadly, while it lights up, I get no sound of it, not even static. So gotta figure it's DOA.

Absolutely not DOA.

If you look at the wiring diagram for the radio the lamp is before the radio vibrator and high voltage power supply.

If the vibrator is working you should hear a low pitch hum.

If you don't hear a thing go to the 7Y4 rectifier tube and check the voltages as per the chart. If there is no voltage then the power supply needs work.

If there is nothing a new solid state vibrator might just bring the whole unit into working order.

The vibrator is a mechanical device a highly subject to failure.

Hope this helps.

After that follow the voltage chart in the wiring diagram
to isolate where there is an open/faulty component.

+1 for the RediRad option-- I've had mine for a year and a half and absolutely love it. Easy install, works as designed, and gives the option of playing great music (rather than just the news and foreign language stations).

When I got my '52 Patrician, the radio was like BigKev's-- lights but no sound at all. A local guy in Hawthorne who does a bunch of radios for the Studebaker club took it home and had it back to me in just a few days-- working and sounding great--for about $200.

As long as someone hasn't been in there and botched a previous repair, it should be repairable, and probably easily.

Making slow progress in this cold weather. Finally found the fuse holder-fuse is ok. Now to get the radio out! Two wires behind the unit-will probably cut them. I assume the antenna is pull out connector. I have found someone local that has offered to hold my hand in fixing this thing. The biggest surprise was to find the Sam diagram etc on line at this web site-thank you Big Kev!

Well-got the radio out-found bad vibrator and bypass cap. Also added some cap to the amp section-radio now works! Question-this radio uses a variable inductor instead of a variable cap for tuning. The tuning section with the freq pointer etc-has anyone been successful in removing the chrome face to service this area? It appears the pointer has a metal linage connector to the slugs.