From an internet history of The Curtis-Mathis Corp.
A few recollections devoted to color conversion of C-M black and white receivers to color.
"During Vaughans visit to the Athens plant, Curtis Mathes himself announced to the select group of dealers including Vaughan that C-M Corporation had solved a marketing dilemma by introducing a truly convertible color TV. Vaughan notes that during that period, many potential TV customers were reluctant to invest in either another black and white or color receiver. Consumers expected that vastly improved color TVs were on the immediate horizon. Many had chosen to postpone buying a new set until the expected improvements were introduced.
Mathes had a plan to offer a monochrome TV that could be converted to the latest color model at a later date. His company would guarantee a fixed price for the conversion. Thereby, all objections to buying a new TV today would be put to rest.
He proposed to build every Curtis Mathis black and white and color TV chassis the same size with the same number and placement of controls. When a customer was ready to upgrade his Curtis Mathes monochrome receiver to an improved color model, his dealer merely ordered a C-M color TV in an inexpensive, painted metal cabinet. He would slide out the old chassis and replace it with the new color works. The old chassis was now reinstalled in the black metal box and offered for sale on the dealer's floor as a rebuilt TV.
Unfortunately, Vaughan reports, there must have been a few details that needed further attention. That was the first and only time I heard of the revolutionary color convertible TV sets."
Here's a link to the complete page:
http://www.gvtc.com/~edengel/TexRad.htm C
-Steve D.