RCA, Westinghouse and a Sonora

[bandersen]

A friend just dropped off these three sets he picked up in Indiana for $75.

The RCA console has a KCS-47A chassis and 16GP4
The middle set is a 10" Westinghouse H-196. I think it has a couple RCA knobs stuck on it.
I figure it's gonna be tough to find a full set of correct knobs for it

Finally, a 12" Sonora 302 on the right. It also has no knobs.

All the sets are rough and the condition of the CRTs is unknown.


Here are some more photos of the Sonora. I'll investigate further tomorrow when I have some daylight.


And here's the back of the H-196.

[Magnavox300]

Neat old sets-
Are you fixing them for your friend, or are they yours now?

[bandersen]

They're mine now for better or worse. I'm not sure what I'll do with the RCA, but I will try to restore the other two. The Sonora is especially interesting.

Here's the Sams schematic: http://www.earlytelevision.org/image...2-303-Sams.pdf
I also found it in Riders vol 5 which has a little more info including alignment instructions.

[Eric H]

I've got that same Sonora, a pretty decent performer with an oddball variable tuner.

[bandersen]

Great, I was hoping someone else had a Sonora. I haven't been able to find very much info online and no pictures at all. Do you have any pics of your set ?

I'm especially curious about the knobs and the speaker which I think is missing from mine.

[raddios]

Sharp tvs i like them all

[Sandy G]

Me Likey !

[kvflyer]

For what it's worth, I think that the cost of them is what our hobby costs us. Whether we restore them or not, in today's $$$s, $75.00 isn't a lot of dough. I often buys stuff just to mess about with it and never, never feel that I am even breaking even. I often strive for good cosmetics first because that is what is so hard to find. (except COLOR television flybacks which are scarce ) etc. Think that they were $25 each and surely, there are at least parts worth that much...

[Eric H]

Here's a picture I snagged off eBay a while back.

I'll get you some more detailed pictures of the knobs later.

[Sandy G]

Y'know, what DIFFERENCE does it really make what this stuff costs ? It gives so many of us PLEASURE to restore & keep these old sets- & how can you put a price on that ? Plus, if you believe as I do, that we really don't "Own" these sets, but are merely "Stewards" of them for awhile, we should to the best we can to keep them in tip-top shape...The good folks in the year 2525 will prolly thank us...Assuming we're not back to living in caves by then...

[bandersen]

Originally Posted by Eric H

Here's a picture I snagged off eBay a while back.

I'll get you some more detailed pictures of the knobs later.

Thanks for the picture. There was a little bag of knobs stuck in the back of one sets with a couple of those knobs I think.

A friend also found some Sonora photos on this neat website.

[David Roper]

I tried in vain to figure out which episode of What's My Line that is in the color picture. It's from 1955 or 6 anyway.

[bandersen]

I like the nifty antenna and Numechron clock

I went out to the garage and took a closer look at the knobs.
It appears that I do have three of the Sonora knobs. The channel plate is gone though.
I figure that will be impossible to find, but maybe I can replicate one


The Westinghouse channel plate is present but very worn.


Here are the rest of the knobs. Looks like RCA and one random knob.

[Eric H]

The channel plate is actually a rotating part and a rather odd one at that. here's a pic or two.

[Eric H]

Here's a couple of the Westinghouse.

The small knobs are especially difficult since there are two different shaft sizes on this set, also it's nearly impossible to find two the exact same color.

I believe this swirled reddish brown is correct for mine since the channel selector is the same color.

The rear knobs are a little easier, they come in two types though, Reverse painted Plastic and real Brass over Plastic.
The real brass ones look a lot better.