Offered a Crosley set, worth driving 2 hours?

[Airedale]

So I'm going to buy a late 60s Sony that's local, I'm setting up when to meet him. Then the guy offered me a Crosley tv and a Knight radio ( It's a good 2 hours drive) at his parents place up north.

I'm told that he has the knobs in a baggy, but its "somewhere". So they may be lost for good.

Do you think it's worth 4 hours and 20+ bucks worth of gas?

[Electronic M]

With the radio (assuming it's not a farm set) I'd be tempted to get it if all it costs is the driving.

You could also promise that you'll take them off his hands if he brings them back next time he goes there...Gives him more time to go knob hunting too.

[Airedale]

I was too stupid to think about asking him if he could bring them down the next time he visits, thank you.

I'm guessing the tv is early 50s, but the radio is a mystery. Late 40s perhaps?

If he cant find the knobs am I screwed? Are there any repro knobs that would look stock (to someone who doesn't know what the o.e looks like) ?

[Chris K]

Originally Posted by Airedale

I was too stupid to think about asking him if he could bring them down the next time he visits, thank you.

I'm guessing the tv is early 50s, but the radio is a mystery. Late 40s perhaps?

If he cant find the knobs am I screwed? Are there any repro knobs that would look stock (to someone who doesn't know what the o.e looks like) ?

There are several websites that support the hobby with aftermarket control knobs and dials but my experience is these websites run hot and cold...here one day and gone the rest or eager for your business with good communication and then MIA. I once had a reproduction dial for a Philco 90 radio on order for months with a well known site and was told many times it was coming. Then one email came through saying "...they're backordered for another 6 months."
eBay can be a good option as well. Lots of folks selling original parts or donor chassis ect.

[Electronic M]

Several of us (myself included) have boxes of TV knobs, but only half of them do we recognize which TV they belong to. If you can locate a good picture of what was on it (Sam's folder picture, one in someone's collection, etc) one of us might have the knobs.

[Yamamaya42]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

Several of us (myself included) have boxes of TV knobs, but only half of them do we recognize which TV they belong to. If you can locate a good picture of what was on it (Sam's folder picture, one in someone's collection, etc) one of us might have the knobs.

TRIGGER ALERT!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GyBfZ1xLhM

[ronl]

Antiqueradios.com member radio pup has a large selection of knobs available.she supplied the missing knobs for my 651p Farnsworth tv.might be worth a try over there. not sure if she is a member here though. RonL

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by Yamamaya42

TRIGGER ALERT!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GyBfZ1xLhM

Surely you can't be serious?

Lol. A while back I sent my vacuum cleaner collector friend a link to the danger vacuum scene of airplane 2 and told him he needed one of those.

[sean]

From the cabinet style the radio appears to be a 1939 model. I can't find that exact model in the 1939 Allied catalog but there are a couple farm sets with the same cabinet:

1939 Allied Catalog pages 162 & 163

Someone has a photo of what appears to be the same model on their flickr account:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/aa9uc/...bletop_radios/

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Airedale

I was too stupid to think about asking him if he could bring them down the next time he visits, thank you.

I'm guessing the tv is early 50s, but the radio is a mystery. Late 40s perhaps?

If he cant find the knobs am I screwed? Are there any repro knobs that would look stock (to someone who doesn't know what the o.e looks like) ?

The TV isn't that interesting. IIRC, the chassis looks like a Hallicrafters. I wonder if Hallicrafters was making them for Crosley at the time. It might for the CRT, possibly a 17HP4. The cabinet's a little rough, knobs are missing and possibly the back.
The radio is tempting, but it could a farm set, where you have to build a power supply after restoring it.
It's your choice now!

[nasadowsk]

I’d rather it be a farm set. They’re interesting, and something different.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by nasadowsk

I’d rather it be a farm set. They’re interesting, and something different.

That type of farm set is just a portable of the day with a table model cabinet and push buttons and an antenna coil, instead of a loop.
The ad states that it uses a 90 volt B and a 11/2 volt A battery.
If you bought the radio and battery pack together, you saved 40 or 50 cents.

[nasadowsk]

Well, my current house is surrounded by farms, and I own a tractor now, so I guess I need a farm set

(Plus the power goes out here enough. Thanks PPL…)

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by nasadowsk

Well, my current house is surrounded by farms, and I own a tractor now, so I guess I need a farm set

(Plus the power goes out here enough. Thanks PPL…)

I have several farm radios in my collection! An RCA 6BT6, a Coronado 550, made by Kingston radio, a Setchel-Carlson, model unknown and a Philco 643, a small console.
The S-C was a 6 volt vibrator set, converted to AC, as well as the Coronado.
The RCA is a real dandy! You have see the schematic to believe it!

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

The RCA is a real dandy! You have see the schematic to believe it!

The audio section is impressive for a farm set. Looks like they wanted it loud and phono capable... Looks like it could do either 6V off a vibrator or A and B battery if what I'm seeing on nostalgia air is right. It has phono input too. Gotta wonder if there were 6VDC accessory phonos/changers or if they were strictly windup affairs with a magnetic cartridge.

About the only thing I'm not impressed by is lack of an RF stage... Something I've seen in other farm radios.

You get anything in the auction this week Dave?