Interchanging backs on Admiral Bakelite consoles

[Phil Nelson]

I have a 10" Admiral 24A12 console with the Bakelite cabinet, missing its back cover.

A VK member has the back from a 20X122, which appears to have similar but slightly different dimensions.

24A12 mounting holes:

Top side-to-side: 14-5/8"
Bottom side-to-side: 16-1/8"
Top to bottom: 9-13/16"

20X122 mounting holes:

Top side-to-side: 14-1/4"
Bottom side-to-side: 15-1/2"
Top to bottom: 9-11/16"

Here's a photo of his cover:



I'm wondering if anyone has tried swapping back covers and knows offhand whether the cover will work. The cover has slots instead of holes, so the difference in the bottom holes shouldn't matter. I'm not so sure about the other dimensions.

I know that not every Bakelite console used the same back cover. Mine with the 20A1 chassis has a square access hole for the antenna partway up the cover.



The 20X122 has the square access hole near the bottom. That difference wouldn't bother me if I knew that the back would fit otherwise.

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html