1951 radio issue

[wrench]

I have a push button radio 1951 series 62 sedan. The unit works fine for about a half hour. After that, the audio drops off to inaudible, and I think the monitor light goes off too. I don't think it's cutting off, it seems as if it slowly drops off...what I notice is the audio level drops to where the road noise exceeds the audio, eventually there is no audio and no monitor?

If I shut it off for a while, it comes back and works ok until it drops off again...

Any clues as to what is wrong?

Thanks.

[Walter Youshock]

It's 54 years old.  If it's never been worked on, it could be a tube or, more likely, bad capacitors and possibly a few resistors. 

With vintage home audio, the first thing people do or have done is replace electrolytic capacitors and have the tubes checked.  Bad capacitors can permanently damage a radio.

[wrench]

Thanks Walter, as I was doing the research on the issue before posting, that seems to be valid.

The only work I am aware of, is that the previous owner said he replaced the vibrator.

My guess is that the unit is mostly original.

I would also like recommendations on radio repair outfits that people have had good experiences with.

It looks like I will either have this one overhauled, or buy one that is already overhauled, or buy a core and send it in and have it done, depending on the practicality of each approach.

Thanks

[Walter Youshock]

Depends on what you want when it's done.  You'll still have an AM radio with not much being broadcast on the AM band anymore.  Being a 6 volt system, you'll have to find someone who can work with the lower voltage system.

Personally, I'd have it done to original.  No add on FM converters or ipod inputs.  If you find a shop who knows how to redo it as per original, I'd consider using them.  Most rebuilders want to convert the ststem.  Either they don't know how to do it to original or they're trying to sell you on FM and other gadgetry.

Unfortunately, I really don't know of a vintage car radio repair place.  Maybe United Auto Radio in Syracuse can do it.

[35-709]

Here are 3 I found by Googling "Antique auto radio restoration", there are several more ---

http://dandmrestoration.com/services/radio-repair/

http://www.joesclassiccarradio.com/Resto.html

http://mikehaganantiqueautoradio.com/

[chrisntam]

I'm looking at getting my '70 radio restored.  Pick up a Hemmings Motor News, look in the services offered area, there are probably 15 so places that do radio repair.  I've been calling and "interviewing" them.  One place's turnaround time is 6 months.     Some places can do speakers as well.  As has been said, some will want to convert it / update it, others do factory original.  Sorry, don't have any meaningful feedback to provide for any of them.  I'm tempted, though to send both my radio and my instrument cluster to D & M Restoration, they do both............

chris.

[bcroe]

I'm looking at getting my '70 radio restored.  Pick up a Hemmings Motor News, look in the services offered area, there are probably 15 so places that do radio repair.  I've been calling and "interviewing" them.  One place's turnaround time is 6 months.     Some places can do speakers as well.  As has been said, some will want to convert it / update it, others do factory original.  Sorry, don't have any meaningful feedback to provide for any of them.  I'm tempted, though to send both my radio and my instrument cluster to D & M Restoration, they do both............
chris. 

As mentioned capacitors that old should be replaced wholesale.  A leaky cap can
put too much voltage on the next stage and damage a tube.  Computer grade caps
today are considerably better quality than back then. 

Haven't done an instrument cluster quite that old.  But 60s and 70s I generally find
the gauges are good; the wiring (circuit board) they connect to has aged high
resistance connections.  It doesn't take a specialist to clean these up; I often solder
across poor connections or add some wires in parallel with marginal ones.  Bruce Roe