$5.00 Zenith
 

Picked this up yesterday locally for 5 bucks. Dated from 1986 on the rear tag, I found it to be pretty clean inside for a set coming up to 30 years old. This is a no-frills set, but makes a pretty good picture. I've been running it all day long and the picture and sound seem to be pretty stable with good color. As far as I can tell, it works perfectly with no issues.

I don't usually go for these sets, but for 5 bucks, I couldn't help myself.

The screen-shot photo does not look as good as the set does in person.

Wow that set was made when I was born. :)

Yah, $5. that's one of those price tags that you think wouldn't get you in trouble....

I would have bought it for $5. From '86, it probably uses the 9-181 main module. That cabinet style is a carry-over from the late '70's-early '80's.

Cant go wrong for $5. Problem is, if you ever want to sell it, who is going to give you $5 for it ?
haha

late 70s,early 80s plain jane sets.when the crt is good,they make a very nice picture.good score!

Maybe I can just hang on to it for another 20 years and then put it on ebay.

American Pickers?

I don't know. Out here in the sticks where I live, there are a lot of people looking for used stuff. I've been told that household furnishings sell well out here.

Several months ago, I bought a new kitchen stove. The old one was from the late-70s and used pilot lights. I knew the pilot lights were burning my propane away, so I bought a new stove with the electric start and put the old one on CL for 50 bucks. It was gone in 24 hours! Some older gentleman came by with cash in hand and was tickled to get that old stove.

Maybe I will try this with the Zenith... just for giggles. CL ads are free, so I wouldn't be losing anything. Ya never know... it just might sell... and maybe I can make two or three dollars profit! :D

Ya done GOOD...

Nah, those guys are cheap !

We use virtually the same set here for our "Soap Opera" TV. It comes on with the bench and goes off with the bench. Great find for five dollars! Mine was a package deal from an elderly lady for this and a NC chassis Zenith console which has become another favorite of mine!

I remember those sets. They were very simple with few features but they were reliable, well made and had a great picture. That is one of the last true quality Zeniths. It is well worth keeping.

Not one of my dream sets, but well worth hanging onto. Nice score.

I had a 1982 19" in the same exact cabinet. Correctly described as a "plain-jane" model, the picture was excellent and it was one hell of a VHF DXer as well!

I think the '87 models switched to a different style cabinet and used the single board 9-470 module. I had one from around '87-'88 and they were not as good as the older sets. I think they were, however, the last knob tuned Zenith's offered.

Barring a sale to the pickers, try to have it featured on there as the whole thing is staged anyway. Its perceived value will skyrocket.

If it has the 9-181 module, I'd definitely keep it. I always thought that main board was one of Zenith's better efforts in the 80's.

A $5.00 Zenith?

Wasn't that the manufacturer's cost of a Z-TAC ST-1083 or ST-1085 "Descrambler"?

Ahhhh... Zenith... I remember them well. Where the name went on before the parts went in!

No, that's the way it is today. The slogan was "The quality goes in before the name goes on".

I bought three of those sets, in a four year span. Two 13's and one 19".
The first two were made in Springfield, Mo. and the other in Mexico. All three of them used the 9-181 main board. All three had the knob tuners, as all of them were used with a cable convertor.
It was a long run for the same basic design. :thmbsp:

I think I saw a label inside this one that said Springfield.