Zenith Trans-Oceanic Royal 7000Y-1

[jwharris]

I picked this up at a "by appointment" estate sale. I was there to look at a box of vintage cameras and she told me everything left in the house was for sale except for a few things that were already claimed through craigslist.

I saw this sitting on the shelf in the garage covered in sawdust. It was still plugged in and she told me her dad didn't leave anything plugged in unless it still worked. I turned it on and it works great.

Since I have gotten it home though, I noticed the plugs that the cord plugs into on the back of the radio are loose and you have to hold the wire for the radio to work.

I cleaned it all up and it looks great. I only paid $5 for it too!

[Electronic M]

Sweeeet!

[Jeffhs]

The Royal 7000 series was the last T/O made by Zenith, and those weren't even made in the US; I think by the time the 7000 came out, the company had moved its radio plant to Taiwan, later Korea, and they left the radio business altogether in the mid-1980s. I had a Zenith stereo system in the early '80s that had been manufactured to the company's standards by Zenith of Korea; I also had a "Target Tuning" AM/FM clock radio in the '70s which was made by the same company. My 1980 Zenith R-70 AM-FM 9-transistor portable was also made in...you guessed it, Korea.

Who knows where "Zenith" branded radios (if such exist anymore, which I doubt) are made these days? Zenith no longer exists in any capacity, so radios (if any) that bear the former company's name and/or lightning-bolt logo are almost certainly products of LG (Lucky Goldstar), the makers of "Zenith" branded televisions.


I have a Zenith TO Royal "1000" (AM and SW only, no FM) from the late '50s that still works well. Even the metal-cased AC adapter (wall wart) still works, which amazes me since this radio is over 50 years old. The dial cord on my TO is broken, but since I don't use the radio that much it isn't an issue at this point.

Heathkit Electronics of Benton Harbor, Michigan was a subsidiary of Zenith in the 1980s, and sold a radio that looked suspiciously like Zenith's later AM/FM/SW TO portables made during that decade -- until Zenith's demise and eventual move to Korea from the Chicago area. Heathkit's model number, however, for this radio was, IIRC, GR-43. Heathkit also marketed a color TV in 1981 that was a dead ringer for one of Zenith's 25" color consoles of that era; I don't recall the model number, either Heathkit's or Zenith's, although VK member NowhereMan1966 might know the Zenith designation as I think he has one of those sets.

[Buzzsaaw]

That is a sweet find.. Good job! And a nice Christmas present for ya.

About Heathkit.. I read somewhere, Maybe QST that some form of a Kit building company of that quality is coming back. (?)... I'll see if I can dig that stuff up again.

I built many Heathkits.. Started in the late 60's and kept building until there demise. My favorite was the Heathkit SB 102 SSB transceiver with it's associated accessories. In fact, it's still on the radio desk here as my Kenwood TS440 is in the shop in ND getting fixed.

Merry Christmas,

Buzz

[radiodayz]

Jeff, I don't think anybody makes Zenith radios any more. Your 1980 model was one of the last ones.

[KentTeffeteller]

This radio you scroed is a genuine Chicago or area built product. And this was really the best TO ever made build wise. Has a BFO for CW and SSB reception, and has FM to boot and still 100% Zenith. The Quality Goes In Before The Name Goes On. The Zenith R 7000 and last R 7000-1 was the last Trans-Oceanic and was imported. The D 7000 Y-1 was the last USA made point to point wired, socketed Real Trans Oceanic made by Zenith. Your set is beautiful.