Vintage cabinet with newer chassis?

howdy,i'm new to the site and i like vintage televisions and radios and what not..i'm pretty much crazy for anything from the 40s or 50s..i'd like to put an older set in my living room,but because of budget constraints and availability and price issues, i'm probably going to find either an already empty cabinet and stick a new tv in it, or get a junker that's beyond repair and do the same.either way,i want to completely hide the new set inside the older cabinet and make it look somewhat stock.some questions i have are : anyone know of a place in or near columbus ohio where i can find a vintage set for cheap/free? and also if anyone knows of a site that could give some tips and hints on doing this. i know this might anger a ton of people, but i'm just askin for a little help.thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
-frank

[Chad Hauris]

Here is info on a nicely done job of what you are thinking of:

http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=17244

kinda..but in that instance it's using the cabinet soley as a cabinet and you can still see the newer tv.i want the new set completely hidden.when you look at it,you almost think it's completley stock.i'm also thinking about figuring out ways of hidding the VCR or DVD player behind the speaker grill...but yeah,that is a nice post..anyone else got any suggestions,links or tips??

[Charlie]

That may be difficult to achieve. The physical deminsions of the front of picture tubes was quite different back then compared to today. There were many different styles... some round, some rectangular, some with more rounded edges, and some with more curvature of the front of the screen. If you find an old cabinet that's in good shape, finding a newer tube to fit good in the old mask would be a challenge. Not saying it couldn't be done... just saying it would probably be hard finding a good match between an old cabinet and newer crt.

[jstout66]

this discussion reminds me of "back in the day" in my Uncle's tv shop. His pet peeve was when a customer would want to buy a new set but want to have him install it in their old cabinet. He would always say "NO way! You can do it, but if you break it the warranty is voided" Some of the people did have really nice old sets, but it would have been too hard to mount the tunars and such.....

[Carmine]

kinda..but in that instance it's using the cabinet soley as a cabinet

Well I would disagree with that, as the TV is mounted in the cabinet, with new mountings for the speaker & controls. True, I did re-use the picture tube mounting, but good luck finding a newer set that will mount in an old cabinet without exposing any of the "new" set.

You've got a number of options here...

First of all, you could take this one for free and install a state-of-the-art HDTV Plasma set, and re-do the cabinet in limed oak.



OR buy one of those reproduction Predictas for big $$$$

OR get something like a 70s vintage solid-state Zenith Chromacolor in an vintage (or space-age) looking cabinet. That's about the only "old-school" set that will give you near-modern performance and reliablity.

Keep in mind that most people here like the idea of gutting an old set about as much as you'd like to see a '57 Chevy at cruise-night with a Kia drivetrain.

oh,believe me,i totally understand your guys' thoughts on gutting a set just for the outside of it.i believe that if something can be salvaged then by all means tinker with it till it's fixed (hell, even the "new" engine in my chevy is still a ' 68!),but i'm sure there are a few junky ones out there that could stand to be completley replaced (hey it beats staring into a black box like has been said before) i'm aware of the differences in the actual tube sizes and am willing to give up some of the size of the screen (slightly larger screen behind smaller opening) as long as it's something i can work on and customize to make my own.the only reason i'm even asking about replacing it with a newer set inside is because i know the odds of finding a cheap,working original set are next to impossible for me,or at least have been so far.if i can find one that's cheap and works,i'll probably keep using it until it WONT work any more,but if that's not possible,i'd still rather look at something old rather than new.once again,thanks for your time,as i'm sure i'm rambling.
-frank

[bgadow]

Many times in a flea market or antique mall I have walked up on a cabinet, with doors, which I just knew was a tv set, only to find that it had been gutted. Pretty common. I would keep my eyes open for one. I saw one in southeastern OH this fall, a big mid 50s combo, a Majestic I think, with only the mask left on the tv side.

[Steve D.]

Hey Hotrod,

If you live in Columbus, Ohio, you may find a vintage cabinet over at the Early Television Foundation Museum in Hilliard. Give Steve McVoy a call or e-mail. He doesn't encourage destroying or modifying vintage sets, but he just may have an old toss away cabinet in the back and perhaps give you some tips. In any case it's worth a visit just to see his amazing collection of early tv's. Phone: 614-771-0510

Email: etf@columbus.rr.com

Address: 5396 Franklin Ave.
Hilliard, Oh. 43026

[Eric H]

Hotrod, here's a guy parting out an RCA set on eBay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...751015177&rd=1

Seems like a shame to me but if it's getting scrapped anyway...

[Carmine]

Auction is for some mounting hardware (a few nuts, washers and rubber grommets) for the speaker in the following vintage TV:... The set did turn on and exhibit a horizontal line. I have decided to try and sell the parts and the cabinet individually as a restoration is simply out of my budget.

That has got to one of the stupidest auctions I've ever seen (with the possible exception to some of the ones I'm running right now, ). This guy must be in Federal Government!

Maybe I'll run one like this...

Auction is for 60 watt lightbulbs (ceiling fans, light fixtures) from my house... The roof has started to leak, and I have decided to sell insignifigant parts of my home because a roof is not within my budget.

WHAT is this guy selling for .96 cents??just rubber grommets or what??i mean,he's got a picture of the CABINET and then he says it's the grommets..?if it's the cabinet,i WANT IT hehe especially for 2 bux shipping.here's a link to a page with a good picture of what the WHOLE tv would look like
http://www.tvhistory.tv/1949-RCA-9TC275-12in.JPG
i just wonder what it is he's actually selling..i wrote him an e-mail and havent recieved anything back

[Carmine]

What he's doing, is looking for a way around the ebay final-value fee. The idea is; somebody will e-mail him to say "How much for the whole thing?" Then he'll say $x.xx. The whole deal goes down outside of eBay, and he saves paying a percentage on a $50-$100 sale.

The other way around the insertion and final value fee is to start it at a penny with a buy it now of a penny......but then set the S&H at say $100 or whatever the seller actually wants for the item. Not that I'D ever do something as sneaky as that! LOL

Anthony

[luvvinvinyl]

Anthony, eBay calls that 'fee avoidance', and will pull your auction, if someone, like a competing seller, reports you for it. Too many repeat offences, and you will get NARU'd. Unless, of course, you are a Power Seller!