'57 Zenith Z1511B "rocket-pod" TV
 

I just finished doing a full clean-up of this newly acquired TV, and the chassis has been fully restored. It has a definite period automotive influence in the design with the side pods.
With the turquoise and white color scheme it is a quintessential '50's TV in my opinion.
http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/...ps53df0b7f.jpg

Show #1 of The Outer Limits looks good on your Zenith.

These are more commonly know as "bug eye" sets and you have a beautiful example :thmbsp:

Yes, very beautiful set. Kinda looks like the back end of this. It isn't mine, just a picture from "the auction site".

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...pse67465b5.jpg

Pretty !!

First, thanks for all your comments.
Yes! Your correct. That is the first "Outer Limits" episode! Very cool story. I just got the whole box set. Watching these classics on a classic set it such a cool experience!

Title is, "The Galaxy Being."

I had a 16mm print of it once.

Your Zenith looks incredible. I saw these TV's when they were very young in lots of homes.

Thanks. You can just see this set on a brass stand in a homes den in the day surrounded by Danish-modern furniture. The earliest TV's I can remember was the early suitcase sets still being used in the early '70's.

My baby does not have bug eyes, but her front end does appeal to me! :D

Plus I can fit a few sets in her trunk!!!! Maybe even a combo.

That is a good looking set, love the color scheme.
I have one too but it's a boring Beige color.

http://www.vintagetvsets.com/images/zenith1.jpg

I'm in SERIOUS Lust..4-door hardtop Roadmaster...Don't get much better than that..

Sandy, it is actually the 4-door hardtop Century. WISH I had the Roadmaster!

DecoJoe, your Zenith looks gorgeous! Great job!

Thank you.
Years ago I wouldn't have even considered acquiring a TV from this era, but now they are really looking like classics! They are so much more enjoyable to watch too than most of the finicky '40's sets.

You can detail my sets anytime. It must've been pretty clean to begin with.
I did a careful job cleaning my sets, but they didn't come out that nice.
Great find! Those are heavy beasts, even without a power transformer.

Those Zenith bugeyes seem to be rare on this side of the US.

That one looks very good too.

RCA sets can be had easily and I would gladly trade one of my 5.

Thanks. My "thing" is detailing these old radio and TV cabinets. I have done a few for other people in the past. The trick is in the buffing. Use several products and buff the finish very vigorously and repeatedly each time. You'd be surprised at how many seemingly permanent looking mars will just disappear.
On this set I used non-pumice Go-Jo, Barkeepers Friend, fine automotive buffing compound, metal polish, and finished with a light spray and buffing with furniture polish. The set was very dirty and covered with buff-marks and scratches, but with each step it looked better and better. It's a work-out for your arms, but is worth the effort!

That is a really really really nice tv.... I like those metal tv's even if they are just beige....

Now is the time to acquire these. Even fully electronically restored they go for reasonable prices. They may be less stylish than pre-1950 sets, but they play so well and are a ball to watch classic movies and Sci-Fi on.
I must say that I lucked-out with the color scheme on this one. It seems the more subdued colors were bigger sellers with conservative '50's buyers - considering how many you see these days!

I scored this 17" Bugeye from Goodwill for something like five or ten bucks, it's also a dull color scheme but it worked right out of the box!
It' missing the little knobs on top like so many of these are but I can't complain.

That is one good-looking and Clean set!

Very nice example! It may have a duller color scheme, but it looks great. It's amazing how that earlier ('56) "bug-eye" model seems the same as my later ('57) version until you look closely. Even the "Z E N I T H" lettering is more space apart on mine. Lot's of subtle differences.

The set was in decent shape, but the usually very dirty, scuffed/scratched case. As I mentioned earlier, I spent hours buffing out the original paint and doing a detailed paint touch-up. It came out way better than I expected. I had actually planned to re-paint the ivory top panel it looked so worn!
Joe