1939 (?) Zenith Model 7S363 Radio - Estate SCORE!
 

OK.. so it wasn't a real deal.. I got it for $150, and it needs some serious internal work.. BUt I did get some other real deals this morning (See my Estate Sale Score Thread) so I don't feel so bad for the price I paid if I include it in a package price...

I am having problems posting pictures that I've roatated, so I posted them to my Flickr account. Besides, there, you can view the pictures full size unlike here. This is too nice to show you reduced sized pictures. You can brows the pictures on the right side, and use the button above the picture to view full size..

Any info you can give me would be great. Like where to find the missing button lables, and who in the DC area might work on these?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dc-duo/...7601529063635/


:thmbsp:

She's a beaut! Great condition.

Thanks.. gonna rub down the finish with linseed and ipa mix and see how much of the shine comes back, unless someone has something beter to use?

The dial doesn't work, and the buttons on the right seem to not want to work correctly? and of course. all wiring is bad.. Not sure if I want to learn how to repair this myself, or if I will send it out.. which is probably the smart thing to do.. :yes:

Nice find and beautiful cabinet! :thmbsp: Appears to be "Art Decco" style which was real popular during the late 30s and early 40s. One popular version of it was called "Waterfall". We had a bedroom set in Art Decco style, but got ruined in storage.
Hope you can get her going again musically! :music:

It was pertty wild how many people showed up just because of it. There were two couples both upset because I managed to get in the door before they did. I was waiting before the sale even started :) Another caught me outside after I had carried it out and said So you're the one that beat me to it.. he looked at it for a while, and said he never had one, but really wanted to try and get it... but he didn't have the interest in fixing it.. just as a decoration...

I will get it running.. one way or another.. I'm sure it will end up costing me :(.. but it's worth it to me... I've always wanted a very early working radio. and the fact this has all the other bands on it was just the added bonus and treat, and made it worth the little extra I paid for it. I know once I get it working, it will probably never be worth what I have in it, but I'm sure the fun it will bring will be well worth the cost.. :)


Now, hopefully, someone that knows something about this raidio, or about similar radios will tell me what's best to do..

The cabinet is the important thing, and this one looks solid.

I don't know any techs in your area. If you're willing to pull the chassis, you have lots of options for repair.

Check some of the links here on AK and see what you find. Log back in with questions of you don't find anyone. I can look in my files.

Similost,
Congrats on your purchase. Its a beautiful set! The linseed oil treatment should do wonders for the finish. Even if you can't get it perfect.. its ok its a 68 year old radio :). If your tempted to refinish be aware that getting that finish correct is an artform and should not be done by someone not familiar with how to get it right. Personally I think it wonderful as it is.

I think the following place has reproduction station indicator inserts for the push button dial. http://www.alanjesperson.com/gn_repr...uction%20Parts

Check out the Mid Atlantic Radio club. They should be able to help you find someone local to fix it.

Steve

I started to clean it with come Murphy's wood soap.. and it's looking really great.. gonna do some searching, but I just don't like the idea of the linseed.. that stuff usually stays kinda sticky.. gonn see if oiling with tung oil is a good idea? then put a paste wax on it.. .the finish actually is in really great shape. just been neglected the last few years it appears..

Thanks for the link about the indicators.. I look real quick and didn't see anything, but they got a long list too.. I'll even call them if I have to.. if nothing else, they would probably know where to find them.. A great place to start :)

Similost,
Your decision. I dilute the linseed oil 50/50 with Turpentine. Wipe it on then wipe if off. I've never tried using Tung Oil on top of Laquer, nor using paste wax so Can't help you there. The 50/50 mix will actually help restore parts of the finish that have discolored. I don't hink Past Wax will help with that.

At the web site you need part number K62-1 I believe. Probably a good idea to give them a call to confirm.

Steve

I've got the boiled linseed, and I know that does turn darker, so that was why I was kinda shy about using that... The Murphy's has been doing a great job removing what looks to be quite a few layers of smoke.. I just tested it in a few areas, and you can tell a difference...

I did see those tabs, and will call them to get them ordered.. I've found a few people that have repaired this model before, and was shocked to see one, the guy had to refinish the case because it was so bad.. and WOW.. what a great looking case. A lot lighter wood color. He also restored the radio in it, and ended up selling the thing for $2200.. WOW.. who'd a thunk...

Starting to make me wonder if it is worth more refinished, or not.. I know usually the original finish is what is so highly prized.. and myself, I would much rather have the original finish than something that looks new.. Either way, I have no intensions of selling this, so I'm leaving it original even if it is worth more refinished.

Wow! That is beautiful. Nice find.

Yes, I feel a bit silly now not mentioning the Murphy's oil soap first. It will do wonders for cleaning up years of waxing and other stuff. I usually use that first as well.

$2200 for one those radios is simply someone not knowing anything about the value of radios. Whereas i would certainly take the money if I could get it. The person that bought that radio got "taken".

To a radio collector the radio will be worth more money if it is original and in very nice condition but "imperfect". To someone just looking for a piece of furniture it may be worth more refinished and "perfect". The "lighter case" on the refinished radio is becuase the refinisher did not know what they were doing and didn't use the correct toning laquers to restore it. To a radio collector that radio was destroyed.

Steve

I can believe all of that... and it's also like me and the wife talk about things... yes, this radio may have only been worth $100 in the state it is in, but what was it worth to us? I have to agree.. for sure not $2200 even if it did look brand new and original.. but to someone, it must have. Maybe some old memories tied to someone?

To me, it's just really cool having something like this, and reading up about it. It does appear I did get one of the more popular and sought after Zenith radios :)

I'm going to go out and do some reading on oiling antique wood and finishes, and see what seems to be the most popular methods. The wax I have used before and it really does help a lot. It helps cover a lot of the scratches. The trick is to use very very little, so that it doesn't build up in the crazing cracks. you're actually just polishing,and trying not to really have any wax left per say..

Here's the link to the one that sold for $2200 ... MY MISTAKE... it's FOR SALE at $2200... sure is perty though...
http://www.radiolaguy.com/Showcase/Zenith7S363.htm

I read the description of the radio at the "radiola guy" website. While I was looking it went from "for sale" to "sold".

In the description the seller says. "The "showroom" quality, color, finish and remarkable woodwork on this set, is correct and just as it would have been when this model was new. Even the velvet blue cabinet interior finish is factory correct."

This is an incorrect statement. Not that the set doesn't look nice, it does. Finished the way it is every 7-s-363 rolling off the assembly line would have looked different do to the wide variation of the grain in veneers used. You can also see where the "stain" applied to some of the wood pieces is not uniform and consistant. This is the problem with applying stain to porous a wood and why they didn't do it. That entire set would have been finished with Toning laqure not individual staining to mach and clear laqure. It would have been labor intensive to do the matching and custom finishing on every set. Remember this was low end console not a high end custom cabinet.

Compair the two pictures below. I think you will agree it is obvious which is the original style finish.

i'm only pointing this out to make sure you understand what your radio looked like when it was new. It looked nothing like that set on the "radiola guy" website.

http://www.oldradiozone.com/models/Z...5-363_1939.jpg

http://www.radiolaguy.com/images/Zen7S363a.jpg

Oh I know and understand that.. I know they would ahve been a lot darker coming off the line.. and I had to chuckle when I read the as original color part.. I knew better.. but.. I must say I do really like the way the wood looks lighter, but mine never will.. it will stay original..

Another thing I had to laugh about... a low end console.. what is funny about that.. back then I'm sure it was compaired to some of the really great quality stuff they had.. but today, if you got something made like this.. you're talking top-o-the-line.. man.. I sure do wished we still had the style and sense we had back then....

I can't wait to get it all cleaned up and working again.. This is probably the coolest electronic item I've ever bought, or probably will ever buy again.. (in other words, I hope a bug hasn't bitten me;))