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#1
10-18-2007, 11:36 PM
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A perfect example of a Real Zenith Transoceanic
I restored this for a customer...who really just doesn't know what he has
The B600: Start to finish it took 4 months. The entire chassis was re-capped, and I had to troubleshoot a variety of nasty little gremlins. A solid state 50A1 replaced the dead ballast tube. The SS replacement was a hand made thing that consists mainly of a regulator which keeps a constant 50ma of current going for the radio --probably better so than its original counterpart. The original filter can was shorted (which destroyed the 50A1 ballast) so I had to mount terminal strips with a custom cap assembly. There is no room underneath the chassis for anything. The selenium rectifier was replaced with a 1n4007 and a 47 ohm dropping resistor. I also bypassed the AC/DC selector switches. The contacts were so badly worn, even the deoxit and repeated re-surfacing didn't make them right. The tuning cap was especially grimy and stuck in places due to lubricants that had long turned to gel. I spent a good hour completely aligning the RF and IF after the recap and sorting out other problems. The amount of steps you have to perform and repeat is mind numbing. Cosmetically the set was a good shape when it arrived, but it looks like new after some cleaning. This is one of the nicest examples I've ever come across or had the pleasure of repairing. Hopefully the owner will enjoy it and not decide to flip it on ebay. Enjoy!
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Jordan 
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#3
10-19-2007, 07:27 AM
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Nice to see these saved. Do you work on other Transoceanics? I have a 3000 (think that's the model - has FM) with no output and the output transistors get hot. It played for some months after I got it with pickup on all bands and then the audio problem. Been sitting there in the "junk" pile for about 2 years and I can not quite bring myself to dispose of it as I'd like to have a good portable SW/fm/am.
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#5
10-19-2007, 10:31 AM
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I tend to stray from the transistorized models. They are a little more crammed and the success rate in the long run is not always worth it to me. The electrolytics can open and cause the output stage to oscillate at high frequency and can destroy the output transistors. You might check to see if they are shorted.
The fact is although the transistorized series are nice collectibles, the older transoceanic series was built at the pinnacle of tube radio technology. The build quality and sensitivity of the older tube TOs far outweighs that of the later transistorized counterparts. However, zenith was pressed by surrounding companies and the public to go the way of the transistor . They feared that their sales would decline of they stuck with the older technology due to the demand for shrinking portable radio. Don't get me wrong, they're still cool sets, I just like the tube stuff better 
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Jordan
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#7
10-19-2007, 03:36 PM
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Quote:
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Just look at those channels whiz on by. - Fred Sanford
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#8
10-19-2007, 04:50 PM
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I know there are a number of units available that are newer but, there is the thrill of having a Zenith Transoceanic on the shelf. You have to be a bit of a vintage lover to understand. In this case, it was something I wanted since I was a kid and for some reason never bought 1 when they were in production. By the time I decided to, they were out of production.
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#9
10-19-2007, 05:40 PM
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I restored a '600 for a friend a couple of years ago: it was in as nice shape as the one shown here. It had lived in a closet for decades. Recapped it, new diode & resistor ILO selenium, etc. Played like a charm and looked like new after a bit of face washing. Great radios to work on and to use.
Reece
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Reece Perfection is hard to reach with a screwdriver.
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