Odd 1940 Detrola model 327

[decojoe67]

I came across this one recently in a local antiques mall for a decent price and decided to grab it. As often with Detrola and many other smaller companies, this was obviously a lower cost set. The chassis and dial fit correctly, but it was used in a generic cabinet that had pre-drilled holes for another pushbutton chassis. Oddly, the situation was remedied by plugging these holes with stainless caps. I don't recall ever seeing that before. Looking up the model 327 shows a bakelite set with a narrow dial. It likely is the same chassis, but they expanded the dial plate side to side to fit the large dial lens. It's an oddball for sure. Not a bad set though. 7-tubes and 2-bands. It's had an amateur refinish, but displays fine.
If anyone recognizes this cabinet, which has remnants of the Ingraham label, please let me know.

[decojoe67]

i thought I'd conclude this post with a conformation that the set is a kludged together piece. It's a Detrola model 327 retrofitted into a 1939 Emerson Ingraham cabinet. What's still a mystery is why this dial is so wide as to fit the wide lens, and I cannot find an Emerson model with this particular cabinet.
My repairman will take it in exchange for some basic repair work.

[vortalexfan]

it seems like a lot of the radios you find are franken-radios, which is kind of odd, because I'm wondering if there wasn't someone in your area that maybe didn't like the original cabinets that these radios came in and so they found a radio that had a cabinet that they did like that was close enough size wise to fit the radios they had and just cobbled them together...

What do you think?

[init4fun]

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

....What do you think?......

If this is an open question , I'll answer that "Frankenradios" are likely more common than we'd imagine , and since Joe is in NY I'd bet there are tons of old radios in all shapes and sizes there , so his percentage of running into a Frankenradio would naturally be higher than the average radio collector in someplace more rural . Gotta admit , because of all the dolts who remove the original chassis only to replace it with some bluetooth nonsense , I'd love to win one for the old ways by taking one of those "Thomas Reproductions" modern copies of an old radio and remove the solid state chassis and replace it with a tube chassis

And if this isn't an open question , GFY I answered it anyway

[decojoe67]

I actually already parted with the Detrola in exchange for some chassis service. As rule I'm a purist with antiques, so any cheap Frankenset I get on a lark eventually gets weeded out in a trade. Out of my 125 piece collection, the closest I come to a Frankenset is 2 or 3 with similar, yet incorrect knobs. Even with those I'm on the look-out for the correct one's all the time.
I'm finding that at this point in time you have to be very careful about what you're buying. Cobbled sets/refinishes from the '80's have an aged patina and you can be fooled. Recently I saw a beautiful uncommon cathedral radio for sale and learned it had a totally wrong chassis in it with the front panel heavily modified to accept it.
I would recommend to any new radio collector to do a lot of research before buying anything. Even with my 35+ years as a serious radio/TV collector, I get fooled buying something that I'm not familiar with.

[Electronic M]

I've been known to make frankensets out of 2 similar ones...case in point a Philco 37-60 is only different from a 37-61 in the graphics on the dial scale, and the tuning knob/shaft. The 60 has a single speed knob the 61 has a 2 speed dual concentric tuning knob. My 60 has good photofinish and was restored, but the 61 was basically a basket case. You can swap the geared tuning knob shafts between the two easily since only 2 screws hold the shaft on...the 1/2" tuning shaft hole on the 60 cabinet had to be drilled out to accommodate the 3/4" tail of the knob. Unless you have had 2 of these side by side like me you'd never know the difference, and upgrading it to a 2 speed concentric tuning knob makes it a more premium set.

Many people make 1 good set out of 2 bad ones of the same model and mix revision variations between production runs of models... how much of that you can tolerate depends on your taste.

[decojoe67]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

I've been known to make frankensets out of 2 similar ones...case in point a Philco 37-60 is only different from a 37-61 in the graphics on the dial scale, and the tuning knob/shaft. The 60 has a single speed knob the 61 has a 2 speed dual concentric tuning knob. My 60 has good photofinish and was restored, but the 61 was basically a basket case. You can swap the geared tuning knob shafts between the two easily since only 2 screws hold the shaft on...the 1/2" tuning shaft hole on the 60 cabinet had to be drilled out to accommodate the 3/4" tail of the knob. Unless you have had 2 of these side by side like me you'd never know the difference, and upgrading it to a 2 speed concentric tuning knob makes it a more premium set.

Many people make 1 good set out of 2 bad ones of the same model and mix revision variations between production runs of models... how much of that you can tolerate depends on your taste.

Well put. I actually only have one customized set. I had a Kadette Cameo that I was determined to make a gem out of. I ended up with two parts sets in the end. I realized that I could could make another good one, but it would have to be painted. I gave it a period "Nile" green color that contrasts with the black knobs and cameo's. That's as far as I go. It's my own creation so I can appreciate it, but it's not one I would actually buy.

[Titan1a]

Sounds like my Philco 116B with 122 console chassis I'm listening to now or a friends Zenith 8S154 in a 6S145 console. They fit but the 116 baby grand is really, really HEAVY!!