Radio restoration is a time involved, labor intensive process in which your radio is completely disassembled, fully restored to original factory specifications, and reassembled using only the finest available hand selected parts and craftsmanship.  Every facet is carefully tested to meet exact standards.  This means your restored radio will perform to factory new specifications and remain that way.

First, we completely remove and break down all components.  We separate the tuning mechanism from the circuitry and completely dismantle it.  All parts, including the drive regulator, drive motor, mechanical and electric clutches, relays and switches are ultrasonically cleaned using our three-bath process.  This ensures complete removal of all grease, dirt, and grime at the microscopic level.  Additionally, we dismantle all drive motors and “dress” the armatures on a jeweler's lathe. 

We replace all capacitors and resistors.  The capacitors are high reliability “specification grade”, yielding high temperature, high vibration performance. The resistors are metal film, yielding highly accurate performance in reception capability and superior audio quality.  All of these components have been hand selected for value accuracy and performance parameters.  We exclusively do not merely clip these parts, but rather unsolder and remove them completely.  Experience has taught us the value of this time consuming, but important extra step.  There are many minute flaws in terminals, sockets, and printed circuit boards, either inherent in the manufacturing or as a result of time, that would otherwise not be revealed. 

All new components are also installed with Teflon^® sleeving for additional reliability and environmental stability.  We also replace any other out-of-tolerance components, including tubes, solid state devices, frayed wiring, coils, etc..  All solid state devices are verified via the “curve-tracer” method and replaced if necessary.  A new, solid state, vibrator is installed where applicable.  All tube replacements are American made "new old stock".  Over time, all wire insulation breaks down, crumbles, and disintegrates.  Because of this, we replace all wiring with double-fine stranded, Teflon^®  sheathed, specification quality wire.  Additionally, we also replace all rubber components such as grommets, shock mounts, push-button lever bumpers, clutches, tuning "slug" registers, and any dial drive cords.  

The final reassembly is carefully adjusted to original factory specifications and lubricated using Teflon^®, Lithium^®, and silicon lubricants providing smooth, long lasting performance.

Over time, paint-filled, engraved dial lenses become faded and deteriorated.  Because of this, we remove the old paint, buff the lens to remove scratches and fogging with our three-step plastic restoration process.  We then repaint-fill all engraving.  We also remove and strip the dial pointer and repaint it to factory specs.  

We also strip and repaint dial masks, dial backings, and repaint or reflock bezel interiors.  All chrome work is cleaned and machine buffed and all engraving is stripped and repaint filled.  Case plates and covers are cleaned and bead blasted.

Before

After

The entire electronic circuitry is fully realigned; the i.f. section using the “sweep–oscilloscope” method and the r.f. section using a crystal controlled generator and the “peak” method.  This means the intermediate filter curves have been carefully adjusted for perfect symmetry, yielding the greatest audio fidelity, tuning selectivity, and overall factory new performance.  The power transistor “bias” is set for maximum power and minimum distortion.  For stereo radios, we balance channel amplitude values as well as align and calibrate the "multiplex" decoder, thus assuring maximum stereo separation with absolute minimum distortion.

All completed repairs and restoration are environmentally tested for 24 hours, alternating temperature and vibration.

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