a beat up old RCA roundie
 

Rescued was perhaps the wrong action to take.
The old beast that was posted over at the early television website lived reasonably close, so I went after it. It's a CTC 7 or 9. Miserable shape.
Probably should have offered to borrow a shovel and bury it for the folks that gave it away. Don't really know what the hell to do with the thing. Definately not a candidate for restoration.
Should be able to salvage the knobs, the safety glass and the CRT.

Too tired today. I'll post pix of this pitiful old beast maybe Monday eve.

I had a metal-cased CTC-9 in the shape you're describing, and I was about to throw it out when another AKer stepped up and said he'd save it... HE DID! So you never know. Mine was found at a construction site, banged around by tractors, concrete splattered all over it, and naturally been out in the rain for awhile.

Charles

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I'd be willing to take a chance on it if I weren't so far away.

I had emailed them about it but I guess you had already gotten it. I would be interested in taking it if you decide that you don't want to fool with it. I like basket cases. How is the CRT?

Glad to see this saved, it's like 300 miles from me. That is waaay too far to go for a basket case.

Here are some pix
 

What do you think? Restorable?

I have seen many radios in far worse condition that have been restored.

Don't know about this old monster though.

She is rough, although what the heck to do with the cabinet is the biggest challenge. No way to duplicate that "oak" finish. Maybe paint it a solid color. Didn't RCA have a -7 in black?

Haven't checked the CRT yet. May try that later tonight.

Tried to remove the knobs. No luck. Hate to try and force them lest they crumble.

Ideas anyone?

more pix

Good find, if for the parts alone! I have pulled 2 RCA roundies out of junk piles, a CTC-7, and a CTC-5 Special. The 7 had a poor cabinet, but:thmbsp: fairly good 21CY, and an intact, but slightly waterlogged chassis, and the 5 had a smashed CRT, and convergence components, as well as the def. yoke, but when I restored a DeLuxe 5, many parts came in handy, like odd value resistors, etc. I have a poor, beat-up 10 chassis sitting on a shelf just waiting to donate parts for repair of a restorable set.
Sometimes junk turns out to be "junque"!
Kevin

BTW, If you plan to restore it, let us know what you need. Maybe I can supply something to help. I don't have a "stockpile" of 7 parts, but I will help if I can. In the opinion of some folks, that was the first reliable RCA chassis, and the first to hold convergence adjustments after RCA finally got smart and used wire-wound pots for the convergence circuits, rather than carbon, which as other forum members can attest, increase in value, and literally burn up.
Kevin

It doesn't look too bad. I've seen sets in worse shape brought to life.

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I think it's worth restoring
 

Looks great to me.

Someone should save it. As noted above, I too have seen worse than that be brought back from the dead. At least, keep the chassis!

Definately restorable! It will take some work but it is doable. I recently acquired a CTC4 console. It is the Director model. It was in a leaky shed down south for years. The entire mahogony veneer cabinet has delaminated. ALL, yes ALL, every bit of the mahogony veneer and 80% of the plywood has delaminated. My only recourse will be to completely rebuild the exterior of the cabinet. I will be able to save the frame, but all of the mahogony cabinet ply panels will have to be replaced, including the top. Even the front will have to be re-veneered. I will restore it electronically first before attempting the cabinet.

I would suggest before you do anything cosmetic, you get the set running to your satisfaction. I have made the mistake of doing the cabinet first only to find out there are major impediments to getting the set opperational.

As far as the cabinet... I would do the black lacquer paint job and forget about the fake woodgrain. There is no way I know of to replicate it short of having a very tallented artist hand paint the thing and even then it will never look like it did as it came off the line.


Good save, and good luck