Motorola TS-4 production data
 

As I've acquired several Motorola sets using one of the TS-4 chassis variations, I noticed they have a serial # stamped on them and usually a date. Assuming that date is the production or assembly date, I starting accumulating data from wherever I could find it. Some kindly provided by Videokarma members, some from eBay photos, some from restoration diary websites.

Here's what I have so far including some TS-18 (TS-4 successor) data. The TS-18 serial numbers seem to start with 300,000 and the dates were reduced to 1M50, 2M50, 3M50 etc towards the end of it's life.
It's a shame the earliest TS-4 examples don't seem to have a date anywhere on them.

TS-4 serial # 2425 ( ??? ) My set :)
TS-4 serial # 4703 ( ??? )
TS-4 serial # 5680 ( ??? )
TS-4D serial # 14025 (Mar 10, 1948)
TS-4D serial # 16368 (Mar 17, 1948)
TS-4D serial # 23149 (???, 1948)
TS-4D serial # 23723 ( ? 24, 1948)
TS-4D serial # 24969 ( ??? )
TS-4F serial # 29295 ( ??? )
TS-4F serial # 32608 ( ??? )
TS-4G serial # 42021 (Jun 24, 1948)
*** TS-4G serial # 20430 (Jun 25, 1948)
TS-4H serial # 38641 (Jun 20, 1948)
TS-4H serial # 43109 (Aug 4, 1948)
TS-4H serial # 45354 (Jul 26, 1948)
TS-4H serial # 48691 (Aug 13, 1948)
TS-4J serial # 52186 (Oct ??, 1948)
TS-4J serial # 52575 (Oct 11 1948)
TS-4J serial # 53152 (Oct 19, 1948)
TS-4J serial # 53608 ( ??? )
TS-4J serial # 54402 (Oct 6, 1948)
TS-4J serial # 57234 (Dec 17, 1948)
TS-4J serial # 57280 (Nov 10, 1948)
TS-4J serial # 57466 (Nov 22, 1948)
TS-4J serial # 58966 (Dec 6, 1948)
TS-4J serial # 61454 (Jan 5, 1949)
TS-4J serial # 63638 (Dec 2, 1948)
TS-4J serial # 65152 (Jan 7, 1949)
TS-4J serial # 66171 (Feb 4, 1949)
TS-4J serial # 67607 (Jan 10, 1949)
TS-4J serial # 68262 (Jan 26, 1949)
TS-4J serial # 70500 (Feb 11, 1949)
TS-4J serial # 72008 (Feb 14, 1949)
TS-4J serial # 72421 (Feb 25, 1949)
TS-4J serial # 76785 (Mar 15, 1949)
TS-4J serial # 79677 (Mar 22, 1949)
TS-4J serial # 84425 (Apr 12, 1949)
TS-4J serial # 86923 (Apr 23, 1949)
TS-4J serial # 87897 ( ??? )
TS-4J serial # 98728 (??? 9, 1949)

TS-18 serial # 301795 (Jun 2, 1949)
TS-18 serial # 311370 ( ??? )
TS-18 serial # 313552 ( ??? )
TS-18 serial # 319580 ( ??? )
TS-18 serial # 328490 ( ??? )
TS-18 serial # 330103 ( ??? )
TS-18 serial # 333570 (Nov 11 1949)
TS-18A serial # 338581 (Nov 29, 1949)
TS-18A serial # ??? (1M50)
TS-18A serial # 341372 ( ??? )
TS-18A serial # 342687 (2M50)
TS-18A serial # 344106 (2M50)
TS-18A serial # 348629 (2M50)
TS-18A serial # 351406 (2M50)

I weeded out the data with incomplete info and created this graph. I was quite surprised at how linear it is. I really expected it to be non-linear with production picking up steam over time, but that's just not the case.

I'd be happy to add more data to my list if anyone has some to offer.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8240/8...36242ffd_b.jpg

Bob, I have 5 VT-71 sets but all are still in the boxes from moving and since they are heavy, they are bottom boxes. In the future, I will get the numbers for you. One is a channel 1 model and one is blonde.

Thanks. I forgot to mention that this data seems to peg the total TS-4 run at about 100,000 sets between late 1947 / early 1948 to mid 1949.

I will try to "unearth" the sets this coming Monday, 22 April.

My two 4Js are:

SN# 84133 04/11/1949
SN# 88677 Feb ?? ??

Thanks. I show 84425 on April, 12 so perhaps they were making around 300-400 a day ?
Are you sure about that Feb date ? I would expect May or June.

I have a TS-4F
serial #34022 Jun 8,1948

Here's a couple new sets for your database.

7VT5RA, TS-18, #317699, 9/21/1949 Copper plated Chassis.

9L1, TS-18A #352685, 1/10/1950, Plain Steel chassis.
34,986 sets in 112 days, Or 312.3 sets per day, not counting days off, if any.

Just did a new calculation, they must have been slowing down at the end, the number of days between azbigsams set and my 1950 set is 582 days and 318,663 sets, or 547.5 sets per day, except that they seem to have skipped everything between 200 and 300k.

I also noted the 1M50 number on the later set, that's out of sequence with the sets in your database which are stamped with 2M50 as early as the 342,000's, unless it has nothing to do with when they were made, perhaps a difference between a 7" set and an 8"? (mine is an 8" model).

Also curious about the 200,000 numbers between the 4J and the 18 chassis, it skips from close to 100,000 to 300,000 in two months and since there are no 4J's above 100k and no 18's below 300k what happened? Did they stop to make some other models in between and use those serial numbers?

Edit: Oh, I get it, 1M50, first month of 1950, 2M50, second month 1950.

Yeah, that struck me as a bit odd too. That particular chassis came from a
VT73, maybe that has something to do with it.

Bob,

I got the five VT71 sets out and here is what I found. Sometimes the year was the most difficult to see. But they seem to jive with your information.

1.
VT71M-A
TS-4J
Feb 16, 1949
SN: 72529

2.
VT71-B (Blonde)
VT-4J
Feb 16, 1949
SN: 72008
(Note: you have this SN already but with a date of Feb 14, 1949. Did you have this set or did I possibly give you the number already? I double checked the information.)

3.
VT71M-A (Channel 1)
TS-4D (Someone wrote the "D" in pencil next to the number on the cabinet)
April 27, 1948
SN: 22312

4.
VT71M-A
TS-4J
Sept 17, 1948
56062

5.
VT71-MBA
TS-4H
July 7, 1948
SN: 40880

Thanks, I've added them to the list.

Where do you find the date?
 

I now own #85887. It is marked TS-4J. I have not had a chance to take it out of the case yet, but I don't see a date anywhere with just the back off.

Stamped with black ink on the back - usually near the serial number. Yours might be worn off.

I had a TS-4D with serial 14464. Still had CH1