Should i bother restoring a zenith?

[Tubejunke]

I posted quite a while back about my acquisition of a 1964 Zenith "roundie" that I suspected was a dog just due to the metal cabinet. Then I found out that metal cabinet sets are rarer than wood as wood was saved for whatever reason people used to save their broken TV and the metal ones got sent to the dump.

So with a grave need for space in my rather modest abode, I posted an ad in the V-K classifieds hoping to find homes for some rather nice radios and TVs that I have or had. I was disappointed at the fact that I was bombarded by inquiries on the Zenith, but almost nothing else. As a matter of fact I ended up junking or donating some really nice 50s consoles.

Anyway, I decided that since I don't have any other vintage color sets and remembering the absolutely beautiful picture that this set produced for a few hours before the color went out, that maybe it was a keeper. The thing that puzzles me is that all anyone talks about here are RCA this and RCA that with an occasional mention of other things, of which there are many AND more interesting in my opinion.

So, I am left wondering if it is worth the time and money to yank the chassis and throw in some caps, a color crystal, and replace the horizontal "efficiency" coil that seems to be dangling by its winding or other wiring. I just noticed that it is all wobbly when I put a finger on it. In previous posts some well informed members assured me that replacement would be the way to go.

I'm hoping that there are at least some Zenith fans/members that perhaps I can discuss issues with that may arise. As well there are some small cosmetic items that I would like to replace like the control door and the channel knob, which are there, but a bit tattered.

I have heard that these sets are great performers over the long haul. Supposedly RCA had a better picture (which I can't imagine from what I saw on mine), but Zenith had the quality build and many folks find them and are lucky enough to just plug them in and enjoy. I am not that lucky, but it might be an easy set to get going.