Recently obtained a rather old 6v tube car radio at an antique store (uses a large metal vibrator can). I am not getting ANY high voltage for some reason. The vibrator tube is buzzing, but there is no HV at the 6X4 rectifier tube. Any ideas (or where I can find a replacement vibrator, (Mallory type 659 6V vibrator)

www.tubesandmore.com sell solid state vibrator replacements.
Don't tell your wife.

The transformer could be open. Check the windings.

Okay, gave this another try, and it seems that this particular radio has a POSITIVE ground, (was trying to run it as a negative ground). The original vibrator is functional, as is the rest of the radio. (Pics will come later here.) Pulls in clearchannels with great audio.

Tubes are fairly common too, (6BE6, 6BA6, 6AV6, 6X4, 6AQ5)

Now how could I not check this thread out.

You and me both!

Change all the caps in that beast, and make sure you get the HV ceramic disk cap across the vibrator. Its job is to round out the square wave into something more sine-like. Probably 1000V or 1600V.

Really cool when you can get one of these going. I've only done one, but it was for a '52 Studebaker that belongs to a good friend of mine who does car shows with his Sea Foam Green Commander V8.

Here's pics of this radio. I forgot to mention this was found in West Plains, MO.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=109975&stc=1&d=1222274373
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=109976&stc=1&d=1222274373

Cool! It's pretty small. I assume all mini tubes?

By the thread title I thought it would'n be about radio...

This thread needs some explicit nude photos - of the radio.

ah yes, this I will need to provide too. (I need to recap it anyways)

Cool! It's pretty small. I assume all mini tubes?

Yes. All 7 pin miniatures (6BE6, 6BA6, 6AV6, 6AQ5, 6X4) (have a 6CS6 coming to give it a bit of a reception boost in this area)

Lots of times, if hooked up to a good antenna, those old car radios were/are EXCELLENT DX machines...

Lots of times, if hooked up to a good antenna, those old car radios were/are EXCELLENT DX machines...

Unfortunately, this one does not seem to have an RF stage, but with
the right conditions, you can still get a lot of fun. Just out of curiosity,
where did you get the idea of replacing the 6BE6 with a 6CS6?

The site appears to be down, but http://www.dogstar.dantimax.dk/tubestuf/amtx-1.htm described a single tube AM transmitter using a 6BE6 or a 6CS6.

The site appears to be down, but http://www.dogstar.dantimax.dk/tubestuf/amtx-1.htm described a single tube AM transmitter using a 6BE6 or a 6CS6.

Well, I have seen that as well, but as far as frequency conversion in
a receiver is concerned, I don't think the 6CS6 is a better choice than
the 6BE6. The 6CS6 is optimized as a gated amplifier for extracting
sync signals in TV sets. On the other hand, wa2ise does have a site
that describes the use of a 6BA7 to improve the conversion gain of
a receiver, but that involves some work as the 6BA7 is a bigger, 9-pin
tube.

http://www.geocities.com/wa2ise/radios/12ba7.html#12ba7

The link above describes a 12BA7 to replace a 12BE6 in a table radio
with series-string heaters, but the same idea applies to replacing
a 6BE6 with a 6BA7, although I must admit I have yet to try all this.
Have fun!