My $20 3 day newspaper ad finally generated something besides people wanting to sell me their BPC sets. Yesterday, this guy called to tell me that he had two old TV's, a 19" color and a 19" B&W. He said one had knobs and the other had buttons and that both of them worked. He brought them by this morning and the color set was an '83 Hitachi (which I really didn't want) and the B&W set was a June, '78 Zenith made in Chicago and using the 19GB1Z chassis. I told him that I really couldn't use the Hitachi and offered him $5 for the Zenith. He didn't like that idea and wanted me to take both sets at $10 each; so, I did. Maybe I can sell the Hitachi to recoup my investment.

The Zenith was very nasty, looked like it had been in a barn. The CRT is branded Zenith; but, was actually built by Sylvania according to the EIA code (312) on the tube. The tube tested weak at first; but, came up nicely after cooking it on 8 volts for about 30 minutes. I still need to clean it up better and I need the VHF and UHF fine tuning knobs as well as the UHF channel selector knob. I have it connected to a DTV converter and it has a nice Zenith picture. I was surprised to see that this set was made in the USA. I thought Zenith B&W set production had shifted to Taiwan and Mexico by the late '70's. The chassis is well built and uses a power transformer and is probably one of the last "well built" B&W's. Years ago, I had a 23" steel cabinet Zenith B&W that used a very similar chassis.

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff341/radiotvnut/DSCF0001-12.jpg

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff341/radiotvnut/DSCF0002-9.jpg

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff341/radiotvnut/DSCF0003-6.jpg

I parted out a few of those sets years ago, I might have the fine tuning knobs, I'm not sure if I can identify them though among all the other fine tuning knobs in the knob box, anyone have a picture for comparison?

A 1978 Zenith made in the USA. I like that. I also thought that by 1978, Z's were produced outside the USA but apparently not.

I wish I could help with pics of the fine tuning knob for i.d. but my Zenith pics and catalogs end at 1973.

I could swear that earlier this year I came across a Zenith TV from the late 80's that was made in the US - maybe a 13" color set with knobs.

I could swear that earlier this year I came across a Zenith TV from the late 80's that was made in the US - maybe a 13" color set with knobs.

I think the original poster was referring to B&W TVs specifically. Production of most of Zenith's B&W sets (especially portables) were shifted overseas pretty early on. Even as late as 1992, Zenith still made higher-end 27" and larger color TVs in the USA, when they closed their plant in Springfield MO.

I recognize the diabetes lady on the Zenith due to the near constant airplay of that commercial on RTN...

Does that Zenith have DC restoration/black-level retention? I remember my brother had a 16" B&W set around the same time that did.

That has got to be the most interesting looking chassis I've seen in a 1978 B&W set. Good find.

Does that Zenith have DC restoration/black-level retention? I remember my brother had a 16" B&W set around the same time that did.

It looks like it does.