Decent set, beautiful cabinet!!! Is this really the set that came in this cabinet? I cannot recall ever seeing a newer Zenith in a cabinet with swing doors like this... looks sort of provincial like.

I used to have the chassis and controller setup like this set, it was in a plain-jane wood box. Last of the decent CRT's right?


http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/zip/1377179512.html

I don't think that cabinet is original. It looks like someone gutted a '60's console and stuck this Zenith in it's place. Most, if not all, Zenith's from this era were in the plain old plastic and particleboard box. This was the last of the semi-decent CRT's.

I was going through, one last time, the Zenith service manuals and saw what I think is this model TV. A "full-size" woodgrain table model. Sure is old fashioned looking for the late 80s. I was thinking how it would make an easy console upgrade for older sets, and indeed this looks like what they did here. I agree that the cabinet looks late 60s/very early 70s.

Think I might go get this one and put my 1970 CTC40 chassis and guts into it!

I was going through, one last time, the Zenith service manuals and saw what I think is this model TV. A "full-size" woodgrain table model. Sure is old fashioned looking for the late 80s. I was thinking how it would make an easy console upgrade for older sets, and indeed this looks like what they did here. I agree that the cabinet looks late 60s/very early 70s.

Are you saying that cabinet IS original to the TV?

Are you saying that cabinet IS original to the TV?

I don' thin' he is Lucy.

I don' thin' he is Lucy.

Ah, I see now.. If you skim over the words "table model" it looks like that's what he's saying.

Ironically, Zenith did make a projection set in the early 80s with nearly that exact cabinet; REALLY close!!!!!! I don't know, but it would sure be interesting if it IS an original cabinet! I have to say, that without seeing the back, I'm going to side with popular opinion that it's a retrofit. But I can't identify the cabinet either. Maybe a furniture company set; such as an Ethan Allen, which was sold usually with a late 60s GE tube set?

Charles

Don't worry, Carmine, I confuse all sorts of people!

My aunt/uncle have a cabinet with doors that originally housed a tube chassis GE. My uncle gutted it when I was a teenager and replaced it with a then-new (mid-80s) 25" GE table model.

That one almost had me fooled, that set really looks like it belongs in there. Anyone know if Zenith did ever make any rectangular sets in a chinese cabinet, or just the roundies?

I couldn't see Zenith in the late 80's actually using nice materials. The cabinet is amazing..

Very interesting if Zenith was still using the same cabinet hardware 20+ years later on various models..... Look closely and compare the brass door hardware on my '63 chinese roundie set to the one in the CL ad. I have alot of brochures for zenith in the 60's and I do not see a cabinet like the one in the CL ad. Of course not all cabinet styles are shown in brochures. Generally, the numerous cheaper models are left out of the brochures but if the one in the CL ad was around in the 60's, it would have been included as its a higher end cabinet. I agree with Charles, the only way to pinpoint it being original is to see a photo of the back. Thats the only way to tell the truth.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ta1B_ryr8bE/SrUBKcbhayI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/u-dewmWZkzY/s800/CLZenith1.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_ta1B_ryr8bE/SrT_kkkD4pI/AAAAAAAAAF0/Q7r0no-Ud50/s800/DSCF5665.JPG

I feel like I'm watching an episode of CSI tv-world! :banana:

Well here it is in all it's glory!
Yeppers, this puppy's a retrofit.

http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx37/infinitereality9/IMG_0130.jpg

How's the CRT?

I just plugged it in and got snow.. Seems good and bright..

Oh and the set is built Sep 1989

Hm that's getting close to the cutoff for Zenith CRT's. I guess if it's still good and bright that's a good sign, though I do wonder if that g2 control's been tweaked.

If you pull the set out, there should still be the tube layout diagram inside the set. Im curious what was originally in there. I'd guess a 25LC30.

Yeah I'm curious about that label too! Lemmie see.

---

1992 definitely.

I've also seen some late 80's Zenith's with kinda weak CRT's

Well there is no decal, no labels or anything at all in this cabinet to represent what it was. And no residual glue or markings to show that there was a sticker, or label at one time.. Im stumped..

Was there a company like Drexel that made high end cabinets for Zenith and some other companies that would utilize the same handles and the sort for thier cabinets like the cabinet I have and the one Doug has?


If you pull the set out, there should still be the tube layout diagram inside the set. Im curious what was originally in there. I'd guess a 25LC30.