A few days ago I saw this thread (http://www.videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=248770) about a set of Admiral knobs for sale. I contacted the seller and it turns out he has the whole 20X122 set.
Well, sort of...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/4975592858_c59b144358_b.jpg

I think it needs a tube or 2 or 3, and a power transformer and a flyback and a...

The previous owner had removed all those bits to save weight :tears:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/4974981339_5cd2f29297_b.jpg

The CRT has gone to air. The previous owner painted it so it would look OK in the cabinet :rolleyes:
Too bad - it looks like it was the original Admiral CRT.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/4975591936_64478c5aa3_z.jpg

It does have the original FC speaker.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/4975592324_2c5ce0799b_z.jpg

The only thing that really bothers me is the optical distortion in the bezel :(
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/4974981685_89bf5ba404_z.jpg

So why would I be interested in this basket case ? Well for one, there actually are a couple very hard to find parts I need for other sets on that rusty chassis. The IF shield for my other 20X122 and the combo power / volume / focus control for a 20X12.

As for the cabinet, I actually have a spare Admiral 30B1 chassis that might fit. I found it in some curbside garbage back in the mid 80s and have hung onto it all these years. It's in very condition and worked the last time I powered it up back in the 90s.

http://www.bobandersen.com/images/collection/admiral%2030B1%20chassis.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/4975696050_71a4f6cd41_z.jpg

So does it fit ?

Yes, it does :D
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4975696394_034592a657_b.jpg

All the mounting holes seem to line up too. The 20X122 only has a single chassis so I was surprised to find holes down here.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/4975084871_c6cd6359fc_z.jpg

The only minor issue is that it protrudes about 3/4"
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/4975085343_937c7770f4_z.jpg

Looks pretty good from the front.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4975085685_f8642e84a2_z.jpg

That only leaves the "sharp tuning" control and channel # plate.

I think I can enlarge the shaft hole and use this knob. I may try to fabricate the channel plate.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/4975697302_dd42bb9a60_z.jpg

...and it's got great decals!

It sure does. Those are missing from all my other sets. I think I'll scan them and make some reproductions. It's been so long since I looked at this chassis, I'd forgotten how clean it was.

That's great you were able to come up with a plan for it. I bet Admiral kept the same mold even with the one part chassis. I bet those molds were expensive to change. I like the two part chassis if for no other reason than the set isn't so top heavy.

These bakelite Admiral cabinets are my favorite. I love the style and the history they represent. I'd have no problem saving as many as I could from a landfill. Too bad they don't show up in the South. For a budget set they sure do look nice!

I even contacted the Siragusa Foundation several months ago to see if a relative would share photos from the Admiral plant. There are only a few photos of this TV from that time that I know of and I'd love to see more. A whole line of them in production, etc. I was hoping a relative would want to share high quality scans. No such luck. Here was my response:


Dear Mr. Jackson,

Thank you for you e-mail about Admiral and my grandfather. Sadly, we do not have any visual history of Admiral that I can tell you about. I can certainly keep your e-mail address in case I come across something.

Best regards,

Irene Siragusa Phelps


If I could take my Hasselblad and a DeLorean back in time I'd do a proper pictorial history of Admiral. I attached a photo of the press used to make the mold. Wouldn't it be amazing to see that thing in action? Apparently it was two stories tall.

The 20X122 with a single chassis is the earlier model, but maybe they already had plans to switch to a lower chassis :scratch2:

Bummer. I'd love to see some pictures of the massive bakelite press that made these huge cabinets :yes:


The 30B1 PS and audio amp are overkill for this set as they were meant to power larger speakers and AM/FM/Phono. So I might have to do some tinkering with that speaker.
I think I had the original 30B1 speaker years ago, but lost it somewhere along the way.

Bob, I attached a photo of the press before I saw your reply. I got that from another flickr member a few years ago and was glad to have it! I didn't realize the two part chassis came after the one part chassis. Now it makes absolutely no sense to me why there would be screw holes there unless it was in the works from the very beginning.

I suppose we keep better history these days but how cool would it be to have a documentary of a typical Admiral factory worker trying to make ends meet in 1949 Chicago while making these wonderful televisions all day.

I think I just romanticized the making of a television. :scratch2:

By the way, I've been refreshing this too much today. It won't make it get here any quicker but it looks like I'll see my 24A12 chassis Monday. My fingers are crossed hoping it arrives safely.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/4976223795_cc13a4402d_z.jpg

:eek: that's amazing!

The very first Admiral consoles in 1947/48 used the split 30A1 chassis, then came the single 20X1 sometime in '48, then the split 20A1 in '49. Maybe it's not so strange for there to be holes down there after all.

Hi Guys
Somewhere around here I've got an article from Popular Science back in 1949 about the making of those cabinet. I'll see if I can post in on flicker.
Terry

Thanks, that would be great.

M3-SRT8 picked up one of these sets recently and just today discovered all the original paperwork was at the bottom of the box! Operation instructions, warranty card, service guide, etc.

He sent me this picture from his phone. I can't wait to see some scans.
http://www.bobandersen.com/images/24A12/24a12%20docs.jpg

I desperately need that field coil spkr. for my 20X122.
Any chance you'd get rid of it?
Mine is junk.
I want to re build my set, and, that's the main thing stopping me from doing it.
I've got a restoarable chassis, good case, and, knobs.
I need back cover, spkr.
and, shield for under chassis.
Bill Cahill

I desperately need that field coil spkr. for my 20X122.
Any chance you'd get rid of it?
Mine is junk.
I want to re build my set, and, that's the main thing stopping me from doing it.
I've got a restoarable chassis, good case, and, knobs.
I need back cover, spkr.
and, shield for under chassis.
Bill Cahill
"We now return you to our regularly scheduled program.... "
Bill Cahill

OK, OK, I get it :) I need a back cover and three chassis shields too.

I hope to wrap up this set and my other 20X122 over the next few weeks. If I end up not needing the speaker, I'll be sure to let you know.

Hi Guys
Somewhere around here I've got an article from Popular Science back in 1949 about the making of those cabinet. I'll see if I can post in on flicker.
Terry

Terry that would be awesome! I'd certainly be grateful.

M3-SRT8 picked up one of these sets recently and just today discovered all the original paperwork was at the bottom of the box! Operation instructions, warranty card, service guide, etc.

He sent me this picture from his phone. I can't wait to see some scans.

Wow! I'd love to see a scan of all that stuff.

...and it's got great decals!

Decals? aren't the letters engraved into the case and filled with paint?
That's how mine is anyway.

Chassis decals.

Hi Guys
Somewhere around here I've got an article from Popular Science back in 1949 about the making of those cabinet. I'll see if I can post in on flicker.
Terry

I noticed old issues of Popular Science were on line and searchable. I didn't find any articles but I did find a sort of ad. I think Bandersen has already posted this photo but it's all I could find. It's from the September 1949 issue. I saw mention of Admiral in a later issue where they compare portables in 1955 but that was all. Needless to say I won't be gathering six of my best friends any time soon to re-enact this photo.

It states here the cabinet was made by Molded Products Corp. Is that to say Admiral didn't make the cabinet in house?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/4987900178_77df201396_o.jpg

That photo has always puzzled me. That screen bezel doesn't match the 24A12 or 20X122.

Something else that puzzles me is that the Riders lists four 'plastic' cabinet models using the 20X1 chassis.

20X11 - Ebony
20X12 - Mahogany
20X121 - Ebony
20X122 - Mahogany

and these two with the 20A1 chassis
24A11 - Ebony
24A12 - Mahogany

I've never seen or heard of a 20X11, 20X121 or 24A11 ebony model. Can anyone confirm the existence of these models ? Maybe these are the ones that were outsourced to Molded Products Corp ?

You know, I never noticed the differences in the bezel before. That cabinet appears to be empty though. I suppose it's possible they might have made a mock bezel out of paper just for the stunt photo.

As for offering the set in ebony, it sure make sense but there seems to be no proof they ever pulled the trigger on one. If I didn't fear the thought of sounding staker-esque I'd hit up the Siragusa family once again. I doubt they'd know, either way.

What's also odd is that September, 1949 date. The 20X122 had been using this cabinet since 1948 and the 24A12 wasn't part of the 1950 offerings.
So what is this "new" 10" model they are referring to :scratch2:

Having worked in magazine publishing, I can testify that you often write things that don't appear in print until months later. Besides the natural delays in getting things printed & distributed, it was common for an article or feature to get bumped to a later issue because they ran out of room, etc.

These little "what's new" bits are press releases from manufacturers, reprinted by the magazines. At our rag, technical folks like me were busy doing real writing. Bits like this would have been picked out and edited lightly (if at all) by a marketing drone or editor -- a glorified secretary, in some cases -- who might have little knowledge or interest in the subject matter.

Phil Nelson

Seven Guys standing on an Admiral bakelite cabinet, and here I am treating them with kid gloves when handling them, afraid they'll crack when I lift them.

Mine seem to be in great condition, plastic-wise. I wonder how well bakelite ages under various conditions?:smoke:

"....origionally built for the Russian Government."

Makes sense, for two reasons:

One, the sheer size of the thing.

Two, the Commies were big into plastic resin/phenol-formaldehyde impregnated materials, particularly in aviation, beginning in the 30's.

One wonders what they were going to do with the beast, post-war. It's my guess they weren't building consumer goods with it...:smoke:

Seven Guys standing on an Admiral bakelite cabinet, and here I am treating them with kid gloves when handling them, afraid they'll crack when I lift them.

They may have had to take that picture a few times until they got one that didn't break... :no: