I came across two local sets that I can't pass up. The first is an Admiral Solarcolor from around 1979. The model # is KMC13-100 but the chassis # is worn off the label.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6033/6365998855_f5969e372e.jpg

The second is a Motorola that I have not gone to look at yet. Is it a color TV? Any idea what year it is? The owner says "all the tubes are in good working condition."

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6240/6365998817_72315eba7a.jpg

The price is unbeatable on both so really just looking for some help with identifying the Motorola and getting some more info on the Admiral. I can't find anything on it and its in perfect condition and works great.

Thank you,
Jason

Bet the Motorola is a 23" B/W from the early 60s... check out a similar but somewhat earlier 21" set from 1960:

http://tvhistory.tv/1960-Motorola-Brochure3.JPG

jr

With that model number the Admiral must have been one they sold through Kmart. I am pretty sure this was made by Admiral in Taiwan, what later became AOC. There is a chance I have some factory service info on it. Worth saving for the novelty factor, I'd say, since it was getting very close to the end of production. I would agree with jr on the Motorola.

I've had a couple of 19" Admirals from '79. One was a knob tuned solarcolor set. The other one was made for Montgomery Ward's and had a pushbutton varactor tuner. Both were built on a single board chassis with an inline CRT. I remember replacing the HV tripler in the Ward's branded set and it actually had a very sharp picture. Those AOC sets of the '80's were total junk, IMHO.

that motorola has the same cabinet as the one i have only a short version, legs, curves, lines all the same but mine is a 23 inch color from 1966.

that admiral is a decent set.from the mid to late 70s.we saw quite a few of these in the shop days and they were pretty good performers.the mid 80s capehart and aoc sets were ok.many vertical issues due to bad caps.almost every one of them.good looking crts and not really bad sets.the b/w set is early to mid 60s nightmare!

I bought the Admiral for $12 and its awesome. It is A LOT smaller than the Zenith console and will be my Atari TV!

The Motorola was only $10 but I didn't buy it. Oh well, can't catch 'em all.

Thanks for all the responses, I will get pics of the Admiral up soon.

Cool Admiral! I collect solid state sets ,,,i had a black and white admiral from '78 still made by Rockwell... Yours ain't a bad set even if she's built in Taiwan. And yes, Capehart in the 80s was AOC..
Reliable, that's for sure... wonder who made the crt... possibly a USA company.

I didn't realize Rockwell owned Admiral. My mom grew up on Col. Willard Rockwell's estate here in Pittsburgh. My grandfather was the estate manager and they lived on the property. I guess they did own a little of everything back then.

Yes, i have the service manual for the aforementioned tv (thanks bgadow!) and it's Rockwell Int'l.mine was built in usa...IL i think. it's crt is a Clinton...smart design too, imo.--the crt is quick heater type and the tuner is a better than average one for light skip in dx-ing season as i recall. I ran it on my porch for about 1 summer/autumn after finding it in my grandma's basement in Staten island where it sat for a while. the vertical linearity was touchy but it looked good after some reflowing of the joints etc.

The story I read is that, in the early 70s, the head of Admiral (he was one of the founders) decided he had had enough and wanted out. The company was losing money but he cooked the books and had some mockups made of Rockwell branded sets, then talked them in to buying him out. They came to regret buying the company, from what it sounded like.