After not buying anything off ebay in close to a year, I was looking around and found this interesting Zenith clock radio. It's an AM/FM tube radio, model Z374 (chassis 7Z03). Judging by the "Z" in the model and chassis numbers tells me that it was introduced for the '69 model year and that it uses a chassis that first appeared in '69. I know that Zenith made another AM/FM non-clock tube radio for the '69 model year; but, I was not aware that they made a clock version. From my research through Sams Photofact folders and from what I've been told by others, '69 was the last year for Zenith to offer a tube radio. For the possible exception of some cheap Japanese imports, I'd say '69 was the last year that any kind of basic tube radio was made. I know communications receivers and hi-fi equipment continued to use tubes; but, I'm focusing on basic radios like one would buy to put in the kitchen or bedroom. I don't actually have the radio in my hands; but, here's the listing.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-ZENITH-Clock-Radio-Model-Z-374-WORKS-/190784961580?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&nma=true&si=vDlNCksAyOSI1G9RbZkXKkq3ZzE%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

I'll post more details once I have the radio in my hands. It's a little beat up and I paid a little more than I normally would for a plain jane '60's radio; but, I'd like to add one of these "last gasp" tube radios to my collection.

A while back, I was looking at the Radio Shack catalogs website and there were still plenty of tube radios by Arvin, Admiral, and some German brands shown in the '67 catalog. By '68, the only tube radio I saw was an AM/FM Japanese import.

I don't remember Zenith selling an import tube radio.
IIRC, Zenith was all solid state in 1970. I had a good SS AM-FM radio, that was a 1970 model. The chassis was Japanese, but it was assembled in USA.

I have an N724 AM/FM no clock, 3 years older, that looks very similar and uses a 12DT8 as the FM mix-osc.

Did you get it?

I haven't gotten it yet; but, the seller sent me an email informing me that my money had been received and that the radio would go out in the morning. Now, let's hope it arrives intact and that it doesn't take the pony express a month to get it here.

Yes, I still use checks and MO's to pay for ebay purchases; despite the fact that it's against what ebay wants. If I see an item of interest, I ask the seller if they'll accept a check or MO and most are happy to do so.

I haven't gotten it yet; but, the seller sent me an email informing me that my money had been received and that the radio would go out in the morning. Now, let's hope it arrives intact and that it doesn't take the pony express a month to get it here.

Yes, I still use checks and MO's to pay for ebay purchases; despite the fact that it's against what ebay wants. If I see an item of interest, I ask the seller if they'll accept a check or MO and most are happy to do so.

I do the same thing. I heard too many horror stories about Paypal. I almost always use a postal MO. That way, they send the stuff out right away. :yes:

I have an N724 AM/FM no clock, 3 years older, that looks very similar and uses a 12DT8 as the FM mix-osc.

Did you get it?

I have the earlier model, as well. The 12DT8 was shorted and wouldn't oscillate. The original owner, probably never used FM.
I see Zenith started using the 17EW8 in the last tube sets. I think the tubes are simular.

I have the earlier model, as well. The 12DT8 was shorted and wouldn't oscillate. The original owner, probably never used FM.

I wouldn't be surprised. When this radio was new, FM radio itself was still very new; the few stations that were operating at the time in the US were mostly in large cities. Canton, Ohio (where the radio and its eBay seller are presently located) is a smaller city located about 70 miles from Cleveland, so it probably didn't get its own local FM stations until some time in the '70s. I doubt this radio would have been able to receive Cleveland FM stations (most of which were playing automated beautiful music formats at the time) at that distance with just the line-cord antenna, so it would make sense that the set's first owner would listen to only AM nearly 100 percent of the time.

However, I don't know why simple disuse of the FM section of the radio would cause the 12DT8 to short, although I have heard of cases where these tubes become "lazy" and slow to start when they are not used for long periods of time. If that set's 12DT8 would not start at all, it may have been dead or close to dead, which would account for no reception on FM. Also, when these tubes get the least little bit of dirt or oxidation on the pins, they will refuse to operate; this can be verified by wiggling the tube in its socket and seeing if that doesn't get the set working again. My Zenith C845 (my avatar) had a problem just like that recently (no reception on FM); I took the back off, reseated a couple of tubes, and the radio promptly began to play just as nicely as you please. It's been working just that well ever since. :yes:

Got it today. Even though the model prefix indicates it's from '69, all the tubes have '67 date codes on them. I guess they were trying to use up old parts stock on these later tube radios. Unfortunately, the audio output tube socket crumbled to pieces when I removed the audio output tube. This radio appears to have a lot of hours on it and since the audio output tube is the hottest tube in the radio, I'm not surprised that it fell apart.

Here's the video I made of the radio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K09mDApY7_o

Looks like a lot of original tubes in it. That is some crazy looking brown dust, and a lot of it. It also uses a Westclox clock movement, instead of a Telechron. Does the clock still run? :sigh:

Surprisingly, the clock still runs. It seems that most Westclox movements I find have a dead capsule.

Got it today. Even though the model prefix indicates it's from '69, all the tubes have '67 date codes on them. I guess they were trying to use up old parts stock on these later tube radios. Unfortunately, the audio output tube socket crumbled to pieces when I removed the audio output tube. This radio appears to have a lot of hours on it and since the audio output tube is the hottest tube in the radio, I'm not surprised that it fell apart.

Here's the video I made of the radio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K09mDApY7_o

Some of the Zeniths used a higher temperature type tube socket for the audio output tube. It was a different color than the rest.