RCA 8" portable, needs work!
 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-RCA-Pers...QQcmdZViewItem :lmao:

Uhh, yeah...Not a resto job for the novice....

I'd say "needs the works!" is a better description. :)

Having said that, I have one of those TVs, and it might be cool to add that stand and also keep the extra CRT. Mine worked at first and then stopped, so I put it in the category of "too new to collect" and stored it here in my closet, but that was 25 years ago. Now it's over a half-century old and deserves more attention, I think.

Anyone ever try exact-matching the metallic gold paint on the CRT bezel?

Ya gotta wonder Whut Huppened to th' REST of it ?!?

I have two of them, one with the stand and one without.

The ones sold without stands don't have holes in the side of the case to mount the stand. On those with stands, the cabinet bulges out slightly around the holes, perhaps so that the mounting nuts inside the cabinet don't hang up on the chassis when you slide it out. Perhaps you could drill holes in your cabinet and improvise the mounting hardware . . . but keep in mind that it's a tight fit inside that teeny cabinet.

If you read my article at http://antiqueradio.org/rca16.htm , you'll see what is involved in restoring these cute little buggers. My second one (with stand) is still unrestored -- waiting for some rainy winter days when I have nothing better to do :-)

Every TV nut should have one of these. Gotta be just about the smallest all-tube TV ever made. And there are quite a few of them floating around.

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

Every TV nut should have one of these. Gotta be just about the smallest all-tube TV ever made. And there are quite a few of them floating around.

And they work really well with nice contrast level and sharpness, much better performers than the same vintage GE 9T series sets. I've got both.

Mine is missing the base stand, and one of the thumb wheels that holds it on. I put a bid on it. I had a raster on mine, then, re-capped it, new electrolytics, and replaced selenium rectifiers. Now the yoke is arcing.... Ouch!!!!
Can someone help me fix this?
By the way... These sets are terrible on reception!!!!!!
Bill Cahill

I fell in love w/them back in the early '70s in Chattanooga-the Dean of Students had one in his office, it was just an older TV then, but I still thought it was cute as could be. Now, I have 3 of 'em, naturally, the one w/the prettiest case has the lousiest operation-CRT almost shot.

I've had one of those for a few years now. I did a total recap and mine works like new. I love the all-metal sturdy costruction, hidden controls and that unmistakeable 1950s portable tv look. The small size makes it worth keeping as it requires no more space to store than a typical Bakelite radio. Mine is without the stand, a style which I actually prefer. I had a red one once with the stand and I always had to tighten the screws and the set tilted everytime I changed channels. Performance isn't bad but you can tell is uses simplified circuits.

It is not quite the smallest! I have a Delmonico(JVC) that was made in the early 1960s that is even smaller and all tube. Boy does it run warm. Not as cute as the RCA though.

The little RCAs run quite warm too. They seem to be quite reliable even with all that heat. I just wish the wax from the flyback didn't melt into the HV rectifier socket. I also find it difficult to get the linearity perfect. I think that is a consequence of having a simplified set that one has to live with. I still would'nt trade mine though. I got it for $90 from an online vintage TV dealer (not Harry Poster) and it turned out to be one of the most pristine examples of this model I've ever seen. Even the little cardboard shields are all intact on the chassis. It is hard to believe these sets are transformer powered.

rca on ebay
 

too bad it sold for $ 26.00 , I missed out they would even ship to Canada :sigh: