Spotted a 70's/80's Frankenset today in Dickson Tenn

[mr_fixer]

Hello All, i was wandering around today and i spied this in a Dickson TN. Pawnshop. It is a Zylvania or also known as a Senith. the Zenith still works but the Sylvania control panel is just for show. I couldn't find a model number for the zenith but the model number for tha sylvania is CL1468bt-4. Amazing what people will do for a favorite piece of furnature. Logan
P.S. the Pawn shop has a $100 price tag on it but they are negotiaible!

[AUdubon5425]

Looks like a '71 or '72 maybe.

[mr_fixer]

I looked up the Sylvania model # on the Sam's photofact website and it came back as file folder 1285, which dates to 1972. i couldn't find a model number for the Zenith set. Anyone recognize what chassis that is inserted into the cabinet? The drop down control panel has membrane switches and there is a aux video and audio input on the back of the cabinet. it has on screen channel display and clock. They did a reasonable job of combining the 2 sets. it took me a while to figure it was a retrofit.

[radiotvnut]

The tuner on the Sylvania looks like an early varactor tuner. I also wonder if it was originally a tube set. I don't think there were too many tube sets with varactor tuners.

I think the Zenith is from the mid '80's.

[sampson159]

looks like an early hybrid chassis sylvania.d12-16 possibly?we called those "big tuner" sylvanias.they had a fantastic 25v picture tube that delivered the sharpest picture!too bad they took it out and opted for the zenith.

[kx250rider]

Originally Posted by radiotvnut

The tuner on the Sylvania looks like an early varactor tuner. I also wonder if it was originally a tube set. I don't think there were too many tube sets with varactor tuners.

I think the Zenith is from the mid '80's.

I know that chassis.. It's all-transistor, big non-modular chassis, and it was a good design. VERY RARE though... Only ever seen 2 or 3 at most, as compared to the RCA CTC-40 and Zenith 25DC56, etc. They were very costly, as you'd expect with that nice cabinet. All 3 I saw, were in that same cabinet, so might be that it was a one-model chassis.

Charles

[bgadow]

I had one with that chassis, briefly, about 20 years ago. It wasn't this cabinet but was very high-end. The only thing I saved was the little strip that covers the channel numbers I think this may have been the third solid state set from an American company, after Motorola and RCA.

[sampson159]

it is a d-16 hybrid chassis set.the first really great sylvania.vintage 1970-71 model year.love to have another of these.i ve got a sams for that set right here as we speak!