Reactions to old TVs

Originally Posted by Chad Hauris

I had to call the plumbers on Tuesday and I was watching the 1963 Zenith round color set when they came...they remarked about my old radios and school bus collection but didn't say anything about the TV...I guess they thought it just fit in with everything else.

Oh Krap, not another old bus nut!! Ya know. Gillig is in my area (about 30 miles south) and I saw the strangest bus built by them just last night. Overall it looked like an oversized school bus but had dual axles in the rear.....not just a tag axle but a powered one, and with dualies on both! I mean this thing was built for some giant loads!!!! It was painted army camouflage (not the official kind, more like what hippys and weirdos do) and was minus a lot of windows along the side (mostly only up front). Manual trans and loudish exhaust, but seem to have lots of power. Had to be from around the 60's or older. Just plain weird. But that's what caught my eye, and why I kinda liked it.

Here's a link to a site all about the famous custom pinstripper/custom car builder/artist Von Dutch:
http://www.mrsharkey.com/busbarn/vondutch/vondutch.htm

Anthony

[Sandy G]

Oh dear God !! The infamous, notorious Von Dutch !! Hadn't heard of him in years...Thx for the memories, Anthony !! -Sandy G.

[drh4683]

Its always great when you can show someone an old TV to prove them wrong. When you talk about old tvs, most people think about either 1950's b+w or those junk 1980's taiwan tvs. Many dont think about the early color tvs. Ive talked with lots of folks who had color tv back in the 60's. All they said was "cool looking tv, but the picture was crap" I think they forgot how good those sets were. I do alot of repair work on the side for other people so there are always customers walking into the basement of my home so they can see all these old tvs.

First reaction: Why do you have all of these tvs?
Next: "you can only watch one at a time, so why have all of them"

Turn one on and show them and they are totally blown away at the sharp color picture.

In fact, last week I brought a 1965 rca victor 19" b/w portable "sportabout" set to work so everyone could watch the bears game. I was shocked that there were no smart a$$ remarks made about the set. Everyone thought it was too cool to watch a b/w set from the 60's that still worked! (with a good picture as well).

I think this same reaction applies to any vintage equipment. I cut the lawn with a 1961 lawnboy 3050 lawnmower. People that past the house slow down to see what Im cutting the lawn with. Others will actually stop and comment "man, I havent seen one of those in 30 years and it still runs!"

When it comes to cars, you always get a thumbs up or a honk when driving down the road but I think the best reactions are when people see the kind of stuff they almost totally forgot about like tvs, lawnmowers and appliances etc.

[captainmoody]

The only way people would know if I collect tv's radios or telephones is if they happen to go in my basement. When the cable guys were here to hook up extra rooms they got freaked out and told me "you have too much ju.. er uh stuff in the way" and told me everything had to be moved out of the way for their safety. I told them that the cable runs only needed were for two rooms and the wire only needed to go down the center of the basement ceiling not along the walls. One of the two guys called their supervisor and evidently he told them to do it as they got to work. when I went upstairs to talk to my wife I heard one of them commenting that "this is how my house wont be" and "what is he going to do, watch them all at once?" This is how most people think around here sadly. When they were done the one guy told me I would need an amplifier if I wanted to hook all of them up to cable! He really thought I was some sort of kook that was going to do that....

[bgadow]

Doug, I've got a '61 Lawn Boy, too! I forget the model off hand but I think it might be the same. I've cut the yard with it a couple times-right now the spring in the pull cord assy. is broken. I've got a Pennsylvania Exeter reel mower with a B&S on it and I used it several times this spring, does a nice job. Later I got lazy and went back to my "late model" push mower. Its quite the sight, me out there with one of these mowers, my wide brimmed Australian hat, dimestore sunglasses, dust mask-wife just shakes her head...

[nasadowsk]

My friends think I'm nuts. In college, the entire floor thought I was a weirdo, having all these old TVs and things moving in and out all the time.

I revived a Motorola VT-71 over a semester and that was cool. The art students thought old TVs were neat at least.

When I lived in my apartment, various visitors were forever amazed to see my sets. When I got my Setchell Carlson portal done, I used to leave it in the window facing outward to "burn in" the set.

I watched the 9/11 coverage on that set. It didn't let me down and still hasn't.

My mom thinks the old TVs are cool, my dad's like "blah", my brother doesn't notice, and my aunt ignores me...

[Carmine]

When I got my Setchell Carlson portal done, I used to leave it in the window facing outward to "burn in" the set.

Huh?

[nasadowsk]

Let the set run for a few hours just showing whatever channel, to let any little 'issues' pop up before I put it all together and use it.