Off topic, but thanks to the Pierce forum!

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Maybe Hollywood will pick up this story of 50 years separation, a blond Cord

suffering the indignity of having her vitals snatched from her by uncaring

cretins. A knock on the door and a traveling Cords parts salesman, who only wanted

to make her see better at night, makes her whole again. Tears of anti-freeze

flood the room as curtains close on the scene, and now you know why I’m keeping my

day job.

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Perhaps a new career in writing? I enjoyed your synopsis!

James

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OK, as long as we’re off topic, I’ll just share this somewhat bizzare story that’s not even about cars. Before getting the old car sickness, I used to have the old radio sickness. Had hundreds of radios. My father used to complain to me that he had an old National radio that the family had purchased right at the beginning of the radio era, but his mother threw it out when he was in the service in WWII. Had a friend in later years who worked for Motorola, and was also a radio nut. He was more into military radios, but snagged a neat old radio that his next door neighbors had thrown out for me. I drove out to his place to look at it, and it was the same model National my dad had as a kid. I pulled the chassis, found an old repair ticket, and it turned out to be the very same radio. My dad couldn’t believe it until I showed him the ticket. I repaired it for him and he enjoyed it for years.

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David,

I know a guy who can rebuild your Cord engine for you. He’s good but a bit slow.

Ken,

I bought out an old time TV and radio repair shop in the 70’s. Still have at least 5,000 new tubes dating back to the early 20’s, even 4 pin jobs. My wife is not happy…

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Bob, I have an old Grundig console radio that I am going to freshen up, I may have to hit you up for some tubes.

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I do like this off topic for the simple reason it gives me a chance to know some of you better. Great Stories from all of you. Thank you for sharing.

Craig,

I have been seeing a lot about the Super Bloom in Lake Elsinore. I have some friends that got caught in the traffic. We are waiting for the Bloom up here. It should be happening in April out in the California Valley.

Ken

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Ken, the crowds have been a nightmare.

The population here in Elsinore is around 60,000 and we have had around 50,000 people show up in one day to see the poppies.

Elsinore has been featured in stories all across the US and even in countries like India and the UK.

The whole thing caught the city off guard since this isn’t the first time a super bloom has happened and they have been scrambling to come up with a plan that works for all involved.

You can’t please everyone and I know they are doing their best.

But since I live on the north end of town a little east of all the madness it has been tough at times just trying to get anywhere around town and away from town.

I’ll be sure to send everyone your way when your bloom starts to happen.

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Craig,

Let me know what you need. They are mostly TV tubes, but there are a bunch of radio ones as well. Antique Electronic Supply in Arizona is also a great source for tubes, coils, capacitors, etc. They even have the needles for the old Victrolas.

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Thanks Bob.

Once I get the chance to dig into it I will know what I need.

I know first thing I need to do is replace all the caps.

I don’t dare try to turn it on with all those old, original caps in there.

The only tube that should be hard to find is the tuning eye tube.

Hopefully it is still in good working order.

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Craig,

The caps are usually the problem with the old German radios. The electrolytes are usually good though, unlike the American radios. You also might want to gently clean the slider contacts with DeOxIt. Many times one of the biggest problems with those chassis is oxidation on the slider contacts. I have a huge SABA 4000 in my living room myself. Three separate chassis. Wired full remote control. Now, THAT is a radio!

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That SABA sounds like a beast.

And with motorized tuning by wired remote?

Does it get any better than that in vintage consoles?

I bet it sounds very warm.

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It not only sounds warm, but gets warm. I tend to use it during the winter months and not so much during summer! I believe the 4000 was the top of the line SABA that was ever built. Shortly after they went to transistorized chassis. I’d love to get a SABA car radio from the 1930’s for my car, but I have to settle for a Philco.

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I know a guy who can rebuild your Cord engine for you. He’s good but a bit slow.

This is a little bit of an inside joke between Bob and me.

We have a friend who’s “night job” is rebuilding early engines, and does a fabulous job. In my case, I did a really big favor for him and his father, and he told me from that point on he’d rebuild my engines for free, I only had to pay for parts. He’s now rebuilt three engines for me, with great results.

The “joke” is that he takes forever to finish an engine. Bob’s has only been there three or four years, I think, nowhere near a record. One of my engines was there seven years! Not sure I have the record, but it’s close….

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I am also at 7 years, thank you. It is almost done, says he. The pictures also show it to be close. As I have to have the first of my two shoulder sockets replaced in two weeks, it looks like it won’t be ready for summer driving. Hopefully Hershey.

[Author]

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