Antique Radio & TV Shop
Antique Radio & TV Shop
Shown here is 1955 Ford car radio after restoration.
We service ALL makes of antique auto radios from 1925 -1965. It does not matter if you have GM or Ford or Hudson, Chrysler or Plymouth. That includes all tube car radios and some early transistorized or hybrid sets (hybrid is a combination of tubes and transistors)
Like regular tube radios, car radios are very close in function, but the design is different. They are designed to withstand large amounts of mechanical abuse and vibrations, temperature variations, and are much more solidly built.
The car radios are powered by a car battery (or a couple of the batteries in early models). In order to generate the high voltage needed for the tubes, most antique radios have "vibrators". It is a mechanical devise, changing battery DC voltage to alternating pulses, which could than be transformed to higher voltage.
Most of the old vibrators would last only 10 years and then need replacement. Sometimes when a vibrator fails, there is a reason for it ( i.e. short in the power supply, or open filter capacitor or the buffer capacitor).
It is very important to check other components before a new vibrator is installed. Any leaky capacitor, especially a buffer capacitor, and paper or electrolytic-filter type will quickly damage a new vibrator.
An estimate is given before the repair when all of
these components are checked. The rest of the radio is repaired in the same way
as a regular radio, with importance given to the parts mounting, temperature
rating and stress factor.
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