Why don't radios look like this anymore ?

My grandfather died a couple of months ago and we have been sorting through his stuff. He was one of those people who always collected every receipt and kept every box for everthing he ever bought.

One of the gems that we found was a 1956 Pye P114BQ AM Jewel case radio. What a wonderful bit of kit, with a stunning chrome interior and gorgeous blue box.



If only it didn't need a 90V battery (that's not a typo, it really takes a 90 volt supply, for the valve grid bias I think). Mind you, there is nothing that I want to listen to on AM anyway.

When we found it I had assumed it was worth some money, but it appears that even though it looks like it was bought yesterday (it really is spotless) it is worth about $40.

I'm considering converting it to FM (and wondering if I could fit one of those tiny PC motherboards into it).

Here are the rest of the pictures:

http://www.norman.cx/photos/default.asp?ShowThumbs=true&Filter=20020921+Grandad%27s+camera+and+radio

wow, what a wonderful pice of technology!

There's a little circuit here which lets you use a lead acid battery, though I think some kind of DAB/FM conversion would be best, perhaps even one of those satellite units?

Gareth

perhaps even one of those satellite units?

Yes, what this unit *really* needs is a small chrome parabolic dish that folds out from inside the case!

That is a beautiful piece. I love that geo/service dial...."Luxembourg". Not sure I'd have much luck with it here!

If you convert it can you come up with a dial like that?

Looking at it I don't think there would be room in the case for that circuit and the batteries needed. The valves extend too far down into the bottom of the case.

A DAB conversion would definitely be the best, but I'm not aware of any DAB kits that you could use. I guess you could remove the guts of the new Pure Evoke-1 set and cram it into the box. Not sure there would be room for that either though.

If you convert it can you come up with a dial like that?

If I convert it to FM then I won't need to change the dial, because I only ever listen to one station anyway (Radio 4), so I can leave the dial intact.

I love stuff like that. My dad's got one of these: http://www.thevalvepage.com/radios/bush/vhf71/vhf71.htm (or at least something very similar) and it has the most beautiful sound. Dad's is in much better nick than the one on the page, too (though not as good as your grandfather's radio -- it's seen regular use for, I guess, 40+ years). He's also got a reel-to-reel tape deck and a record player of similar vintage.

Peter

Hard to believe it's only worth 40 bucks

I will quite happily pay you $40 plus courier postage for this radio, rather than it be modified. I am quite serious about this. Please contact me off board by direct email or private message.

I'll bare that in mind Rob, but I'm not sure what I'll do with it at all yet.

Nice of you sir. If you do decide to sell, please mail me first. It will be coming to the home of an engineer, and will be treated with great respect.