SOLID-STATE VIBRATOR RETROFIT & ALIGNMENT - 1953 VACUUM TUBE CAR RADIO Pt4 - CHEVY MODEL 986668 [4K]

Vacuum Tube Radio for a Classic Car Restoration series.
In this Part 4 we look at putting in a modern, solid-state vibrator into this antique car vacuum tube radio. It will replace the period electro-mechanical design vibrator demonstrated in Part 1 to run quiet and also to provide a longer life for maintenance of the radio.
In this Part 4 we will also check and adjust the Alignment of the radio so that is receives as well as it can.
In Part 3 we addressed a vintage Vacuum Tube Car Radio which receives well, but the tuning mechanism was very hard to move affecting the push button capability was well.
In Part 2 we went for First Full Power Up on this Vacuum Tube Car Radio and let's see if it works. We needed a variable DC power supply with enough power to drive all those tubes - now we have one that we had to find and fix, the EICO 1064.
In Part 1 we checked out this old tube car radio which has been worked on with upgraded capacitors in the recent past and test out its transformer and vibrator type power supply and see if we can develop B+.
This radio belongs to the owner of a beautifully restored 1953 Chevrolet Deluxe Two-Ten classic car he has owned for decades since a teen. He picked this vintage tube radio up not long ago but had not attempted to power it up. This will fit into his Classic Car Restoration.
See the checklist which appears when status changes, for tracking what is discovered that needs addressing in Red, followed by Green when resolved.
LINKS:
Solid-State Vibrator used in this video:
www.wjoe.com/elect_kits.htm
Playlist:
• Chevrolet Tube Radio 9...
EICO Power Supply:
• VINTAGE VARIABLE DC PO...
VINTAGE TEST EQUIPMENT USED ALONG THE WAY:
EICO 1064 Power Supply and Battery Eliminator ca1962
EICO 625 Vacuum Tube Tester
Fluke 27/FM Mil Spec Multimeters ca1986
Sencore SG-165
NOTE: This is not instruction, it is for entertainment for people like me who enjoy watching projects and the experiences gained. If you attempt to do any of the things in this video you are at your own risk. I am using special tech-bench safety equipment not detailed here so don't take for granted you can just plug these old items in safely without them being checked and repaired correctly. Check out the link below to Mr Carlson's Lab video below.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND REFERENCES:
[note: am in no way representing how these folks have shown doing these things - I don't even think they would approve.]
Thanks again to Tony at xraytonyb for a great way to attach an inexpensive frequency counter to a signal generator and power it from the generator as well. • Tenma Signal Generator...
‪@xraytonyb‬
Thanks to shango066 for championing the approach of "fix it first", before mass re-capping. See shango066 for many examples of that approach.
@shango066
Awesome discussion of bench safety including variacs and isolation transformers by Mr Carlson's Lab (highly recommended):
• Tech Tips Tuesday, Iso...
‪@MrCarlsonsLab‬
Modification method for a commercial Tripp Lite isolation transformer for tech-bench use by Todd Harrison, his channel is called ToddFun:
• ToddFun.com: Isolation...
‪@ToddFun‬
Camera: Canon G7X Mark III
Mic: Rode Micro
Video Editing Software: Power Director
Video Editor: just me

[@hestheMaster]

Excellent work so far on this fine tube radio. Great signal puller ( DXer) after alignment. There are a lot of weird errors
found on schematics over the years. Some are just plain copying errors from hand written notes to a line drawing like
the one you found. I have seen plenty where a Selenium rectifier symbol was drawn backwards on the schematic. That is
a proofreading error ( maybe they didn't have proofreaders with an electronics background at Howard Sams ) but is easy
to spot right away.

[@PracticallyFixed]

Thank you! That error was an interesting discovery; all part of the 'fun'. Thanks again for watching and the comment.

[@jimnewman5596]

I think the decimal point was incorrect on the cathode voltage of the RF stage. That was wise to go to the tube data sheet to calculate a typical cathode current draw.

[@PracticallyFixed]

Doug and I have both been having a time with schematics lately. Thanks

[@tateamatertheoriganal8677]

I got a 1955 vacuum car radio that’s buzzing but no sound is there something wrong or am I not picking up a station

[@DERB_Seymour_Indiana]

On your schematics discrepencies, perhaps some were measured with signal? Again, just goes to show the schematic is not always spot on. I found it somewhat comical that you left the old filter cap for looks and yet the solid state vibrator is plainly in view. :) Nice job getting the signal through the radio peaked.

[@PracticallyFixed]

Hi Doug, thanks. Some discrepancies were the resistors that were installed on the AVC line had different values so there were some Run changes. All the schematics noted No Signal, but the values varied. I did also check some things with a VTVM, which were close to the DMM measurements. I did not use an old VOM to see what it would read. It did mention using meter with a 1000 ohm per volt loading.
I can what you mean about the SS vibrator, but my thinking was to make changes such as the vibrator retrofit reversible. The vintage vibrator can be put back in and it will buzz happily away and the "looks" will be right - from the tube side: original. Thanks again!

[@DERB_Seymour_Indiana]

@@PracticallyFixed I understand about the vibrator. I've just always found it amusing how far some people go to make 50-80 year old radios look like they've never been touched. LOL

[@PracticallyFixed]

Yes, that is the thing about hobbies, right?

[@DERB_Seymour_Indiana]

@@PracticallyFixed Right indeed. To each his own. :)