1955 BLUE Radiobike Restoration

[56 Vette]

Looking good, and stick to your guns!! You are the right guy to bring this bike back to its former glory and to help out all the other Radio Bike guys do the same! Joe

 

[Saving Tempest]

Update:

I got the radio back from the shop again. It appears the speaker probably went out, as a new one was retrofitted in the tank, using the old transformer. I will test it again this weekend. I am sure other components were replaced.

As for the repaint, the restoration shop is unable to commit to the due date, and I am unable to find or think of anyone else local to do it. I can repaint it, but the tubes where the kickstand mounts need to be repaired or replaced while the bike is stripped. I do not know how nor own the tools to do brazing. So, in short, I may have to do my best and present it with the half-nude frame. I am not going to half-ass a paint job on a high end bike. I will still have this particular shop do the work, but it will have to be during the winter, after the show. I will not compromise quality over convenience.

What is your tube lineup, and have you checked for leaky or dried up electrolytic capacitors etc? Is there a schematic for the radio?

 

[partsguy]

What is your tube lineup, and have you checked for leaky or dried up electrolytic capacitors etc? Is there a schematic for the radio?

There is a hand-drawn schematic by the founders of Yellow Springs Instrument Co. floating around from 1990. There was a schematic in the tank of every bike produced, but many have degraded from age and are not reproduced. I am currently having new ones made by a local shop, using an original I carefully removed from the red bike. My prototype knob is still being made. I have found a supplier for most of the antenna parts - a couple pieces are eluding me. May need to make them by hand, but I am just so short on time with trying to get my own bikes done.

On a positive note, I have now offered my 1964-70 ornament fins on eBay. So far, people really like them. Lots of polishing involved with those suckers, but I love doing it. Shipped another pair of 'em on Saturday.

But to answer your question, I outsourced the majority of the radio chassis repair to Tom's Antique Radio in Dayton. I love tinkering with small electronics, but this time I went with a professional due to time and more accurate repairs. He does great work for me and my friends. I will be sending two of my radios to him next month. My '58 Philco needs repaired as it never worked and I am unfamiliar with the early transistor units. My '41 Crosley needs a tune up and possibly a re-cap beyond my capabilities as well.

 

[partsguy]

These radios are cool, but niche items, even in 1955-58. These are three-tube units, with a range of 100 miles if everything is good, including the weather. Three tube radios were never intended to be high end audio in any capacity. Radios with five tubes or more produced better sound quality, more precise tuning, and a much longer range of reception. Still, during the golden years of rock-and-roll, the Radiobike became a memorable piece of Americana because of it's unique design.

During this period, early transistor "pocket" radios were arriving on the market. You could fit them in your pocket or belt buckle, or some had a small case you could put over your shoulder. Cars could have 45rpm record players installed from the dealer. In 1958, General Motors had an optional radio in vehicles that was removable. Portable radios were still selling. For the first time, not only could you own a piece of music, but you could take it with you where ever you went and listen to it. Radio manufacturers had their own unique designs, they wanted their product to stand out at every outing you went on. The Radiobike allowed kids and young adults the chance to take their music with them on their bike. Decades before even the Sony Walkman debuted in the 1970s.

 

[partsguy]

Back to what I need to do!

 

[partsguy]

Looking good, and stick to your guns!! You are the right guy to bring this bike back to its former glory and to help out all the other Radio Bike guys do the same! Joe

Thank you for the kind words, Joe!

 

[partsguy]

I didn't know...this wasn't sent in a Delorean?

Not sure I understand the reference? I have been pondering ever since this was posted.

 

[Saving Tempest]

I figured it out...RS still sells parts in the mail. Actually they are trying to pare down considerably and also suing the former owners (Sprint etc.) for basically screwing it up...long story.

Allied survived trying to merge with Radio Shack in the 1970s and still exists as well.

 

[partsguy]

I figured it out...RS still sells parts in the mail. Actually they are trying to pare down considerably and also suing the former owners (Sprint etc.) for basically screwing it up...long story.

Allied survived trying to merge with Radio Shack in the 1970s and still exists as well.

Oh please...please...dood...don't get me started. I do miss being able to go to RadioShack and get whatever components I need - now I gotta wait on the mail. Growing up, they always had the coolest cars and other RC toys. My brother had a hovercraft, and he played with it until the seals rotted and it sunk. The sucker lasted for years, and he ran it in the pool, YMCA, and even a lake. I had a '58 Impala, a beautiful toy that I still own. In fact, several years later, I bought two NOS bodies and two NOS wheel sets for the front for it. You can't buy toys anymore and expect to buy replacement parts at any point in time these days.Granted, that was years ago and I have heard that the customer service area was cut and less-experienced people were hired and paid less. The same decision helped kill Circuit City 10 years ago.

Whatever you bought that was electronic, you could bet that RadioShack would carry parts to fix it - especially if they sold it. Their mistake was trying to abandon the niche that made them great and got into cell phones. THEY SHOULD HAVE GOT INTO PC GAMING! Have you seen the guys and gals that are into that hobby? They build their computers from the ground up, or buy one and upgrade it, spending hundreds and thousands of dollars on them, the games, the accessories, etc. RadioShack's leadership missed that gravy train, and the marketing team who ignored that ought to be ashamed and embarrassed to call themselves salesmen and marketers.

Tar and feather 'em...I says...

 

[Saving Tempest]

I think GameStop is the Radio Shack of gaming...we have or had one, dunno, not my forte. I fix up computers for internet use and playing media.