[Hallicrafters] SX 17 Rebuild

[Mike Everette]

--- Pat Barthelow <aa6eg at hotmail.com> wrote:



> Any idea of the value of such a diamond in
> the rough is, in 
> functional, but unrestored condition,  and then
> after a top notch cosmetic 
> and electrical restoration?

Pat, this almost sounds as if you may be going into
this project like you'd indulge in "flipping" real
estate.

Caution:  No matter whether this radio is a diamond in
the rough or fully restored, it's only worth as much
as someone's willing to pay for it.

Not too long ago, I was approached by a non-collector,
non-radio person who'd acquired an unrestored, but (so
he said) nice SX-62 from a relative's estate.  He
wondered how much it might be worth; he was shocked --
and thought I couldn't possibly be serious -- when I
gave him an honest answer; "maybe $150 if it is
extremely clean and all original."  Before he voiced
his reply, his face told me that he clearly didn't
want to hear that.  "But I thought it should be worth
THOUSANDS....!"

Yeah.  Right.

We generally don't go into this radio-resto game for
the money.  Yes, if you're real good at it and are
willing to take in other people's radios to refurb,
AND IF (this can be a mighty big IF, too) THEY ARE
ACTUALLY WILLING TO PAY YOU WHAT THE JOB IS WORTH, you
might make some money.  But if you are buying to
refurb and resell, your profit margin is not likely to
be large at all.

So why do we do it?

Because we love it.  Plain and simple.

By the way, an SX-17 is a really nice radio.  I don't
have one myself -- do have an SX-16, however, on its
way to restored status; and the 17 is an improved 16.

A word to the wise.  If you haven't got much
experience doing this, try something simpler to start
with.  Go find an S-20R or S-40, or even an SX-99 or
SX-110, and do that one first.  The SX-17 is pretty
complex, neither simple to work on nor the easiest
radio to align properly ("tracking" a front end with
two tuned RF stages can be challenging).  And the
alignment is every bit as important as replacing
parts; likely even more so.  You will learn a lot from
a starter project and the knowledge will stand you in
good stead.  And, with any of the above named
potential starters, you'll have a very capable radio
when you're finished.

73

Mike
WA4DLF




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