[R-390] R-390 restoration and modifications

[Bill Smith]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul H. Anderson" <pha@pdq.com>
Subject: [R-390] R-390 restoration and modifications

> Folks have written strongly negative postings about modifying R-390's,
> especially with solid state changes to the tube circuits.

What's wrong with home brew?

> I think it is a shame to come down hard on people who want to modify them
> or have done so in the past.
>
> The reason I say that is that the best way to learn about something is to
> take it apart, work on it, fix it, modify it, and so on.  I do this with
> cars, and no one screams about me putting a 302 roller motor shortblock
> into my 1966 Mustang (underneath the CA emissions heads, smog gear, and
> so on).

I 've attempted to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear on several
occasions.  I have ended up spending a silk purse on the project, and have
frittered away lots of time only to end up with a worthless sow's ear.  My
advise is to obtain a silk purse to begin with if that is what you are
looking for.  It is based on very expensive experience, the kind that should
be learned from others, not re-invented.

>
> Sure, there are fewer R-390 and R-390A's than Mustangs.  Some R-390's
> certainly deserve to be saved in as original condition as possible - those
> that are rare and unique - R-389's, pristine R-390's, and so on.

There are a lot of Hallicrafter's S-38's too.  That doesn't justify
destroying them just because there are so many of them.  If you want to make
something, why don't you start from scratch?  It will provide you with the
freedom to design it correctly and the pride of your own creation.  Why
fiddle with someone elses?

>
> But come on - there are a lot of R-390A's out there that would have been
> dumpster fodder 10 years ago.

They aren't today, guess why?

<repeated comments snipped>

> Thanks for reading,
>
> Paul Anderson
>

I think I'll take my R-390 apart because there is more value dealing in the
parts.  Think of how many R-390's can be fixed up with the parts.

Bill