[R-390] I just HATE it when this happens...

[James Shanks]

Mahlon - K4OQ,

         Whatever you do with the offer DON'T LET HIM SEE YOU SMILE!!!!


         If you don't buy it I hereby offer the use of my size 13's if you 
later feel the need for some "DOH!!" kicks. ALL COLLINS??? mumble mumble 
mumble ARRGGHHHHH!!!!!!       -)

         If you do acquire it would you be so kind as to post somewhere on 
a website photos please? This one I think might be a good candidate to 
document photo wise, finds like this just don't walk up to you and say 
HI!!! Oh yeah I guess yours did -(.


         Enjoy it and remember " HE WHO DIES WITH THE MOST 
TOYS.....................................................WINS!!!




James Shanks

n1vbn@bit-net.com
1998 IMZ 8.103
1984 H-D FLHT-C
R-390A Depot Dawg





At 09:27 PM 1/8/2004, Mahlon Haunschild wrote:
>Hi.  Well...  umm...  OK, here's the story:
>
>Colleague of mine accosts me four/five months ago, asks "You do something 
>with R-390s, don't you?"  I cautiously assent that I have been known from 
>time to time to dabble in old tube radios, and one of them was indeed the 
>R-390A (over the years I've learned not to admit too much in such 
>conversations, you see).  Colleague owns up that he has an R-390 that's 
>been in the attic for ten years, would I be interested in it?  I allow as 
>how I wouldn't mind taking a look at it.  What next?  So, he's got me 
>thinking about this, and time passes, and I think he's forgotten about me, 
>and I meet up with him again, and remind him, and, well, it takes him 
>until today to get the receiver to me to take a look at. Finally got it 
>home & stripped the covers off of it this evening.
>
>Get this:  it's all Collins, from the '55 contract.  Correct silk-screened 
>front panel in nice shape, considering it's almost forty years 
>old.  Original Simpson meters.  Interior is surprisingly clean except for 
>the crud that filtered through the slots in the top cover onto the IF and 
>crystal oscillator decks.  Incredibly, both electrolytics test OK on my 
>capacitor checker (they are Spragues, which seem to last longer than 
>others I've seen).  Looks like some conscientious maintenance activity has 
>applied most of the field changes, including replacing the rectifier tubes 
>with s/s rectifiers. Dymo tape on top cover (yes, has all three covers) 
>leads me to believe that it has the 7/74 HR product detector mod (haven't 
>pulled the IF strip yet, so don't know for sure).
>
>Now for the bad news:  the gear train is super-clean, but bone dry.  No 
>grease, no oil.  That's bad, because just about every split gear spring 
>and the Oldham coupler spring is corroded rotten.  Where can I get some of 
>these?  ALso, because of its vintage, it needs a cap kit to replace all of 
>the BBsOD.  I can't imagine that they all survived ten years in a  Florida 
>attic without some major "life changes", if you know what I mean.
>
>So, the question I'm faced with tonight is:  do I buy it?  As if I need 
>another one of these (I've already got two, after all).  MOMMY!  HELP 
>ME!  I'M SO CONFUSED!!!!! :)
>
>regards,
>
>Mahlon - K4OQ
>
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