[Swan] Worst (or best?) ever Swan restoration - and some Wants

[Robert Nickels]

I picked up some radio gear from a local CBer-would-be-ham, and I'll 
admit I figured what I paid was equal parts "charity" and "challenge" - 
or as a last resort, as parts.    In addition to some Yaesu stuff the 
one that caught my eye was the Swan 350A, along with what was billed as 
a "parts radio" for it, a Siltronix 1011C.   The 350A is the later model 
with an internal power supply  and single final tube which makes it more 
akin to the Cygnet in my mind, but it bears the 350 label.     This was 
by far the most abused radio I've ever seen, but I like a 
challenge...could either or both be restored?   Before I answer that, 
take a look - but be advised - not for the radio squeamish!

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v652/ranickel/Rusty%20Radios/

(Next time someone says your radio is a piece of junk - show 'em these 
pictures!)

My first discovery was that the cabinets had been reversed, and it was 
the 350A that had suffered the worst damage of the two.  If these radios 
were not stored outside, it had to be about the next-worst location, I 
can't imagine anything short of direct contact with water that could do 
this.   Clearly an example of how NOT to treat any piece of equipment!   
After trashing the worst cabinet and basic cleaning, I determined the 
1011C was in pretty decent shape, aside from cosmetics.   While I don't 
have a final tube for it (nor much care), it only took a little more 
cleaning and reforming of capacitors to bring it to life and looking 
pretty good.   The 350A and Siltronix are very similar designs, with 
obvious differences in the mixer, driver, and final sections.

The 350A - not quite so easy.  Naturally,  the damage had to be 
concentrated in the bandswitch-driver-final area which are most 
difficult to access and full of unique parts.  After MUCH cleaning, rust 
removal, rust passivation, and repainting of the chassis I turned to the 
other problem areas.   The variable caps were removed and chemically 
cleaned, one crystal lead was corroded off so that can had to be opened 
and the crystal transplanted into another HC-6 base.   I replaced all 
the p/s diodes after having one fail, and a few other components, and 
all tubes were tested (all good) and all tube and socket pins cleaned 
and de-oxit applied.   Finally it was time - the receiver came alive and 
sounded fantastic.  And last night I re-installed the variables and was 
getting >50 watts carrier output on 75 meters, which I see as a great 
success, considering.

I am hopeful that someone has a Swan parts donor that might be able to 
supply a few needed pieces to complete the 350A's journey back from the 
near-dead:

-  A cabinet top.  Any standard 13" wide perforated Swan cabinet top 
will do, cosmetics unimportant as I can repaint (and obviously have seen 
worse!)
-  Knobs and knob inserts.  I know K3ICH has the big one, but I need to 
find at least one medium-size knob, a couple of inserts for that size, 
and two small inserts for the pointer knob.   (These are the same knobs 
and cabinet used on many Swan radios, so doesn't have to be from a 350A).

The 350A is one of the last models with the classic Swan styling but 
incorporated some modern features, like the IC balanced modulator (which 
works very well) and the IC audio filter.    I'm happy I was able to 
save this one from the scrap heap, and am looking forward to making it 
look good again and putting it on the air.

73, Bob W9RAN