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I need good advice please

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by Ridgerunner, May 20, 2011.

  1. May 20, 2011 at 9:16 PM
    #1
    Ridgerunner

    Ridgerunner [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Frank
    Rocklin, Ca.
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    2001 prerunner doublecab limited
    2001 with; cat-back side-swept twin exhaust, elbow mod, Westin bullbar with Hella 450 driving lights, Snugtop XTR camper shell, TRD off-road 2x4-black beauty.
    I am into radio communications-I own one of the first high end communications receivers ever sold to the public. It is a 1954 Hallicafters SX-88. They only made them in 1954 and 1955 and it costed $595 to get one. A few are known to exist today so they are highly coveted by collectors. I have one of the few. Joe Walsh of The Eagles owns one of them too. Last I heard someone bought one off E Bay for $10,000. I am hearing now from people that it's worth a small fortune now. Mine is operational, but not running now. You cannot take these things to any old repair shop, so I have been searching for someone who knows these things and can do a full blown refurbishing.
    I found a guy who says he is willing to do it. I did some checking on him and only came up with his website.
    Given all that I laid out here about the radio and its value, how would you guys go about letting this guy take possession of this radio to repair it? He would need to have it for about a month or two as he does it in his spare time.
    Bottom line guys-I am nervous here-I don't know this guy..anyone I find to do this job will be a person I never met-my worry is the radio being stolen from me and me having no way to prove it.
    The only thing I can think of is to draw up a contract with the serial # and pertinant radio descriptives etc and we both sign off in front of a witness (Rosie, my gal)-maybe take a short video of me dropping it at his house? Also, I removed the chassis from its casing and he would only get the chassis-so he wouldn't have the complete radio.
    Thoughts on this are definately appreciated.
     
  2. May 21, 2011 at 10:11 AM
    #2
    Ridgerunner

    Ridgerunner [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Frank
    Rocklin, Ca.
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    2001 prerunner doublecab limited
    2001 with; cat-back side-swept twin exhaust, elbow mod, Westin bullbar with Hella 450 driving lights, Snugtop XTR camper shell, TRD off-road 2x4-black beauty.
  3. May 21, 2011 at 10:16 AM
    #3
    Hiatt1991

    Hiatt1991 Well-Known Member

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    I would wait until you find someone reputable. It seems like you are leery of him taking your valuable radio as would i. Wait till you find the right guy.
     
  4. May 21, 2011 at 10:21 AM
    #4
    BrokenTusk

    BrokenTusk I support a velociraptor free workplace.

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    Marcelasaurus
    AB, Canada
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    Check Build Thread!!
    2 things,
    1) Do all you mentioned as security, and make sure he knows your doing it. If you get any sketchy feelings, take it and run.
    2) Anyway you could learn to do the repairs yourself?
     
  5. May 21, 2011 at 10:21 AM
    #5
    rbeezy

    rbeezy Well-Known Member

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    Ron
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    i would take it to a shop rather than some random person. the person can run with it but the shop aint going anywhere. the shop can also give you receipts
     
  6. May 21, 2011 at 10:23 AM
    #6
    OZ-T

    OZ-T You are going backwards

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    Antique and collectible items are de-valued if altered from the original parts etc .

    Be very careful .
     
  7. May 21, 2011 at 10:28 AM
    #7
    river rat 69

    river rat 69 Well-Known Member

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    NO Chrome,3" NFab's steps,TRD skid,Wet okie's.011 grill, k&n,5100's,All this comes right off when the old lady says let's go get a NEW ONE!!!
    X2 Something like this I would find a good,long time shop!!!!
     
  8. May 21, 2011 at 10:31 AM
    #8
    IDtrucks

    IDtrucks Unhinged and Fluid

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    this.

    get it working with as many origional parts as you can, but dont try to buff it up or make it shiney or "clean" looking. Let the buyer take it and do what he wants to it
     
  9. May 21, 2011 at 10:35 AM
    #9
    maju

    maju Well-Known Member

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  10. May 21, 2011 at 10:37 AM
    #10
    MTgirl

    MTgirl too many frogs, not enough princes... Moderator

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    Bob's secret mod lair
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    Does he specialize in restoration? Having the work done could either increase the value or decrease the value. If parts are needed how rare are they to get? Does he have the contacts to find them? Have you spoken to him at all? See if he has any past customers that you can contact to ask about the quality of his work etc.

    I would contact your insurance company and ask what you need to do to make sure this is covered under your (homeowners?) policy. Photograph and document everything. Get an appraiser involved.
     
  11. May 21, 2011 at 11:15 AM
    #11
    snoope

    snoope Well-Known Member

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    ridgerunner, you have mail.....

    good luck....
     
  12. May 21, 2011 at 1:06 PM
    #12
    Ridgerunner

    Ridgerunner [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Frank
    Rocklin, Ca.
    Vehicle:
    2001 prerunner doublecab limited
    2001 with; cat-back side-swept twin exhaust, elbow mod, Westin bullbar with Hella 450 driving lights, Snugtop XTR camper shell, TRD off-road 2x4-black beauty.
    Thank all of you so much for some good info. After reading your thoughts I just cannot let it go to someone I don't know-so I will do it myself. I already tested all 20 tubes in Feb. and replaced 9. I do know of a flamed resistor and two split and leaking capacitors so it's about locating original (if possible) parts (right you are OZ-T) and starting with known issues. It looks like I'm going to be a radio restorer:)
    MTgirl you said what my Rosie said almost verbatum-and one of the things about this guy is I cannot find diddly on his reputation-just what he says in his website. I already have this thing inventoried in my insurance policy-but its value keeps climbing so I think they'd have a fit if they ever had to pay out on it.
    Thanks all:)
     
  13. May 21, 2011 at 1:28 PM
    #13
    MTgirl

    MTgirl too many frogs, not enough princes... Moderator

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    Bob's secret mod lair
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    Then: 12 T4R SR5 Now: 99 - 3.4L SR5 4WD
    Wheeler's/Alcan 5-pack leaf springs, OME 881's, de-badged, Jungle Fender Flares, Herculined bed, HomerTaco grille, Anzo headlights, clear corners,
    See? Women: we are voices of reason...:cool:

    Good luck on the project! Do your research (I'm sure you already have) and don't get in over your head! I'm sure you'll take more care and time than anyone else would to get it done right.
     
  14. May 21, 2011 at 4:44 PM
    #14
    Ridgerunner

    Ridgerunner [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Frank
    Rocklin, Ca.
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    2001 prerunner doublecab limited
    2001 with; cat-back side-swept twin exhaust, elbow mod, Westin bullbar with Hella 450 driving lights, Snugtop XTR camper shell, TRD off-road 2x4-black beauty.
    Yup I was going to say that:D she is definately my consultant.
    Thanks MTgirl:)
     
  15. Sep 1, 2011 at 4:38 PM
    #15
    Ridgerunner

    Ridgerunner [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Frank
    Rocklin, Ca.
    Vehicle:
    2001 prerunner doublecab limited
    2001 with; cat-back side-swept twin exhaust, elbow mod, Westin bullbar with Hella 450 driving lights, Snugtop XTR camper shell, TRD off-road 2x4-black beauty.
    Just an update on the radio-she's alive again and back into my listening station. Running fantastic thanks to a great radio restorer I located. I just need to tend to little things like a sticky signal meter and some cleaning to make it perfect again. It's the HUGE radio on the right in the pic
    [​IMG]

    and here it is doing its first long distance reception of Radio Netherlands all the way from Germany.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clF5HsewTnU

    This is a super rare historic radio. I am so happy to have it running again:)
     
  16. Sep 1, 2011 at 4:50 PM
    #16
    Konaborne

    Konaborne Pineapples on pizza Hawaiian does not it make.

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    Cody
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    Looks good! Im glad it ended up working out in the end-
    I never knew the collectability of radios until this thread...learned something today :cool:
     
  17. Sep 1, 2011 at 5:38 PM
    #17
    Ridgerunner

    Ridgerunner [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Frank
    Rocklin, Ca.
    Vehicle:
    2001 prerunner doublecab limited
    2001 with; cat-back side-swept twin exhaust, elbow mod, Westin bullbar with Hella 450 driving lights, Snugtop XTR camper shell, TRD off-road 2x4-black beauty.
    Thanks kona me too-I had no idea just how serious radio preservation is until I met this person. He is a member of a historical radio preservation society (which after this I am looking into being a part of) and he has a custom built home with 3 floors of thousands of radios, early TVs, juke boxes, etc! It wasn't even the whole thing as he had stuff loaned out to some museums. This guy is so brilliant, radios shipped from L.A. were on deck for restoration as well as a juke box a guy in Japan paid $3500 to ship one way. Oh yeah, I am super fortunate to have found him.
     

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