Westinghouse console: disappointment

[Firedome]

When my uncle, a former IBM EE, downsized to a small 2 br house about 6 years ago he discovered that a previous owner had left a very small BOL Westinghouse stereo console in the attic. It's on legs and really just a glorified portable record player in a cabinet. So light it can easily be picked up single handed by an old person like myself. Shortly after he moved in he had the amp/receiver out and on the work table in his computer room. I saw it briefly one day when visiting, and all I can recall was a small minimalist circuit-board based SE receiver using 2 outputs, something somewhat different like 2 x 6BM8 or 6AQ5. Not sure what he was doing with it and have not seen since he died last fall. Went up to his attic with my cousin this week and found the cabinet, modern-ish simple cabinet with lift up lid, small RP, maybe a Collaro (it was about 120 up there and I didn't linger.) and control panel underneath but no electronics within. Small cheap-looking 6" "full-range" (ha!) speakers on each side, cabinet maybe 32" wide at most. A real loss-leader special no doubt. Disappointed I haven't come across the electronics, and am hoping it'll turn up so I can get it working, and give it to my 9yr old grandson, I bet he'd love to have a vintage vinyl-player!

[William]

Good luck with your search, and here's hoping your uncle did not give it a toss.

Bill

[electra225]

It sounds like your uncle may have been a tinkerer. Odds are better that he stashed it somewhere, rather than tossing it. I hope you find it.

[Firedome]

He wasn't usually one to throw stuff out having lived thru the depression, but in the last year or so at 94 he wasn't himself. He was the ultimate DIY'er as many of our post-war dads were. My Dad built 2 houses in spare time off his Bethlehem Steel sales job (his Dad was a cab unit maker). My uncle made a complete set of kitchen cabinets from wood scavenged from packing crates discarded from IBM loading dock. He also built the very first McIntosh MacKit 30 amp, he had engineer friends here in Binghamrton (home of McIntosh Labs) who shared his Ham and RC plane hobby. They asked him to build it to prove out the instructions. He did and they gave him a matching Mc30 amp and a preamp & tuner for his efforts. My cousin still has it.

I'm hoping to find the Westy receiver, if I can't I have a similar SE one out of a small BOL GE console of around the same vintage that I got for free off the curb last year. Cabinet was cheap and trashed and the crummy speakers not even worth keeping so I saved the recv'r, maybe it will be of use. Will get a pic of that when I get home.

[Firedome]

The missing link has been found! In a Dewars box in the attic (figures, his favorite brand, bought by the case!)
Here's the little missing Westinghouse all-in-one receiver that was awol. I'd forgotten about it's copper-plated chassis, having last seen it 5-6 years ago. The trannies make the puny ones on the GE SE amp I posted about actually look big! This is clock radio power: SE 35EH5 outputs, maybe 2 watts on a good day? No wonder 6" speakers were all that it could handle! It'll be fun to put it together and hear it out though. Still missing: the preamp knobs and the 2 clear round plastic dials for the AM-FM tuner. However now at least it can be made to work and sing (maybe!) once again.

[Firedome]

The cabinet... "Honey, I shrunk the console!!" D'oh!

[Firedome]

money shot:

Now we have 98% of it, and have put my cousins on the lookout for knobs and dials.
Have the lift-up top and perforated masonite back board as well (not shown).

You know those old ads stating: "From $99.99!" ? Well this was that 99.99 one LOL!

[electra225]

That's a cute little stereo. Well worth saving and enjoying again. They don't all have to be TOL to be enjoyable and fun. Would you care to clue us in on what car sits in the garage with the stereo?

[Firedome]

'69 Olds Cutlass. I founded the OCA Blue & Gray Chapter in 1984, at the time I had a '56 Olds S 88 convert and 3 early Toronados. Have had about 20 vintage Olds 1936 to '77. The wife's toy, '07 'Stang convert, is out of the picture on the right.

[Firedome]

Cutlass and wife's car. She's wanted a red Mustang convert since she was 15 when they came out in April 1964 and I got it for her 10 years ago.

[William]

But it's not a 1964!

Bill

[TC Chris]

Cutlass and wife's car. She's wanted a red Mustang convert since she was 15 when they came out in April 1964 and I got it for her 10 years ago.

As a red Mustang driver myself, I sympathize completely. I had a '69 4-4-2 that I sold when I moved north 27 years ago. Too many cars, not enough space. Kept the '65 Starfire because it was in storage and presented no moving hassle. For what I've paid for storing it over the years, I could have sold it and then bought another and come out way ahead. But the current one has nostalgic value....

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

Don't tell anybody, but my wife had a 2000 Mustang convertible. Hers was black. That Cutlass is a four door hardtop. Not many of those around anymore.

[Firedome]

Chris - that 4-4-2 would partly find a retirement these days... every Olds fan wants one!

Yes, technically known as a Cutlass Holiday Sedan. Possibly the rarest '69 model nowadays, far more 2 dr hrdtps, converts, post sedans, 2 dr post, even wagons, have survived, doubt you'd ever see one at a show, or on the street (I don't do shows). Also it's the plain Cutlass, not a Supreme (the fancier trim model), of which far more were made. '68 and '69 are my favorite years of Cutlass and imo the best running, right before the emissions axe fell. The Rocket 350 was just rebuilt using all vintage US NOS and NORS parts (took a long time to find), and she really runs strong! I've had my fill of popular models, this one looks sporty but still has access to the back seat! New paint is scheduled for this Fall, she has a lot of dings not visible in pics. But she's solid as a brick having spent her whole life in Western Oklahoma until I brought her east. All my best cars have come from the Southwest.

Still looking for the knobs and dials for the Westy, the knobs I can easily sub, but what do I do about the round FM and AM dials?

[William]

That era of GM "A" bodies are my favorite too. I extend out to 1972, and the Cutlass and Skylark of those years are my top choices. When I see a four door like you have I think, "look at me, I'm a big boy car in a smaller body".

Bill

[electra225]

There was a black '71 Buick Skylark Custom Sedan (same as the Olds Holiday) that was built with GS equipment, including a 455, in the Buick Club. It has the GS hood and grille with the Mark IV wheels, positraction, the whole works. Basically an Electra 225 on a shorter wheelbase.

[Firedome]

I really like out to '72 also, I had a '72 Cutlass S coupe that was great, and my late lamented Uncle had a '71 Vista Cruiser, as well as his '39 Olds L (big) sedan with straight 8. The family still has it, and it's up for sale. I love it and have often worked on it with him, but there's just no space for any more cars!