Sending some photos to Brad of my first and last purchase from Facebook Marketplace. In my case the only identification of the seller was his name, he didn't allow pick up or reveal his contact number. The radio, an STC A140 arrived yesterday in 3 pieces. I contacted him immediately and to cut a long story short he wiped his hands of the whole thing. I could have started a dispute with our bank, his was the same bank, I decided to let it go as he knew where I lived, who knows what sort of person he might be. Another lesson learnt.

I will restore it, send update photos and add it to my collection of orphans.

I want nothing to do with Facebook. Never have, never will.

Same here. Never heard of Facebook Marketplace.

I only use marketplace to sell small household or bike gear. They always seem to think I will accept a lower price and get annoyed when I say no!

Most of my online buying or selling has been on Ebay but it's been a long time since I've sold anything there because Ebay fleece sellers to a great degree and it's just become a licence to print money for the owners of the company. Apart from this rort, Ebay hasn't been too bad.

I have sold a number of radio/electronic items on Gumtree, which does not charge seller fees. In each case I published good photos and described the condition (as if I were using eBay). However, I do expect potential buyers to inspect the goods and pay cash on the spot if they want to take them. This is where some 'tyre kicking' can be expected and Gumtree buyers always expect you to negotiate the price.

In a couple of cases, which involved printed manuals, the distant/interstate buyers asked if I'd post them and I agreed as long as the funds were deposited into my bank account in advance.

Photos uploaded.

Its my guess that he did not want you to see the condition it was truly in. Must have been a scam.

Must have been a scam

Yep, a scumbag seller for sure.

Chassis looks like it would have to be stripped to get that amount of rust out of it. Exfoliation on top of the speaker transformer does not bode well either. Barely a $5 radio.

Definitely a shonk.

Agree with everything said and unsaid, I deserve every bit of it.

It may well be a waste of time, as its likely easy to change identity; But a complaint to Facebook just might be stress relieving?

If it is deep rust, it probably is a case of Molasses, or Phosphoric Acid. You will get the comment that "these will leave a hole". The reality is that the chemical has followed the rust and reacted with it Naturally if the rust goes right through the metal it will leave a hole: But if you do not kill the rust it will just re-appear.

If the chassis has been Zinc plated Molasses will remove it. Its all a case of cost effective, or love.

HRSA has adds for people that can repair Bakelite. If its any consolation, I have a chassis overhaul (not started) on a Philco that had some sort of decent from a high place & its cabinet is a Tortoise shell glued back together. Someone has been at the chassis.

I'll have a go at the cabinet first and send photos of my progress.

I have in many cases found it desirable to reinforce the joint: The Formaldehyde tends to destroy Acrylic paint so I never use Acrylic binder on anything containing it. When I use High Strength Araldite on valve bases I use insulation tape to stop it running. The best Super glue (plastics) the industrial Loctite 401, but there are industrial Epoxy resins.

I find UV stabilised awning material quite useful as a patch.

Beware when dealing with Philips Metalised valves. If you drag it out via the glass, you can break the electrical bond between the Metalisation and the wire to pin 1 (not always pin 1)

There is a band of wire just above the base, that's where it breaks when the envelope & base come loose. I have repaired those & replaced the Metalisation.

I've had good results using fibre glass mesh with JB Weld. Depending on how big the repair job is I've also found that Loctite 401 sprinkled with sodium bicarbonate is very effective.
I'll send photos before and after of a Philips radio which arrived from Holland in about the same condition as the STC. A mate bought it, he was so distraught that he gave it to me rather than stressing every time he looked at it.