Hello all, this is only a loose general inquiry. Tony H who I have been repairing radios for has an AWA EMPIRE STATE.
I suggested he have it professionally restored. The case is in very good condition, the Perspex would need to be replaced in front of the dial. I do not at this stage know the model or version. I would think there may be a few circuit variations of this radio. The big stumbling block for me is the loudspeaker there is none of the cone left, this has put me right off. I don't have the radio and don't know if the field coil is ok. It has not been removed from its case as yet. If he still wants it proffesionly repaired who would be his best contact, and where is the restorer located ? Who would be capable of rebuilding the speaker? , I know some of you have done marvellous jobs of reconeing he has other speakers and it maybe possible to find one with a similar sized cone I might be able to remove after lots of instructions from you people.I would think the coil piece that sits between the poles would be vey difficult to place in position,would this be from the doner speaker or from the remains of the old cone ? Is there much available in the way of spare bits for these? I am thinking someone maybe producing parts for them. Is there anything particularly difficult to work on in there. Providing the field coil is ok and there are no burnt out transformers any idea of what the restoration cost would be. I know this is a little like the question , how long is a bit of string ?Just trying to get some ideas . I know these radios fetch a lot of money and I would not want to do anything that would reduce its value. It is another radio from his dad's estate. I don't want to cause myself undue stress trying to help him out . I feel you people can give me the advice I need. I have currently run out of projects .
Kind Regards. Jimb

Replacement parts, dials, transfers and manuals for these are readily available and there are people on this site who can recone the speaker. The circuit is innovative, it has an RF stage and a reflexed IF stage. The ends of the chassis come out to make things easier.

You are lucky the case is good.

Depends if you want to go to the trouble of a bare metal, strip and repaint the chassis job, i.e. strip everything out, clean, paint, add transfers, reassemble with new screws etc.. You may decide it's better to clean and polish the existing chassis paint, in which case restoration would be very much within your capability.

Hi Ian good to here from you I hope all is well your end . I guess it will be up to Tony I am happy to get stuck into it. If anyone wants to quote for a speaker recone please let me know .
Kind regards Jim

A resto on these aren't the easiest in the world. The "firecracker" of parts in one end of the chassis is best dealt with by mounting a tag strip in one end of the chassis. HRSA have a book on restoring these and Peter Hughes has documented the process quite well. You have to make sure the tuning gang is well insulated from the chassis, the original rubber grommets will be knackered by now.
If it has the original capacitor can, two point come to mind. 1. There is an asbestos heat shield on it, and 2. try to keep it as they dont look right without. Michael Raanan does repro stickers for the cap can and valve box etc

A 100ma pigtail fuse on the centre tap of the HT winding is good insurance if you have it that far apart to replace the tuning gang rubbers.

Plenty of repro bits for these if needed.

There are sellers on Ebay who sell both reproduction dial perspex and the nickel plated escutcheons. There are only two versions - a square dial for the R29, R31, etc (also known as the Empire State Radiolette) and a rectangular one for the Fret & Foot models.

Thanks again for your replys it will be up to the owner Tony in the end . What K need is some one willing to retake on the speaker recone.
I will look at the HRSA SITE.
Thank you .
Kind Regards Jim

Jimb
Richard Boyd does the perspex for these sets I will get his phone number to you.

Just a general warning: On some of these sets: I have seen a few 6.3V heater sets where the dial globe has damaged the dial card. In the majority of cases, this has resulted from using the long envelope 300mA type globe, when it should have been the lower mA round bulb.

Thank you Carl and Marc.
Still looking for a speaker restoration person.
Regards Jim

Jim you need perspex and any parts for the Empires , I have them here anytime if you need them . Steve