I recently found an early 30's Vanguard 'sealed radio', made by Stokoe Motors Pty Ltd (Trove shows an add for the manufacturer at 559 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne). Some adds state that the Vanguard uses Loftin White amplification. Stokoe Motors appear to be an early manufacturer of car radios, and I wonder if the 'sealed radio' slogan was a part of their car radio advertising (e.g. sealed to limit interference)? I haven't been able to find a picture in any of the collector books, or online, so guessing it's probably uncommon? Does anyone know anything about this model, or chassis, and have a circuit? It is serial number 1001 - possibly the first one? Also, does anyone know where speaker cone material can be purchased?? I think it will be a good winter project.

Robert

'Sealed Set' may be some sort of marketing tool or slogan. It's definitely not a sealed set in the true sense of the phrase - for which the original owner would have been thankful.

Being a cathedral styled set this is a very, very rare one. Guard it with your life.

Looks like it may need reverse engineering: Sealed against dust I would believe.

Some very early components in there mixed with newer. That powdered Ducon should explode when powered. Wrote one of those up recently where that was achieved (& I missed the fun).

The octal socket in amongst those early thirties sockets that I would expect #24's era in looks odd. So it may have been got at. Burnt resistor spells trouble.

Looks a bit like 5 Valves originally need more info there, as well as what is powering it.

That tuning gang looks odd in the way it is wired. It may be just a TRF stage ahead of perhaps an autodyne converter, or it may be a rare Colpitts oscillator & they use 2 Gangs?

Clearly from the photo you have jumped in "both feet".

Marc

Hi Marcc,
Yes, it was hot on the day of the pic, so what better thing to do than set up a dusty old chassis in your bear feet! I'm finishing off a major restoration on a Sachsenwerk Olympia from 1938, so this one will have to wait another month or so, but it looks interesting. I'll have to trace out the circuit, but it appears to be a 4 valve only set. These sets were advertised with Magnovox speakers, and Majestic valves - it still has 2 of the Majestic 24's in it - probably original. It looks pretty complete, apart form the dodgy replacement caps - which will be sent to the trash. On each side of the chassis are 2 large cans - one the power tranny, the other a capacitor block - pretty common with early sets.
Robert

I am wondering if you got the count right. I see in the pan photo sockets for 5 & an out of place Octal socket mounted on one.

Three gangs is either a pre amp, mixer, oscillator, or perhaps mixer colpitts oscillator. #24 could be the mixer or an IF

So I am thinking #80 (UX4 socket); RF stage; Mixer; IF; Anode bend detector: Output (probably subbed)

Majestic is Grigsby Grunnow USA: I have one here (110V). Dial is same style & coil cans underneath have similarities

You may have to strip everything off of that chassis?

I normally draw a basic layout diagram, Transformers Gang IF cans RF cans, Sockets; Valves etc. where they are using an AutoCAD. If I know what type of tube it is from the socket (eg Pentode) I will insert a drawing of it; With pin numbers, rather that a socket.

Then you play join the dots. I use colours for wires eg Black, Cathode ; Red, B+; Blue Screens etc. Makes them easier to find, You can use the same colours on the pins (marker pen: Texta).

Marc

Hi Marrc,

I'll have a better look over the next week and upload another pic or 2. I seem to remember that one valve socket has a cover over it and has been adapted to a fuse holder - so underneath it's a valve holder, and on top a fuse holder. It may be a later hack. I've had to put it all away - otherwise I wont finish my other project!
Robert

There are many advertisements for Vanguard radios in 1931 in TROVE.

According to the advert below, if you were one of the first 30 people to buy the Vanguard Sealed set in December 1930 you received an autographed Don Bradman cricket bat!

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4239222?searchTerm=%22vanguard%20radio%22&searchLimits=exactPhrase=vanguard+radio|||anyWords|||notWords|||requestHandler|||dateFrom=1920-01-01|||dateTo=1940-12-31|||sortby

Looks like a good find Robert. Your radio chassis deserves restoration back to its original glory.