vintage Trimline

[princessphone]

Happy New Year!
It's Jan 1st and already bored. Good thing I've got this decease, phonenitis that is.
Here's the story. I'm always on the look out for a couple of red 505A plugs to complete the look on some of my red princesses. Little while ago spotted on EBay a Trimline with the red 505A for $9.50. I put in the offer and won it. I never realized how cool a vintage Trimline is. I cleaned it up a bit and now it looks near mint and works great. It's a touch tone with the small round buttons, thick line and springy cords with big modular connectors. It has a strange little light bulb, steel gong (which sound different than the princesses, however still pleasant). According to Wikipedia this model came out in mid 1966. The rotary version (model 220) came out a year sooner. Does any one know my model number? I would like to compliment this touch tone baby with a rotary model, either black or red. Did WE make black 220 models, or did they omit early black ones as they did for the princesses?
On EBay I spotted a few red rotary 220's, however most of them have been refurbished with RJ11 connectors. Mostly just the line cord connectors but sometimes also the handset. Has anyone had any success restoring them to their original internal big jacks. From the pictures on EBay it appears that those big internal jacks are still there and not too much adulterated.
Any answers or comments are much welcomed.
PS  When I was involved in an old car club (CCCA), there were always some members who specialized in certain makes and years of cars. Is there a way to find out who specializes in certain types of phones? Is there something in a members profile what rings his or her phone bell? Is there a directory to members interests.
John   

[paul-f]

Numbering was similar to other WE families -- add a prefix of 1 for 10-button touch tone and 2 for 12-button touch tone.  If yours has 12 buttons it's a 2220.  There's a separate number for the base.  See the BSPs.

A good search to use in the TCI Library is 502- Trimline

Here are a few of the hits you'll get:

  http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/4400-502-303-102-i3-trimline-hand-telephone-sets-id-installation-connections-maint

  http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/2769-502-320-100-i5-220a-1220a-2220b-trimline-tl

  http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/2788-502-322-400-i10-ad-ad-bases-for-trimline-tl

Trimlines were made in a lot of colors, including black.  Black was non-promoted for much of the production run, so is not among the most common colors.

  http://www.paul-f.com/color.htm#Trimline

[poplar1]

"220A" and "2220B" refer to the handset but not the complete phone:

--------------------------------------------------------------

2. IDENTIFICATION
2.01 The 220A (Fig 1), 1220A,  and 2220B (Fig. 2)
        hand telephone sets are components of the
dial-in-handset TRIMLINE telephone sets. The
hand telephone set is a complete telephone set
except for the handset cord and the ringer and line
switch which are housed in a telephone base.

Section 502-320-100 Issue 5
--------------------------------------------------------------

2. IDENTIFICATION
2.01 The 220A (MD), 220C, 220AL, 220AM, and
226A rotary dial and 2220B (MD), 2220C,
2220BM, and 2226A TOUCH-TONE* dialing hand
telephone sets are intended for use with other components
and apparatus to make up a complete telephone
set. Refer to Table A for identification of associated
apparatus.

------------------------------------------------------------



"2220B Hand Telephone Set" + "AD1 Telephone Base"= a complete Trimline telephone set. I believe the complete round button desk set would be called a 2200B. The two parts were ordered separately and shipped in separate boxes. And the BSPs cited refer to the individual parts but not a complete set.

Later AD3 bases are also marked "223C / 2223C."  Those are the codes for a complete LED Trimline set, whether rotary (223C) or square button Touch-Tone (2223C). The LED wall sets were coded "224C / 2224C."

[jsowers]

A black 220 shouldn't be any harder to find than a black 702 Princess. Below is a picture of mine after I cleaned it up.  It's from 7-70. They're very well made phones. Be sure to check the top of the handset for chips since that's where it often landed when dropped. Trimline handsets are much more prone to damage than a regular G3 since they're heavier.

The cord adapters are usually just plugged into the large modular sockets and should come out like any other Trimline cord would. You depress the clip with a fingerwheel removal tool and pull out on the adapter. It might help to have a cord plugged into it to have something to hold onto. The hard part is finding a large modular handset or mounting cord to go in there as a replacement. Also be very careful on the handsets since the socket is plastic and cracks easily.

There were Trimlines that were originally made RJ11 modular and those can't be changed. Just the ones from the 1960s and 70s accept the large modular cables. Oftentimes they came with a silver satin mounting cord in the 1970s and not a color matching one.

[poplar1]

It's true that a lot of early 220A and 2220B handsets, and AD1 bases, all with wide plugs, were modified to accommodate the new, smaller modular plugs. In practice, however, most of the time they added a clear, tapered 227B adapter for the handset but did not alter the original structure. So this adapter can be removed if you want to use the older "Trimline style" handset cord (large plugs).

There was also a gray 231B adapter that could be used to convert AD1 bases to AD2 (modular handset cord)  or AD3 (both handset and line cord modular). The 231B, if present, can also be removed. However, many times, the WE repair shop removed the original handset connector and replaced it with a 616T jack, which was the one used on newer phones, rather than just adding the removable 231B.

[princessphone]

Thank you paul-f, poplar1 and jsowers,
You folks just gave me a wealth of information.
I believe now that my new baby is a 2200B set, composed of a 2220B handset and a AD1 base.
Too bad I can't send pictures yet, but the set is immaculate. There are no chips whatsoever. There is a sticker on bottom of base stamped  AD1 10/75.  As you mentioned, this find came also with the silver satin line cord and red 505A plug. I replaced the red 505A with a grey 505A and it looks real good. The red one went to a red princess. I could be the prince slipping heels on Cinderellas.
Thanks for explaining the model numbers and the adapter inserts. I'll keep an eye out on EBay for a similar black Trimline rotary or touch tone.
For these very early Trimlines were wall mount bases available? The "hook" on the handset seem to suggest it. If so what is the code/model number for it?
You also mentioned a wheel removal tool. I've always used a paper clip, however if there is a better tool what does it look like and where can I find one?
Thanks, John