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Pink Western Electric 500 w/odd dating

Started by Sargeguy, January 20, 2009, 06:41:01 PM

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Sargeguy

I just received a Pink WECO 500 set from an eBay auction.  My wife had mentioned that she thought Pink "might be cute" and any excuse to go eBaying for phones turned up:

Base dated 5/54 but also stamped 5 III 55
Internal parts have 54 dates, including 7A dial
Soft plastic dial
Matching cord and square plug
Neoprene feet ****I thought this was too early for Neoprene?

But...

Plastic housing dated 6/61
7-hole G3 with element dated 3-30-60
Neoprene feet

A bit of a Frankenphone: it looks like a 1954 model that was either refurbished or upgraded to pink in 1961.  Pink was not available in 1954/55.  Maybe this is when the neoprene feet were added.  Since it is for my wife I am not too concerned about the later parts, at least they are in nearly perfect condition.  The phone was bought by the customer in 1983 according to the stamp on the bottom, and comes from NY state.   The dial card is interesting: it is an AREA CODE card but still has the letter exchange as its first two digits.   $35 plus shipping.  I will post pictures once my wife nods off.  It is a present so I want to refurb it on the sly. 





Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

Dennis Markham

Greg, Rose Pink was not manufactured until 1957.  This sounds like new plastic was put in place as a factory refurb.  1959 was the year the neoprene foot pads began production.  I think it is a bonus that you got the older 7A dial.   Is the ringer a C4A or an earlier one (C2A?)?

I will look forward to seeing some photos when you get to it.


Sargeguy

The ringer is a C4A.  Here are some pics:

Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

Sargeguy

What is the "26" stamped on the back of the dial?  Is that the color code?  Also, the dial returns veerryy sloooowly.  Should I be concerned???
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

Dennis Markham

Greg, I don't know what the 26 indicates.  It may be a service technician's stamp or something like that.  It's not the color code.  It looks like the original color code was blacked out---painted over, probably by the service guy #26??

If the dial moves slow it's probably just gummed up.  You can clean that with the electrical contact cleaner or some alcohol and a Q-tip.  Maybe a little oil in the areas discussed in the previous posts. 

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=285.0

Sargeguy

Thanks!

As luck would have it another pink WECO 500 arrived in the mail today from eBay.  This one is dated 1955 and has original suede feet.  The refurb to pink occurred in 1968 for this specimen.  Unfortunately they replaced the original dial at this time as well.  A modular cord was added at some point but the housing was not notched.  Out of the box the phone looked great until I unscrewed the caps to check the dates (note to self: let phone warm up before trying this in the future) and cracked the threads.  I repaired them with superglue, and after sanding out the fingerprints of super glue from the handset and polishing with Novus #3 and #2 it was almost as good as new.  This one is slightly darker than the 1954/61 model, and cleaner.  Mt wife prefers it to the 1954, but we will see about that.  This will probably be going up for sale.
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

McHeath

I don't have any pink phones, but may have to solve that problem.  Been thinking about collecting as many colors of the 500 as I can get, currently only have Ivory, Ash -a Cortelco color, Turquoise, Black and a Yellow.  The colors are rather fun, especially since modern phones, landline jobbers, come in silver, black, or white.  Even ivory is gone.  Boring.

Of course I like color and if left to my own devices would probably paint the walls in the house horrific shades of primary hues. 

Sargeguy

WE painted the baby's room pink so I ahve a place to put it...them...one of them...or the pink Princess 701B that I just got today, which has no ringer.* 

*Yes, that's three pink phones in three days. 
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

Dennis Markham

Be careful Heath, that's how it starts.  I bought a few 500 sets in color then decided I had to have each color made of soft plastic...with the matching 554 too.  I still don't have them all but it adds to the fun of collecting---trying to find a nice one in all the colors.  It can be addictive.

McHeath

Yeah it does sound entertaining to try to find all the colors.  Which would probably take about 73 years, give or take a month here and there. 

BDM

Keep an eye out at the local fleabag markets. Ya never know what will pop up.
--Brian--

St Clair Shores, MI