Converted WE 1515 Project

[WEBellSystemChristian]

I bought this Western Electric 1515 on ebay for $42, because this is the first one of it's kind that I've seen. What I can gather from Paul F's site, this was simply a two-line 1500 with an exclusion plunger. This was probably converted to 12-button and was modularized in the 80s, and my challenge is to bring it back to a non-modular ten-button set. I know that white phones came with light grey faceplates, and earlier phones had charcoal grey, no matter what color the phone came in, but does anyone know when the switchover officially occured?


www.ebay.com/itm/321478301797

[jsowers]

The cutoff on the early charcoal gray faceplate was probably around 1966, but I have no concrete proof.

One thing you will need to do is transfer the exclusion plunger and the retainer from the modular housing to the replacement housing. Phones with exclusion have different parts on the housing, but it looks to be the same housing other than those two pieces.

By 1967 they were using the light gray ribbed translucent faceplate on white phones. Below is a somewhat faded example from a refurb white 1500 with all kinds of dates--1966-67-68.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

One thing you will need to do is transfer the exclusion plunger and the retainer from the modular housing to the replacement housing. Phones with exclusion have different parts on the housing, but it looks to be the same housing other than those two pieces.

Judging by the rectangular housing badge, I have a feeling that the original housing was notched to incorporate the modular cord entries. If that's the case, I'll most likely wind up using the same housing. Fortunately, I have some adapters that are designed specifically for that problem; they fit over the modular cut-out and look like the hardwired-style mouseholes.

By the way, if anyone has a ten-button keypad for sale, functioning or nonfunctioning, please let me know.

[WesternElectricBen]

Christian, I may have a 10 button keypad for sale, I just need to decided if I will part out the set it's in.

Can you show us a picture of the modular-non-mod mousehole converter?

Ben

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Christian, I may have a 10 button keypad for sale, I just need to decided if I will part out the set it's in.

Can you show us a picture of the modular-non-mod mousehole converter?

Ben

I can take a picture first thing in the morning, way too sleepy to go downstairs and get it now!

If that keypad is still mounted to the original phone (unless that phone is in terrible shape) I wouldn't want you to tear it out just for parts. Unless the phone is ratty or has a mix of much later parts on it, I would feel bad if I removed a part out of a decent (and rather valuble) phone.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Here is what the cut-out adapter looks like. It's grey, but I don't mind the grey as much as I thought I would.

[WesternElectricBen]

Why don't you paint the adapter the same color as the phone, it would be much less noticeable.

Ben

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Why don't you paint the adapter the same color as the phone, it would be much less noticeable.

Ben

Yeah, I'm thinking about doing that. That way, it would also make it look a lot less like a modular entry.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Well, it arrived today, and other than the 1982 housing, this was pretty much how I expected it to be. I replaced the 1983 handset and cord with a 1968 handset and 1971 cord. Inside, everything is dated 1967, and the switch assembly looks pretty different from my '72 2511.

I still need a ten button TT pad, if anyone has a spare available that they would like to sell.

[Dave F]

Are the modular/mousehole adapters available anywhere today, or are they relics from the past?

DF

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Are the modular/mousehole adapters available anywhere today, or are they relics from the past?

DF

My dad has an extremey limited supply where he works (maybe one or two more) but they came off of ITT 2500 intercoms. I've looked and looked everywhere online, but I can't find any site that sells them.

Very strange...

[Dave F]

author=WEBellSystemChristian link=topic=12635.msg132940#msg132940
<snip>... My dad has an extremey limited supply where he works (maybe one or two more) but they came off of ITT 2500 intercoms. I've looked and looked everywhere online, but I can't find any site that sells them.

Very strange...

Christian,

That's a shame.  There probably isn't even one member of this forum that couldn't occasionally use some of those!

DF

[WEBellSystemChristian]

author=WEBellSystemChristian link=topic=12635.msg132940#msg132940
<snip>... My dad has an extremey limited supply where he works (maybe one or two more) but they came off of ITT 2500 intercoms. I've looked and looked everywhere online, but I can't find any site that sells them.

Very strange...

Christian,

That's a shame.  There probably isn't even one member of this forum that couldn't occasionally use some of those!

DF

Weco355aman (Phil) told me that he had some of those notch adapters in stock. You could PM him, he's offering to sell them.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Since the last update, I replaced the faceplate with an older style, because the one that was on the phone when I received it had the later plastic tab molded into the faceplate. This one has the separate metal tab attached to the housing. This faceplate will have the pound and star button holes filled and sanded, and then will be painted.

Since I couldn't find a 10 button pad anywhere for sale, I removed the "pound" and "star" buttons, and my dad used a Dremel to grind the edges around the buttons smooth.

[Dave F]

I'm impressed with the amount of work you are doing to return this phone to its former glory as a real 1515.  For complete accuracy, you will also need to replace the 0 dial button, as that dial button on an original 1515 would have said OPERATOR, not OPER.  Have fun!!

DF