1960 500U Hmmm....

[George Knighton]

Now, why in the world would somebody mark out the codes on the base?

Everything on the phone says either 7/60 or 8/60.  Transmitter, network, the cords, the dial, everything says 1960.

So why scratch out the base?

:-(

[twocvbloke]

Looking at the picture, it looks freshly scratched, so it's a recent job, probably someone doing it to disguise it's 1960's vintage and claim it as older when selling it...

[paul-f]

We'll probably never know.  It's interesting to speculate.

Perhaps it was converted from some other 500-series model.

Or perhaps someone was afraid that those numbers might identify the phone as stolen property.   

[HarrySmith]

I would put my money on the base being from a different 500 model.

[George Knighton]

LOL....  You guys are scaring me now.

[Dan/Panther]

Seems like an awful lot of work, to basically save a network. The rest of the parts could go anywhere. Even then, I've seen painted over, but not scratched out. What would be the purpose to scratch out the old number, they really weren't into matching parts were they ?
D/P

[WesternElectricBen]

I would put my money on the base being from a different 500 model.

I agree

[WesternElectricBen]

The bottom is really shiny, though the scratches I agree wasn't long ago. I bet that the date didn't match so they just had to make it look like it would all match.

I say, if they were really trying to trick someone they would paint over it, or forage the date with a white pen. Like foraging a check!

Ben

[HarrySmith]

I would not be scared George, Just mask off the area and paint over it. Or if you can find some really dark, thick black paint just brush over it like Bell did for a refurb!
I have some parts from a badly discolored pink mushroom and I have been toying with the idea of making myself a black mushroom out of it.

[WesternElectricBen]

I would not be scared George, Just mask off the area and paint over it. Or if you can find some really dark, thick black paint just brush over it like Bell did for a refurb!
I have some parts from a badly discolored pink mushroom and I have been toying with the idea of making myself a black mushroom out of it.

Why don't you just sand down the casing? Or send it to me!!!!
Ben