NE 302 how to determine date? And repair questions???

[axil]

Hello I just picked up a NE 302 that I am going to restore. I am ok with the clean and polish end of things as this one has a lot of paint spots etc etc to deal with. My big fear is pulling these apart and cleaning and repairing the components. But my first question is how do I determine the date of this phone? On the base it says 1-57 patent 1939 and the handset says F1, the dial is #6. I read somewhere that if the gongs were brass (which the ones on this one are) that means it is pre ww11?

My next question is the dial is very sluggish and noisy and is there an order to removing the switch and dial etc etc?

Please see pics below:

[poplar1]

1957 date on the base. There are also dates on the ringer, induction coil, condenser, dial, number plate, housing, transmitter, receiver, cords  and maybe on the rec. cap, transmitter cap, and handle.

As far as I know, all Northern Electric 302s used brass bells. Western Electric did switch from brass to painted steel gongs during World War II, then back to brass. (Some 1946 phones have one steel and one brass.) Then from 1952-1954 WE used steel non-painted gongs.

WE did not make 302s after 1954 but NE made them until at least the date of your phone.

No particular order to removing the parts. You might want to write down the color of each wire and what terminal it's on. Pictures are also a good help so you can dress the wires the way they were originally.

[axil]

thx for the info I pulled out the dial and it works fine upside down but when I turn it back around with the dial facing up it slows right down at the halfway point. It seems like the weight of the dial is a factor?  Is there a quick fix for this or would oiling do the trick?

See Vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgA3-5DOhBQ

Thx again for your help.

dave (axil)