Belated Birthday Present - Soft Plastic Model 500

[Jim Stettler]

I posted a question to both lists in July when I got this phone asking about the serial type number on the paper insert.  The consensus was that it was something added later by an in-house type of record keeping.  Just for grins I've kept it inside the phone.

I think that is the listing that I remember. I have seen some field trial sets w/ #'s stashed inside, However, they also say to contact Bell Labs If the set gets repaired.
Jim S.

[Jim Stettler]

Regarding the cord. I did a quick check thru the Bsp and can't find the info, I did find some info that appears it should have a "waterproof cord" But I am almost certain that their is an exception for a long (over 5 1/2') brown cotton cord. I will have to wait until the weekend to search a little deeper.. Bsp's are like code books, they are full of info, you just have to know where to find it.

The phone I looked up was a 1956 Blue (polane) painted green w/ a matching date dial ring. The cord is brown cloth. It seems to me that I was able to verify that the cord was proper.
The phone seems to be an original as issued green painted  blue set.

I will try to find the phone  and take some pictures. My telephone display is a revolving display due to lack of space.

BTW

I did find that the D3BD and the D4AU mounting (line) cords were  were black, waterproof and retractile.
I have seen coiled line cords on a 500 set, I always assumed they were handset cords that someone replaced. Now I wonder.

Jim S.

[Dennis Markham]

Thanks Jim for going to that trouble.  I would like to learn more about the BSP's and how properly and accurately look up the information that I desire.  I know the TCI technical site has many of the BSP's.

I have a couple model 500's with retractile (coiled) mounting cords.  I can post some photos if anyone is interested.  It is difficult to display a phone with the long retractile mounting cord so often I will remove them.  But they're no good, obviously as a handset cord.  Although I'm sure they could be modified.

[Phonesrfun]

Dennis:

Beautiful restoration you've got going on there.  Good work.

I think the cord with the 302/202/102 style cord stay is probably not the original cord for the phone.  My reasons for saying this are twofold.  First is the obvious thing that you have pointed out and that is the loop style cord stay being tied down on one of the ringer screws.  While this obviously works, I do not think this was a design crietria of the Bell System.  Second is the evidence from the article McHeath posted on the announcement of the 500.  In that article, they talk a lot about the changeover from using fabric cords to using neoprene jacketed cords.  While the discussion was centered on the handset cord, I do not think Ma Bell would have taken such a stance on the handset cord and not on both cords.

So, while I think it was probably a replacement that just happened to have a 1955 date to match all the other parts of the phone, my bet is that it was a coincidence.

Remember that the phone was made and installed in 1955.  There were a LOT of brand new 302 parts floating around in the installers trucks.  Maybe after being installed for a while, the line cord got damaged and the installer had that particular fabric cord on the truck and did not have the correct neoprene cord.

I kind of like the looks of it.  My vote is to keep it as is.

-Bill Geurts

[Dennis Markham]

Thanks Bill for the compliment and your input.  My thoughts are in line with yours.  However, I am not dismissing what Jim wrote about some longer cords being installed on these sets.  I would have preferred that the mounting cord be a matching neutral gray cord but this one is OK too.  This is not the first model 500 I've come across with a cloth mounting cord.  I'm sure it was whatever the Bell employee had on their truck that day.

In the past on black 500's that I've had with the cloth cord I just removed it and put a neoprene cord there instead, where originality didn't matter.  I will leave this as it is.  I hate to break up a family of parts that have been together all these years.

[John S]

VERY NICE Dennis!!!!!!!!!!!!

That phone looks amazing!!!!!!!!!

GOOD JOB...........

[Tonyrotary]

Dennis, that phone is in great shape!

[Dennis Markham]

Thanks, guys.

[AET]

Wow that's a georgous phone, and straight cords!  What a find!!!

[McHeath]

Holy Fabulous Phone Batman that's one nice phone! 

If I was the jealous type I'd be jealous right about....now.

[HobieSport]

Dear Dennis,

It is of my opinion that your sister overpaid. One dollar is obviously too much.

I think that you should send the green phone to Atomic Tom ASAP.

I think that McHeath meant to use the word "Envious" instead of "Jealous".

But then, if Tom can use a word like "gorgeous" then obviously English grammar has gone down the tubes.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

[Dennis Markham]

Hobie, Tom is  a good boy........but NOT THAT GOOD!!

I called my sister a cheap skate for only spending a buck on my birthday present!

Someone once told me long ago, I don't recall who it was that it's OK to be envious but not jealous.  But in this case it's OK!

Merry Christmas.

[Phonesrfun]

......but then, if Tom can use a word like "gorgeous" then obviously English grammar has gone down the tubes.

Ahhh but he didn't use gorgeous, he used "georgous".  Sorry, Tom, I could not help myself, after the "dialless" exchange.  I actually like the word dialless. It looks odd in print, but the spell checker doesn't seem to mind it at all, and I certainly know its meaning.

-Bill

[Jim Stettler]

Dennis,
I went thru the BSP I have handy, I cannot find the referance that I remembered for a long cloth cord on a 500 set. The only info I can find points to a waterproof cord.

I will advise you if any other info turns up. For now (per my referance). it appears the cord is wrong.

I will be watching my library for other referances,

I hope to get this BSP scanned and  posted sometime in January.

Your phone is still very nice.

I don't like to display phones with the line cord attatched, the cord gets in the way.


Jim S.

[McHeath]

I could of course get covetous toward the envious phone that I'm jealous that Dennis has.   Or I could just really really wish I had a nice moss green soft plastic 500, but that's too easy.