Northern Electric C 500

[rbouch]

Just picked this up for $15 at the market - looks like the ringer and dial are from 1959, the bracket that holds the dial is from 1966, the shell is from 1966, and the receiver and transmitter inside the handset come from 1959.

Comes with a 4 prong plug and I want to put a modular cord on  - inside the plug yellow and green wires are attached to one terminal and red to another.  Any advice on putting a modular plug on this?

Dial needs service (hardly returns at all) but dials out accurately with "finger assistance".

[WesternElectricBen]

Nice find, that should clean up nicely. The dial should not be too hard to fix, we can help you if necessary.

There are many ways in which you can switch that to modular: replace the cord, use a converter, add a phone jack, or use a lead-modular converter.

Ben

[poplar1]

If you are replacing the cord with a spade tip to modular cord, move the black ringer wire from G to L1. You might try some contact cleaner (the kind without lubricant) on the dial mechanism.

[rbouch]

Thanks, I have a spare modular to spade tip line cord and will use that.

As for the contact cleaner, I will get some from our local electrical supply house.

[rbouch]

well it's up and working except for the stickiness of the dial.

this phone is mostly one month younger than me and I realized - we both work really well for our age, we just need a little lubrication now and then (especially on a Saturday night).

next set of questions will be on dial lubrication.

thanks again

[rbouch]

dial is nicely freed up now.  used radio shack/the source contact cleaner and some very light machine oil, spins like new.

I took what looks like cigarette film off the gears.  sticky, yellow gunk.

thanks to all, that was alot of fun, now just need to shine it up.