Green Western Electric Continetal 202 D1

[Greg G.]

It is actually better than the pictures show it to be. I am extremely fortunate to have this phone. ....Doug

You're extremely fortunate to have Janet, but I don't need to tell you that!  Can I send my gf over to hang with her when she goes on phone hunts?  She's supportive of my hobby, but doesn't know much about phones.

[Doug Rose]

It is actually better than the pictures show it to be. I am extremely fortunate to have this phone. ....Doug

You're extremely fortunate to have Janet, but I don't need to tell you that!  Can I send my gf over to hang with her when she goes on phone hunts?  She's supportive of my hobby, but doesn't know much about phones.

Greg..Janet has learned from my constant badgering. She has educated herself and does really well. To be honest, she likes it better when I don't go to the Flea market with her. Sunday Morning is my loading of eBay, so she goes along more often than not. She gets there before the Sun is up with her  trusty flashlight. Everybody knows her as the phone lady. When I go with her, if I talk, they turn their back and talk to her. She is now the expert and I am her minion. At least Yard Sales, I get a little respect.....Doug

[Devansphones]

Wow! that phone is really a beauty!!! I am a real sucker for D1's I love the look, especially with the coiled cloth cords!!! $30 jackpot!!!

[teka-bb]

Hi Doug,

That's a great find!

[Doug Rose]

thanks guys......took me years to find a green Continental in the condition I collect. Janet called me one the way home and told me" I found a green 202 in really great shape, if that is possible. The paint is perfect."  She was correct. She is known as the"phone lady" and the owner of the phone was looking for her at the flea market. ...Doug

[LarryInMichigan]

I bought a green continental (my first) online yesterday for $65 incl shipping.  I hope that the paint is original and that the cords are salvageable.

Larry

[bingster]

Looks to be the original paint to me.  And it's in unusually good condition, too.  Nice catch!

[Doug Rose]

I second......looks to be a beauty....nice find....Doug

[GG]

Great catch, and was used in the San Francisco Bay Area (415), in service right up through at least the mid 1960s (area code and numeric prefix shown). 

[bigdaddylove]

hey, you're right! i didn't notice that.

[LarryInMichigan]

My phone is supposed to arrive on Friday.  What do you use to clean it?  I don't want to damage the paint.

Larry

[bingster]

Any kind of mild soap and warm water should do the trick.  I tend to use hand soap to clean phones, simply because it's right there beside the kitchen sink.  But I've also used windex, which doesn't seem to hurt anything.  Automotive paste wax would probably work wonders, too.

[GG]

For a painted D1 I would suggest: warm soapy water (pleasantly warm, not lukewarm and not hot) and a plain sponge (not a sponge with a scrubby-pad on one side).  First disassemble to remove the dial and hookswitch plunger, and the transmitter & receiver.  The warm soapy water will loosen up dirt & grime on its own without any "scrubbing" that can damage paint, if you let it work for about three to five minutes before wiping off.  And then of course rinse with lukewarm water on a plain sponge, and dry with a soft cloth.  Same treatment for dial number plate.  For the fingerwheel use a dedicated toothbrush to scrub. 

[Doug Rose]

If you don not want to take it apart, I wouldn't....I cleaned mine first with a wet paper towel and got of the sh*t. I just removed the finger wheel cords and bottom plate. I have had problems re-assembling the plunger on 202s in the past. After I removed all the removable sh*t (it's a technical term) I used Noxon Metal cleaner on it. The green had a yellowish (smoker) color to it. The Noxon made it look like new again....Doug