1955 Soft Plastic Ivory 500, Finally...

[WEBellSystemChristian]

I finally got my hands on a Soft Plastic Ivory 500, this one from '55! It looks like the only newer parts are the ugly Ivory HS cord and white modular line cord. It almost had me fooled the second I saw it; it almost looked like -56 Yellow! After viewing the listing, I realized it was smoke-faded Ivory. Because it's dated 2-55, I would bet the original handset cord was straight, and a collector robbed the cords for his own Ivory 500, and replaced them with a couple cheaper cords.

I'm thinking about using Clorox with hot water, what Unbeldi used with his Ivory. Should the UV box help accelerate the process, like it does with Peroxide?

It also has a crack in the front right corner, along with a small chip at the bottom. A little lacquer thinner and sanding should take care of that.

Pretty happy with my purchase! I hope the plastic is dates-matching!

www.ebay.com/itm/291672741917

[jsowers]

Christian, congratulations on finally getting an ivory one. In the past ivory wasn't what I would call rare, but these days I guess it is. That handset cord does look to be replaced with a cut up modular handset cord, keeping the strain relief. It's possible the old one got cracked up and gummy and all they kept was the strain relief. It doesn't look at all like the strain relief of a straight cord, though. Those were much longer and tapered.

It could be cut off, I suppose. When you get the phone, look inside the handset. The straight cord strain relief is one-sided with the ridge that sits inside the clear plastic piece. They require the two-piece cap and strain relief. However, the coil cords all had a strain relief whose ridge went all the way around. They were perfectly cylindircal and the straight cords were not. I attached two pictures that might help explain it.

Good luck fixing that crack and chip. I'm sure you'll keep us apprised with pictures and they will be interesting to see. And yes, UV helps with bleaching. I usually use the sun and it has both warmth and UV. But January is not the time for that.

[Jim Stettler]

I have an early  black 500 with the same type of cord. It appears to be a "real" cord. I never checked the strains.

Jim S.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Jon; I originally thought this was a later hardwired handset cord by a different manufacturer, but your idea that the original boot was stitched to an Ivory modular cord seems correct; the boot is the same color as the plastic. It looks like I'll be searching for an Ivory cord without the boot for awhile. Either that or look for a cord in similar shape to a '50s Ivory cord; probably one of the ITT versions sold on ebay frequently.

I have a few 500s with that clear strain relief, and I was even thinking about making replica pieces out of clear resin, because those are usually missing or broken in early color 500s.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

I actually have a '50s Ivory handset cord with the boot. Problem is, it was installed in an Ivory 354 and was converted (or built) with 3 conductors. Who mentioned that there was a way of converting 3 conductor cords for 4 conductor use?

[poplar1]

Install a jumper wire inside the G-3 handset from the red transmitter terminal to one side of the receiver.
Connect the 3-conductor handset cord as follows:

Handset cord color:           Network:        Handset:
Black.                                    B.                     Transmitter (center contact)
White.                                    GN.                 Receiver
Red.                                       R.                    Transmitter (outer contact) and other receiver contact

[Jim Stettler]

I have an early  black 500 with the same type of cord. It appears to be a "real" cord. I never checked the strains.

Jim S.

I noticed another of the cords on my 1st payphone, It is an AE rotary chrome set with black handset. I have had the phone for about 25 years. Transmitter date of '79.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
I still think these are manfactored  cords. It may be a 2 piece design with a cord and boot, I don't think this style of cord is homemade. I suspect they were made for the Independent market.

As always, This is just my opinion,
Jim S.

[Jim Stettler]

Jon; I originally thought this was a later hardwired handset cord by a different manufacturer, but your idea that the original boot was stitched to an Ivory modular cord seems correct; the boot is the same color as the plastic. It looks like I'll be searching for an Ivory cord without the boot for awhile. Either that or look for a cord in similar shape to a '50s Ivory cord; probably one of the ITT versions sold on ebay frequently.

I have a few 500s with that clear strain relief, and I was even thinking about making replica pieces out of clear resin, because those are usually missing or broken in early color 500s.

Christian,

Is the boot designed for round cordage or flat cordage? If round it is probably a homemade cord, if flat then it was probably  manufactured.

JMO,
Jim S.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Here is a closeup of the boot. It looks like the boot was taken off the original handset cord and a WE modular cord was fed through it. You can tell that the boot is the same color as the surrounding plastic, yet the cord itself appears to be an unfaded Ivory.

[Jim Stettler]

That does look like they re used the old boot.
Jim S.

[JimH]

I just noticed that the straight handset cords have the longer "boot" or strain relief that goes into the handset, and the coiled cords had the short ones in these years.  I think the longer ones became the norm on the coiled cords about 1965?  If that is your original boot, it probably came with a coiled handset cord, I would think.

Jim

[WEBellSystemChristian]

I just noticed that the straight handset cords have the longer "boot" or strain relief that goes into the handset, and the coiled cords had the short ones in these years.  I think the longer ones became the norm on the coiled cords about 1965?  If that is your original boot, it probably came with a coiled handset cord, I would think.

Jim

Correct. When I saw the 'stubby' boot, I knew it had a coiled cord from the factory. The later tapered boots in the late '60s were very different from the straight handset cord boots, and actually were much shorter.

[Phonesrfun]

I have seen the flat coiled cord with boots on them before.  I am pretty sure it was a later manufactured items and not a home made job using the old boot.  Time will tell when you get the phone.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

I have seen the flat coiled cord with boots on them before.  I am pretty sure it was a later manufactured items and not a home made job using the old boot.  Time will tell when you get the phone.

I have seen those cords, and I even have one made by Conair. That's what I thought I had when I bought it, but it looks like a homemade cord.

Either way, I will be replacing the whole cord, boot and all, with a 3 conductor in great shape.

[zenithchromacolor]

I believe I saw the phone being discussed in an ad for a local estate sale. The person selling the phone on ebay buys phones at estate sales to sell. See attached photo, too bad the cord is covering the cracked area, but you can almost see the crack, and the small dent to the left of the crack is also visible in the auction photos. Finger wheel was also replaced. The estate sale occurred about a week before the ebay sale, so it is a good chance this is the same phone.