I've joined the Mushroom Club!

[Adam]

Well, I didn't think I'd ever own one, especially in a color that I like, because they usually sell for so much.  But yesterday I happened upon this aqua blue 500U on Etsy.

I jumped on it because I think aqua is the nicest color for a bedroom set, and even though I don't have the tools or expertise (or time!) to do work like sanding, the only part of the set that doesn't appear aged is the body shell, which of course is the only exterior part of the set that is uniquely 500U.  I intend to just replace the other 500 parts (dial, handset, handset cord) from another Western Electric aqua 500D.

Oh, and it was only 40 bucks!

This is the pic from Etsy.  More when it's in my hands.

[Dennis Markham]

Congrats, Adam.  That's a nice find for $40!  That's not a color we see very often.  I'm sure you'll make it look nice.

[Russ Kirk]

CONGRATS!

This is very encouraging that there are sets yet to be discovered.

Someday my time will come.

Russ...

[jsowers]

Welcome to the club! You got a nice one in a fairly rare color. The dial looks to be replaced anyway, so it's not like you're taking away from the phone's originality. Some repairman beat you to it. The housing and mushroom are probably soft plastic and that's why they're not as faded. SP could really take the UV. The handset could be a mixture of plastics if this is a mid-59 phone.

I have to wonder if retrobrite could bring back that handset cord. Other than the fade, the cord looks good and original to the phone. You will also need a mounting cord and it's 4-wire. A modular cord will do until you find an aqua blue one.

Post some pictures when you get it.

[Adam]

Thanks, everyone!  Yes, Jonathan, I did notice the thin finger stop indicating the dial had been replaced anyway.  I am hoping at some point to score an earlier soft-plastic aqua 500D and restore the parts on the set to an earlier condition.

As I said, I don't have the time and/or patience for sanding and/or retrobriting, I greatly admire those of you all here that do.  After I have replaced the parts on the 500U, I will certainly make the aged parts available to someone here who wants to try to bring them back to life.

[Adam]

The housing and mushroom are probably soft plastic and that's why they're not as faded.

Um... the 500P was discontinued in 1960 and the 500U was discontinued in 1963.  I assumed those dates would be sufficiently early enough that they would have ALL been soft plastic.  Is that not correct?

[Dave F]

Adam,

Great phone, great price, tough color.  Congrats -- looks like you're 3 for 3!

Dave

[ESalter]

Great Find Adam!!!  I can't wait to see how it looks once you get it restored.  Hopefully I'll find a mushroom phone at some point.  As for the dates, I never realized they made these phones so late.  It was my understanding 1959 was the last year for soft plastic, so that would mean the Us and Ps made after then would have been ABS, I'd think.  I've never held a mushroom phone from any era in my hands before, but if they did make these into the 60s, logic would say they did make them out of ABS.  Hopefully someone else knows for sure.  Amazing find no matter what type of plastic it is!  ---Eric

[jsowers]

Eric is correct. Soft plastic in color went away starting in June, 1959. They had to use up their stockpile of soft plastic parts, so those phones made in June through December of 1959 could have any combination of hard and soft plastic pieces. I call them combo phones and they have some unusual fading issues going on sometimes. The parts matched years ago, but now they have often faded differently, as on this phone.

Adam, your handset may just be dirty, though. I'm hoping that's the case and all you need to use would be some rubbing compound to get off the crud, followed by some Novus 2 to bring back the shine. It could be an earlier phone that's just dirty, with a replaced dial. You'll know more when it arrives and you can see dates.

You may find someone in the Forum who will restore your cord for you. Those cords are really different than the 1960s and 70s cords that came after them. I've seen sellers call them "heavy duty" and that's a good description.

[Doug Rose]

Adam...I would try some fine steel wool with Novus III on the handset cord before I tried anything else. It might just be a fine layer that has to come off. The Novus III and some wet sanding paper on the handset as well. Start slowly in a obscure place to test.... Super find at a Super price....Doug

[Adam]

I appreciate everyone's comments and suggestions, but like I said, beyond disassembling a phone and putting it back together, I don't have the time or patience for plastic refinishing.  Wish I did. 

I'm hoping the handset is just grimy.

[Dan]

Beautiful!!! I am proud of you and welcome to the 'shroom club!

[Adam]

OK, sorry about the delay in updating on this, I've just been really busy.

Received the 500U, it looks exactly like the picture.  Base, network and ringer dated 6-59.  Base has a light dusting of rust on the inside and out, markings still completely readable.  Shell in really nice shape, but it has two problems that prevent me from being able to restore it using new matching dial, handset and cords.

1.  The shell is 1/2 a shade darker than new.  I could only tell this by comparing it to my new aqua parts.

2.  The shell does not have a shiny appearance.

I'm sure both of these can be fixed, but they preclude me from being able to just throw new aqua parts on it to complete it.

So, I will probably be selling this at some point, but I haven't decided for sure yet.