My Latest Acquisition - WE 500 3/63

[mienaichizu]

My latest acquisition, a Western Electric model 500 3/63. I got it for only $12 (Php 600) This is my first western electric phone since western electric telephones were not popular in the Philippines. Automatic Electric are the standard telephones issued by our local telephone service provider (PLDT) AE 80's are the most popular.

The phone is still in good working order with only minor scratches. But its back base has a crack. Also the front base has also a crack and a small part of its plastic case is missing.

[McHeath]

That's pretty cool, that you can get a WE phone from that era in the Philippines.  I had no idea they were using American phone equipment, but I guess that makes sense as there was an American administration of the islands for so long.  This phone needs some Tender Loving Care, but I like that it has some character, clearly it's been doing it's duty for King and Country.  I've heard that you can repair the plastic housing, but I don't how.  I like that green color as well, I saw an almost identical phone here in California over the weekend in an antique store, they wanted $60 for it.

[mienaichizu]

That's what I need to know, how to repair plastic casing. It is really hard to find WE phones here in the Philippines, mostly AE80's are in here

The green color is really lovely i really like it that's why I bought it, the adjacent store where I bought the phone also sells a WE 500 ivory color for $34. A bit pricey rather than the first one I bought.

[bingster]

Might be easier to add a strap of chrome or stainless steel all the way around the bottom to cover the bad area.  It would also add a bit of extra pizzazz to the phone's styling.

[mienaichizu]

that's nice, i'd like to try that