Author Topic: Another red WE500...with gray cords (Read 1171 times)

cchaven · « **on:** May 31, 2014, 04:15:11 PM »

Today I was able to visit the little antique mall that I frequent...but this time it had been over a month since I was last there. It is the same one where I picked up the mahogany 1957 WE 591. I made another nice score this time around...this time it was a red 1955 WE 500 with straight gray handset and line cords. The gray cords immediately grabbed my attention since I didn't have any phones with them. They said that the telephone had just been put out yesterday.

The good news is that it is in pretty nice shape and appears to be date matching...with most dates being May 1955. The bad news is that the open finger wheel is broken. I do have a badly discolored 1957 aqua 500 that I could pull the open finger wheel from though as a donor. It needs to be cleaned up a bit but doesn't have any major issues besides the finger wheel. I'm pretty happy.

Jeff

TelePlay · « **Reply #1 on:** May 31, 2014, 04:16:54 PM »

How much did you pay for that gem?

WEBellSystemChristian · « **Reply #2 on:** May 31, 2014, 04:27:19 PM »

Beautiful find!!! I only have one colored 500 for '55, and it's green (probably the most common early 500 color). I find it odd that grey dust always seems to build up only on red phones.

cchaven · « **Reply #3 on:** May 31, 2014, 04:35:50 PM »

Thanks for the comments. I paid $22 for it. So far can only get one handset cap off and that's for the receiver...but I can't get the receiver element itself out of the handset. The transmitter cap is stuck tight. The dial needs a little attention but it works. Of course, it has that cheese smell everyone loves from the soft plastic 500's.

Jeff

WesternElectricBen · « **Reply #4 on:** May 31, 2014, 04:51:38 PM »

Great find for a great price, I'm very envious, those straight gray cords w/ the red looks real nice.

I'm awaiting its restoration and the after.

Ben

jsowers · « **Reply #5 on:** May 31, 2014, 07:59:36 PM »

Jeff, that's a wonderful find and a beautiful phone. You need to make that shop a monthly visit for a while, just in case there are more.

What I do to get stubborn caps off handsets is spray some window cleaner in the crack and use a fingernail in a paper towel to go around and around it and get whatever crud I can out. Spray some more window cleaner in the crack and let it sit for a while. Then it will soak in and eventually come loose. You have to be a little patient and let it work. Dry the handset and your hands off before trying to loosen the cap and you'll get better leverage. I'm sure everyone has his own way of doing this and there are lots of different solutions to the same problem.

Getting the receiver capsule out can be a bit more difficult. Sometimes I can get it out by holding the handset in my left hand and whacking the back of the ear part with the fleshy part of my right hand. If it comes out a little, push it back in and then on the next whack it will come out a little more and a little more. If you don't have to remove it, then leave it be. The plastic shrinks a little sometimes and makes this difficult.

Please take those wire ties off the cords. They can make permanent indents if left long enough. Use a twist tie or a piece of station wire tied loosely and not tightly. Be sure to come back and post the finished product when you're through.

Dennis Markham · « **Reply #6 on:** May 31, 2014, 09:13:01 PM »

That was a great find, congratulations!

To remove those caps, I simply take a hair dryer and warm the caps. They'll come right off. I use a method similar to Jonathan's for removing the receiver element. After removing the cap, I cup my left hand and smack the handset handle, with the element pointing toward my palm, against my palm. Usually a couple of hits will make it pop into my hand.

Good luck!

~Dennis

LarryInMichigan · « **Reply #7 on:** May 31, 2014, 11:37:12 PM »

What a great find! The cords alone are worth more than the price for the phone.

Larry

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