Now the Story Can be Told - 1949 WECo 500 Set

[McHeath]

Those newly fabricated feet are fantastic!  And it really needs to have feet on all corners to protect it from wear and damage, so this is a really good idea.  Great job dencins/Dennis!

You've done really well on the cleanup, and it reveals the overall good condition of the phone.  I concur with others that a shell must have been on this phone most of it's life and only recently came off.  Recall how dirty the face of the dial bezel was.  And why would anyone put duct tape on the bottom?  That's a sign that someone did not really value it or perhaps know just how rare it was.

[baldopeacock]

This is a heck of a story.   I'm really enjoying watching the progress, as well as all the help and great ideas from others.  Dan/Panther, congratulations on a fantastic find and your quality work bringing this one back.

[Dan/Panther]

I would be curious how long the gray Duct tape has been around. I did wonder why the tape was there. This is what I think may have happened. The shell was on the phone without the screws being tightened. Maybe at some point, someone removed the tape, and possibly that is when thew finger wheel was broken off, it stuck to the tape. The ends of the tape looks like it was cut with a sharp object, between the base and shell.
I will get back with the seller, and see if maybe he can shed more light. I've been monitoring his auctions and didn't want to seem over anxious to see what he may find, but maybe this a is more important than future maybes.
I really am pleased with how the chassis looks, I didn't have to rub very hard to get 75% of the grime off. The base is still going to be a chore.

The original feet are in fairly good condition, should I have Dennis redo them, or leave them as is ? If they clear the relief on the bottom of the phone chassis, Dennis' feet are almost perfect  match, the shape is right on, and any modifications he did will not show, and I see no reason for them to be removed in the future.
The protective cover for the dial was missing the mounting screw,  I THINK it was a brass, pretty much like the ones holding on the covers of later models, but it would have to be about twice as long. Once I find the proper screw I can remount the dial and the base will be mostly complete.
Originally I favored a black, soft shell, but I think maybe the clear shell with Black handset and cords (Original Design ) would look better.
D/P 

[Dan/Panther]

I want to give a thank you to Michael Bachefski of New Jersey, for having the insight to at least think the phone had some value to someone, and for listing this gem on Ebay. If he had thought: "No one wants this piece of junk". Can you imagine it now in a dumpster someplace.

Oh! BTW, when O received the phone the handset cord, and line cord spade connectors were still attached to the networks, they had been cut off with diagonal side cutters. One thing to note, only the Red, and Green wire spade connectors  were attached to the network. That tells me the phone may have been in use recently. No Yellow or Black terminal wire on the phone. It appears someone opened the phone, clipped the wires for what ever reason and left the spade connectors on the network. That makes me think maybe it was part of a bigger pile and someone was just salvaging parts and placing them in separate piles


D/P

[bingster]

The plot thickens!

Regarding the feet... It's just one man's opinion, but there's no way on earth I'd alter the original feet that were on it when you got it.

[Phonesrfun]

Bingster:  I respect your opinion.  Here, on this forum, it is good that we can voice opinions and not have the world crashing down on us.

For me, I would try to find the closest thing I could to a replacement.  Fortunately, replacing missing feet is just a matter of screwing them on and taking them off if you want to later.

[bingster]

I agree with you on that, so I think I may have misread Dan's question.  I'd definitely add the missing feet, but I thought he was talking about recovering the two feet that were present.  I wouldn't alter the ones that were original, but no, i don't think there's anything wrong with replacing anything that's missing.  That includes shell, handset, and cords.  I'd put a shell on it even if it's a hard plastic green from the 1970s--whatever it takes to protect the insides.

[JorgeAmely]

Dennis H:

Wow! That is service that goes above and beyond the call of duty.

D/P:

I wonder what is the purpose of the nut on the side of the equalizer unit? The phone as is now looks fabulous.

[dencins]

Dennis;
Read the post I just put up directly after yours. I didn't read your until after I posted mine. WOW!! absolutely fabulous.
D/P

D/P

Before I send these off to you I had one more question.  Last night I was thinking about the screw hole size.  I do not have a 500 base plate and made these to the size of the Galion hole in the footpad plate.  I checked this morning and I used a #10 screw.  I know 302's use a #8 screw.  Not a big deal since I can make them with any size screw but I would rather get it right before sending them.

Can you check the hole size in the base plate?  If you have an 8-32 screw see if it goes through the hole in the base plate.  If not use the wrong end of a drill bit to get the largest size that will go into the hole.

Dennis

[dencins]

The plot thickens!

Regarding the feet... It's just one man's opinion, but there's no way on earth I'd alter the original feet that were on it when you got it.

My opinion is if the feet are in reasonable to good condition and can be cleaned up then use the original.  If the feet are falling apart then recover them.  If the phone will be used in a house and on furniture then if in doubt recover them. 

In my case if I want the phone in the house (like on a desk or table) then I put new feet on it.  If I ever scratched a table or desk with a phone my wife would make sure it was the last one to ever got in the house.

Dennis

[Dan/Panther]

Dennis;
The two original feet are in good condition, with only small tears at the very outside edge.
Whoa !! Back the foot truck up a bit.
I have just realized something VERY odd.

Either they had two different sets of feet, or on one end of the frame, the rounded portion faces out, and on the other end the pointed portion of the foot faces out. I will try to explain, but will add photos to better illustrate the point. At each corner of the frame, there are triangular protrusions that are used to locate the feet. Well upon examining the four protrusions, I realized that all four triangles face in different directions. That means that if all four feet were identical, the pointed portion would face out on the front of the frame, and if the same feet were mounted to the back of the frame the rounded portion would face out
See if the photos help explain what I'm saying.
Now the Dilemma. How was the base originally, did all four feet face the same way, or did the front face point out, and the back face rounded side out ?

My guess is the front feet faced point out, the rear faced point in.
  
Then I remember we have a photo of Henry Dreyfus with his original phone. When looking at the original photo.  It clearly shows front feet point out, back feet point in. So all four feet are the same just the protrusion on the frame make the direction different.
Now for the amazing thing I found out ALL 500's have the front feet point facing out, back feet point faces in.  Something I never realized before.

What's  more amazing is that apparently the competition didn't realize it either, as the Galion all face with the point out. Just a bit of trivia. How many already knew this ??

D/P

[LarryInMichigan]

Now for the amazing thing I found out ALL 500's have the front feet point facing out, back feet point faces in.  Something I never realized before.

Gee, my 500s have been sitting here quietly all this time, and I didn't realize that the front and back feet face different directions.  The 302s are not like that.

Larry

[Dan/Panther]

Dennis;
Here is a diagram of the foot as needed.
D/P

[Dan/Panther]

Now for the amazing thing I found out ALL 500's have the front feet point facing out, back feet point faces in.  Something I never realized before.

Gee, my 500s have been sitting here quietly all this time, and I didn't realize that the front and back feet face different directions.  The 302s are not like that.

Larry

Larry;
I understand we all learn something new each day, but in my case it amazes me I can handle an item day in and day out, and never know something that basic.
D/P

[Dan/Panther]

Notice around the shell mounting holes, both top and bottom shots, the paint is relatively gone, that tells me a shell was on that base for quite some time with the screws tight.
D/P