Here's a good example that I stumbled upon today. This Red "Western Electric" model 500 has an Automatic Electric chassis and housing, a Western Electric dial bezel and dial along with a G5 W.E. handset. The ringer box is thrown in for fun.
http://goo.gl/99CrR
When I read this post by Dennis, I took a look at the phone. The auction had ended with a winning bid of $104.49. This morning, I was snooping around on eBay and saw that it been relisted with a BIN of $70.48. I don't know why the original auction was cancelled, but I bought it. Heck, a nice red G5 handset and that red ringer box are probably worth more than that just by themselves. When it arrives, I'll take it apart and let you know how they mounted a WE dial in an AE set. I have previously seen one other AE80 with a WE dial, and I suspect that AE did make a provision for doing this when customers requested that ability. If it was done with factory parts, not only is this NOT a Frankenphone, it is a really obscure and uncommon item. Will keep you posted.
Here's an update on the relisted red AE/WE Frankenphone that I "won":
Before paying, I had sent the seller a memo about secure packing, and was waiting for a reply. I have learned from experience that waiting for a reply to the packing memo before paying for an auction is a good way to make sure that the seller acknowledges receipt of the packing info, even though it doesn't insure that the instructions will ultimately be followed. Anyway, after a couple of days, the seller contacted me and told me that the phone and red ringer box had been sitting on a shelf that collapsed, destroying the phone, ringer, and the G5 handset. Whether or not that actually happened, I'll never really know. What I do know is that I didn't have to pay for it, and obviously I won't receive it. I guess that's all part of the on-line auction experience. However, the seller did say that there had actually been two identical red sets, and that the second listing was for a different set and not a relisting of the first one. For those who want to learn more about this Frankenphone, it appears that Steph Kerman was the winner of the first auction, and he has posted pictures of his win here:
http://www.telephonecollectors.org/pictures/?id=296029019http://www.telephonecollectors.org/pictures/?id=296028518Anyway, that's the story up to now. I don't expect anything to change, but will let you know if something does. Onward to other things....
Dave