Motorola 59T5

Motorola 59T5 - 1938

I've just started the restoration
These are some pictures of the radio as I received it
(click on any pic for a larger view)

A nice deco styled radio. It’s now my largest table radio measuring 9 ¼ x 17 x 8 ¼.
It’s a heavy transformer type using 5 tubes, 41 output, 80 rectifier, 6A7, 6D6 I.F.
and 75 2nd detector – 1st A.F.

I picked it up local and the push buttons are tuned to some of the oldest stations in
the area, which is nice since at first glance I’m not sure how to change the button
tuning. In addition everything is original (never restored) and it still works beautifully!
I’m amazed, the old filter caps work very well, with no hum at all. Someone must have been
using this on a regular basis for those caps to still be in good shape. However I’ll be
recapping it since it uses a transformer and if those 68 year old caps ever short while in
use someday it’ll take out the transformer and maybe the rectifier tube. I don’t want to try
and find a replacement transformer! Some say if the caps work great leave it alone, the more
original it is, the more its worth. However most collectors realize that the caps do need to be
replaced for the good of the radio to make it useable without worry. Besides, I have to replace
the cord as it’s too frayed to keep, the dial glass is cracked and will need replacing, and the
front plastic piece around the dial has a crack (that refuses to be fixed! More on that later).
One thing I like is it’s a very sensitive radio. My house is vinyl coated steel sided, so it
blocks a lot of radio signals. My other radios without an internal antenna won't pick up any
stations without attaching an external one. However without an any antenna connected, I was able
to pick up many stations in the basement! And with a 10 foot throw wire, (connected with alligator
clip and throw the wire) I was able to pick up several SW stations). Nice.

Ok, let's see what the inside looks like...

Ok, I've been busy and put this off long enough. So I finally recapped the radio. There is a lot of room under the chassis, so it went fairly fast. As you can see I left two old caps stay, but disconnected.

In the top pic one end of the cap has six components soldered together. I would have had to insert a post to the chassis to accommodate all the connections, as I don’t like to leave one large connection bunch just hanging in mid air. Since the cap is secured to the chassis by a riveted band it makes a stable connection point. So it was less work to just leave it disconnected at one end.

I used somewhat the same reasoning for the other cap in the bottm pic. It has a connection post on the left end where the resistor next to it is connected with the green wire. I could have used a heat shrink sleeve over a solder connection there, but I figured it was easier to just leave the cap disconnected.

At this point I think I’ll call it complete. Some day I want to replace the
cracked dial glass, but the radio is playing fine and I have other radios
waiting for needed fixes. The case is not in too bad of shape as is. The
photo finish is on a white somewhat plastic like film that has hardened. So
in a few spots the photo finish has nicked off and left a white spot. I have
tried to fill it in with pencil putty, stain and paint the spots to no avail.
Nothing seems to stick. Maybe if I can find a nice brown color sharpie I’ll
try that, but I want to think that over fist. So at this time it stays as is.

So there it is, playing well for a 68 year old radio and I can trust playing it
without having to worry about the caps. And now it joins my other radios playing
the sweet sound of music.
- Mike

For anyone interested, here is the schematic
and service data for this radio.

Rider PDF File Part 2 - Thank You Nostalgia Air !

Motorola 59T5 - 1938

For anyone interested, here is the schematic and service data for this radio.

For anyone interested, here is the schematic
and service data for this radio.