Philco for a Fifty - Interchange?

[fifty fifty]

Looking for a Philco that will properly fit in my 50 Champion. Can't find an S5124 or S4927. Will an S4923 or an S4924 fit? They seem to be for other than Champion. I've seen some old threads but nothing lately. Thanks for helping!

[rkapteyn]

The first two digits after the"S" is the year the radio was designed
S5124 is for the 1952 models designed in 1951. S 4923 and S 4927 were designed in 1949 for the 1950 models.

[RadioRoy]

Any S-49XX or S-51XX radio will fit your 50 and will look and be correct.

Something I wrote a few years ago.

All 50-52 radios will fit the 50, but radios with a even number of push buttons (4 or 6) are more reliable mechanically, and easier to fix, than radios with a odd number of push buttons (5 or 7).
Because of the case angle/cutoff, the 51/52 radio will fit in a 50 and the bezel looks the same, but the square-cased 50 radio will not fit in a 51 or a 52.

The internal placement of the tubes and other electronic components had to be rearranged to accommodate the angled case. It's very hard to cut a 50 radio case to fit into a 51/52.

Also, the early 50 was the only one with 5 or 7 push buttons. That push button setup, where the right button engaged the manual tuning knob, was troublesome, unreliable, hard to fix, and easy for a ham-fisted operator to break. In mid-year, Philco redesigned the push button mechanism to be more like their other radio designs, and the radio changed to 4 or 6 buttons.
The manual tuning radio, and the 4 and 5 button radios all have a single output tube amplifier and a 6 inch round speaker.

The 6 and 7 button radios have a push-pull dual output tube amplifier and a 6 X 9 speaker.

So... the low and medium price models have a smaller amp and speaker and the top of the line models have the big amplifier and big speaker.

The most popular by far was the top of the line model, the second most was the manual tuning model, and the middle model seems to be the least popular of all, judging by survival rates.

For 1950, there were 5 radios, all with square back cases:
-manual tuning S-4923
-5 buttons (early) S-4924
-7 buttons (early) S-4927
-4 buttons (late) S-4924??
-6 buttons (late) S-4927

for 51/52 there were 4 radios, all with slanted back cases
-manual tuning S-5123
-4 buttons S-5124
-6 buttons S-5127

-and a special 6 button model that had a sheet metal bezel, rather than the die cast bezel.
As far as I can tell, this model appeared in late 51 and was only in production for a few months. Why it was made, I have no idea. Maybe the producer of the die cast bezels had some production problems. I have only seen the sheet metal bezel in the 6 button version. It could have been made in manual tuning and 4 button, but I have never seen one.

The threaded shafts on the push buttons are longer on this model than on models with die cast bezels, because the sheet metal bezel sticks out farther than the die cast bezel. You will notice the difference if anyone has switched one for the other.

S-4927 is an early 50 radio with 7 buttons. The right hand push button engages the manual tuning. When you push it in, you can use the manual tuning dial.

The push button mechanism on this radio is delicate and fussy, so here are some tips.

-if the dial needle sticks and the manual tuning knob gets hard to turn, do not force it. It will strip some little clips on the lead screws internally

-do not attempt to remove the chrome manual tuning knob. It is held on by an internal clip that can only be removed after the chrome bezel is removed from the radio

-if you ever get it into your mind to remove the bezel for re-chroming, do not remove the screw on the bottom of the radio by the name plate. It looks like it should be removed, but that is not the correct way. Removing that screw will make it almost certain that the hair-fine wires going to the tuning coils will be ripped off and the coils destroyed. Send me an email, not a PM, and I will provide instructions on removing the bezel

[fpstude]

Thanks Roy, this gets printed and put into my automobile binder in the shop for future reference.

[RadioRoy]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BEAUTIFUL-RESTORED-1950-STUDEBAKER-STARLINE-RADIO-DELUXE-6-VOLT-50-PLAYS-FINE/222783691697?hash=item33def15bb1:g:6F4AAOSwmkpZ-00m&vxp=mtr

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1950-Studebaker-Philco-AM-radio/272439727336?hash=item3f6eac54e8:g:Hs8AAOSwmfhX26Hp&vxp=mtr

[fifty fifty]

Great information! Thanks for compiling and sharing- much appreciated Roy!

[Mike Sal]

Is there much of a market now for radio cores? I have several slanted and square back radios that have accumulated over the years that I don't really need.
Mike Sal

[RadioRoy]

In my opinion, the value of the cores is in the condition of the chrome bezel and the knobs and pushbuttons. The chrome bezel is very difficult to re-chrome and the clear button tips for the odd number button radios (square backs) have been NLA for some time.

[RadioRoy]

Great information! Thanks for compiling and sharing- much appreciated Roy!

You and Perry are both quite welcome. If you bought the rebuilt radio on eBay, be sure it comes with the J-hook. Securing it to the dash without the hook will cause the two screws to distort the chrome bezel. If you want a picture of how the radio mounts, send me an email, not a PM.

[fifty fifty]

Yes- bought the 4923 today. Yes I installed one in another 50 I had but it had the crank antenna already in. For the back connection that doesn't come with the purchase I plan to bend a threaded rod unless someone knows where to find the original. I also plan to put in a period antenna- not a crank unless I can locate one in the next month. -Thanks

[RadioRoy]

Roy Valdez on this forum rebuilds/sells the crank antennas.

[royvaldez]

fifty fifty, I do have them in stock. email me or send me a pm. Roy Valdez

[TX Rebel]

You and Perry are both quite welcome. If you bought the rebuilt radio on eBay, be sure it comes with the J-hook. Securing it to the dash without the hook will cause the two screws to distort the chrome bezel. If you want a picture of how the radio mounts, send me an email, not a PM.

A belated thank you for this good info on the radios. I am printing it out to place with the unit when I get it to my radio tech.
I just received a beautiful S-4927 radio with 7 perfect buttons. It will no doubt need some repair & I may have avoided it if I knew earlier what you stated above. The bezel does not seem to match the dash chrome on my '50 Commander & the radio which presumably came with the car also has that issue. The man. tuning knob turns with rt button pushed in, & the dials moves, if a bit reluctantly, when the knob turns.