'61 lark radio schematics?

[silverhawk]

Hey all,

I got a original '61 lark radio, but it does not power up, I'm suspecting one or more of the tubes are probably out, and a good chance the vibrator is as well. Is there any schematics available for these, for I can do some testing before I throw things at it?

Thanks!

Dylan Wills

'61 lark deluxe 4 door wagon

[mbstude]

Does the dial light come on?

I seem to remember those having an in-line fuse on the hot lead, but I might be wrong. Did you wire it up "factory" on the ignition switch?

Matthew Burnette
Your Friendly Stude Trim Bender

[Bud]

The radio doesn't have a vibrator power supply. The radio has what is known as a hybrid circuit, it has tubes for most of the circuits and a transistor for the output amplifier. I've serviced a bunch of those radios and very rarely do I find a bad tube. There could be corrosion on the tube pins, the speaker connection or a dirty on off switch on the volume control. Don't rule out the obvious like a blown fuse a bad speaker or antenna and their connections. Bud

[silverhawk]

Hmmm, ok. I'll check these! Sorry, I was told the aluminum tube pluged into the side was a vibrator, but thanks for clarifying! The fuse might be bad, I didn't think it was, but I'll check a again. What I'm doing is useing a power probe (to those who don't know what that is, I can put around 12 volts anywhere with it, and check to see if there is power there, very handy.), and I put power on the main power lead, nothing. Now, it hasn't been used for years, so it could be corroded terminals, I didn't think of that. And no Matt, no dial light either.

Dylan Wills

'61 lark deluxe 4 door wagon

[BobGlasscock]

These radios are older than the ones I serviced many years ago, so I may not be right on the mark. Check for your 12 volts, I would strongly suggest using a voltmeter vs any other kind of probe. Most car radios used the voltage straight from the source for lights, and a branch for the radio operation. If your light doesn't light up, that's another diagnosis of no voltage. You can start checking right at the radio chassis and work your way 'back' towards the ignition switch or battery until you find your voltage. If you have voltage going into the chassis, and you are truly wanting a schematic for the radio, google Sams schematics. You will need the manufacturer and model of the radio to purchase a schematic.

'50 Champion, 1 family owner

[Jeff_H]

I am sure Bud is right and that radio does not have a vibrator power supply. It may be a hybrid radio with the low voltage tubes or it might even be solid state (all transistor). I am not sure but info is out there. The hybrid radios were only made a couple of years in the very late 50s early 60s. I think that tech was pretty much extinct by '62 or '63 or so.

This power probe you mention, what is it? Keep in mind if this is a hybrid tube radio it may draw several amps to light up the tube filaments.

Any electronics this old, especially if its been dormant a long time, probably has dried out capacitors and other issues.

Jeff in ND

'53 Champion Hardtop

[silverhawk]

Here is what I got: http://www.powerprobe.com/powerprobe/PP1.html My dad gots a new fancy shmancy one, but that stays at his shop. The radio is truely a tube radio, as '61 was the last year of tube radio's in studes, I got a really nice '62 solid state that works I wanted to instal, but the radio cut out holes are different between the years. I've pulled another cover plate, capacitors look to be in fairly good shape (I've seen worse on another old radio of mine, still in the rebuilding process) I'll try these suggestions soon, hopefully. I'm in a lifeguarding class now, so its a "as time permits" deal. BTW, the radio has NEVER been opened before! I found a tag inside, on top of a part under a cover, thats says: Studebaker-Packard
Model AC-2906

It has tube numbers on it, and patent info on it as well, pretty neat. In really good shape too!

Anyways, thanks for the suggestions! I'll keep you updated on my progress, if I get to work on it more.


Dylan Wills

'61 lark deluxe 4 door wagon

[ChampTrucking]

I sold a working 61 Lark radio to Dave Nittler. He later offered it up on the forum.You might see if he still has it if that one is FUBAR.

[silverhawk]

I'll keep it in mind if I can't repair this, thanks!

Dylan Wills

'61 lark deluxe 4 door wagon

[Bud]

Silverhawk, If you can't repair the problem yourself, You can send me the radio and I'll take a look at it for you. Bud

[r1lark]

Dylan,

I checked and I don't have the repair bulletins for the '61 radios. But they do come up on eBay quite often; in fact, there are two on now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1961-...fAudioQ5fVideo

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1961-...fAudioQ5fVideo

Paul
Winston-Salem, NC
Visit The NEW Studebaker Skytop Registry website at: www.studebakerskytop.com

[silverhawk]

Bud, I'll keep that in mind! My luck, I might have to,LOL!

I didn't know those existed, thanks Paul!

Dylan Wills

'61 lark deluxe 4 door wagon

[silverhawk]

Ok, got to play with it abit. My first problem, and a REALLY embarassing one, is that I FORGOT to hook up the ground! Argh!!! I did that, and cleaned a couple tubes. Now, I got the ground hooked up, and useing my dads fancy shmancy power probe (with a digital dial, so its telling me just how much I'm putting in) I've got the filiments in the first tube to glow. Since I don't got the schematic, I'm guessing (and this is from someone who knows very little of electricity, soon to change) its the main power tube, since its right after the power switch. I'm going to clean the rest (they were hard to pull out before, so I left them) and see what happens. I'll probably put a different speaker on it, since my current one is a little torn, and really really dirty. I think I'm headed in the right direction, what do you guys think?

Dylan Wills

'61 lark deluxe 4 door wagon

[mbstude]

I think you need to forget a radio and install a nice set of glasspacks. [8D]

[Bud]

If you're planning on replacing the speaker, be sure to use the original speaker plug on the new speaker as there is a shorting bar on the speaker connection mounted to the radio. If the correct connector isn't used and the shorting bar isn't pushed down the speaker connection is shorted and as a result, no sound comes out of the speaker. Bud