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Philco Ford R-940 AM/FM Radio Professionally Repaired Works Excellent Vintage 1974This radio is electronically restored. It works like when it was made and is in used condition. For a detailed description of the radio and the work done, please continue reading:Initial inspection:
This vintage radio arrived on my repair bench 9-6-2026. It was so cruddy that the numbers on the dial were obscured. I installed a battery and the radio “worked”. Sorta. FM tuned some stations at a “Low Volume*, and AM was dead. Also its dial pointer was crooked.Research:
This radio appears in Sam’s TSM-157, May 1975 which indicates it likely was made around 1974.Repair:
This is the fist of this model I’ve encountered. I performed a quick check to see if its AM oscillator was running. It was not.I carefully disassembled the radio. I found that its oscillator transistor was not working. I pulled that transistor: confirmed 100%, the transistor was bad. (hFE=5.7, should be around 100) I tried a few NPN transistors and found that this radio likes the generic 2N222 best, so that is the one I installed. AM was repaired… now both bands tuned at a “low volume”.A low volume condition is typically a failed electrolytic capacitor. Any electronic gizmo this old will have dried out caps. I replaced all seven this radio uses. Score: Tired=6, Open=1. The radio now gets good and loud.The crooked dial pointer was repaired simply by tightening its inside dial wheel’s retaining screw. I ended up “re-stringing” the dial because its pointer was pointing way off frequency. Also, I checked its alignment at this time and found it was not tuning the top of the AM band. It is now pointing where it should and both bands are now able to tune the top of the band.With the volume restored, the pointer pointing straight, and everything working like new, the radio’s circuit was repaired and ready to go back into its cabinet.Next came my favorite part of radio repair: “Cleaning”. This radio was coated in 50+ years of muddy “yuck”. It cleaned up well. Cleaning revealed it had a crack in its dial surround, and its back’s retaining tabs were dangling. I clamped closed and sealed off the crack. To repair its back’s fractured retaining tabs, I used JB Weld and reinforced them with aluminum squares. (stronger than when the radio was new, that’s for sure)Did I mention that I applied a little deox to its volume control and band switch? Or that I checked its earphone jack? Did I mention yet that it has a nice telescoping antenna? I also cut a new battery anti-rattle pad for it. One other thing: its original lanyard was dried out with time and felt stiff, like it could break... I replaced that with another of the same size that is in much better condition.End game… I carefully reassembled the radio and tested it. I tested both bands:Performance:
Volume control goes smoothly from totally silent to overload loud. For strong local stations it produces a sound that is Clean and Clear.Sensitivity:
AM=Surprisingly good. It tuned the weak KLYC McMinnville that is fifty miles away. Listened to it for a little bit… pretty good. : )FM=Excellent. I was able to tune every FM station in my area with its antenna down. (I did make sure its FM RF amp is working… it is)Condition:
It got dropped; it has a closed and sealed crack in the top corner of its dial surround. Its blue color has faded with time and use. It has plenty of scratches. The radio is shiny and looks pretty. Well used and ready to be used some more. : )Please see my photos.Collector Quality: “C-“Epilogue & Opinion:
This radio is cool! I like it. It has a groovy 70’s shape… and it works like new.-----I usually service the vintage radios I sell on . Serviced = I clean the volume control, check the radio’s alignment, and check its current draw. I also fix whatever else needs attention.I ship USPS Flat Rate. A tracking number will be provided the following business day after purchase. I will combine shipping when applicable, so please see my other cool old radios for sale.-karl : )_
