Wonderbar

[Al E.]

My radio works. But the thing makes a buzzing when the engine is on. I have condenser on the GEN, Coil, VR. and AMM the gauge under the dash. So what gives. Did I miss something?

[John F.]

Re: Wonderbar

Call Jerry Rudbeck @ Electro Design. He is the radio guru who rebuilt mine.

[Philip P.]

Re: Wonderbar

If all your spark plug shielding is in place, wires are good, grounds are secure, then it could be a tube or filter capacitor in the radio. The old electron tubes can get noisy and will cause what you are hearing. You would need to find someone that can check the radio if that is the case. The test equipment required is not in the normal workshop.
Bizzing sound is probably radio raelated where a static sound would likley be ignition related.

[John F.]

Re: Wonderbar

Al, See a couple pics of Jerry's work. The insides are cleaner than the outside and all rebuilt.

[Al E.]

Re: Wonderbar

This make sense. I only have the top sheild in place but no side shelds,nor wheel collectors. I think they may have been tosses in an older break job in the 60's

[Al E.]

Re: Wonderbar

Are these tubes easy to replace? where will I find them..

[Philip P.]

Re: Wonderbar

Easy to replace, where to find them well that could be a challenge. Tubes are available but you should have the ones you have checked to see if they are bad. Probably easier to take the radio to someone with the equipment to do this. Back in the day this was a easy thing to do but now most of it is specialized because most of the test equipment is old and not readily available.

[Ian G.]

Re: Wonderbar

you can often find tube sets on eBay for around $30 or so and the sellers usually guarantee they are good.

[Al E.]

Re: Wonderbar

Easy to replace, where to find them well that could be a challenge. Tubes are available but you should have the ones you have checked to see if they are bad. Probably easier to take the radio to someone with the equipment to do this. Back in the day this was a easy thing to do but now most of it is specialized because most of the test equipment is old and not readily available.

There is a local audio shop that told me they could give it a good cleaning inside and out with alcohol. I was told that this would get the wonderbar button working as well, it works halfass, well, less than halfass..it drags when going in reverse and that's the only direction it goes.

Anyways. Should they be touching the insides with alcohol?
Do you know the tube part#s i should get for a 1960?

[John F.]

Re: Wonderbar

Al, Call Jerry Rudbeck above. He will answer all your questions.

John

[Philip P.]

Re: Wonderbar

Alcohol should not be harmful to these older radios some of the newer cleaners can be a problem for coatings and plastic. I agree with John the person he recommends works on these so probably has all the test equipment and tools and tubes to get it going. Probably will not be cheap.
Phil

[Jim D.]

Re: Wonderbar

Call Jerry Rudbeck @ Electro Design. He is the radio guru who rebuilt mine.

Jerry has restored 2 radios for me. There's none better than Jerry.

[Thomas H.]

Re: Wonderbar

My radio works. But the thing makes a buzzing when the engine is on. I have condenser on the GEN, Coil, VR. and AMM the gauge under the dash. So what gives. Did I miss something?

Al,

If the radio works well, without the buzzing noise, when the engine is not running, then I would suspect the filter capacitors. If they are older ones, just because you have them installed does not mean they are still effective. The dielectric inside the caps breaks down over time and they lose their filtering capacity.

Tom

[Al E.]

Re: Wonderbar

Al,

If the radio works well, without the buzzing noise, when the engine is not running, then I would suspect the filter capacitors. If they are older ones, just because you have them installed does not mean they are still effective. The dielectric inside the caps breaks down over time and they lose their filtering capacity.

Tom

Tom,

Wonderful information, I will just change them all out. what about the static collectors? Are they major part in this issue. Although like you said, the wonderbar works just fine with the motor is not running.

Awesome photos of your sweet 1960.

Al

[John H.]

Re: Wonderbar

what about the static collectors? Are they major part in this issue.
Al

Al -

The front wheel dust cap static collectors are essentially useless, which is why they were discontinued.