A interesting Sherlock mystery

[ramair]

Hi all, I thought a lot about where to post this question, some might say the technical section, and if consensus tells us that we can move it.

i am working on a 1939 Packard twelve and i am trying to identify a material that was used one year only. Let me explain in 1938 super eights and twelves could be ordered with a dash mounted radio which had a tuning knob, in 1939 Packard came out with basically the same radio with not only the tuning knob but… wait… get this

push button pre select using pretty much the same radio as 1938. However in 39 the super 8 totally changed , it ended up using the 120 body and a slightly modified dash board and ended up with a totally different radio. So the push button radio I am talking about was only used on some of the 446 Packard twelves built in 39, as a few where radio deletes.  
 I have two west coast twelves, how do I know for sure, well one has a original Identity plate from Earl C Anthony in San Francisco, but more importantly when the car was sold  the car dealer who incidentally owned several West Coast Packard dealerships was also A owner of radio stations on the west coast, where given these key covers. I think one of two things , since no 1939 Packard twelves where built for stock or another words each car was a sold order the cars could have come with a selection of tags that would cover the area that the car was going to call home or Packard sent the dealer all the call signs of all the radio stations and they just installed the ones that the customer wanted.  I really don’t see a Packard customer doing any DIY.  I have included a picture of the radio head without the covers and a picture of one of my keys along with the press on retainer. I am trying to figure a way to replicate as my car has 4 .the material is translucent almost a thin plastic , one of my keys is a brighter white than the one shown in the picture.  I have been playing with a PTouch label maker using white adhesive tape, it will let the light through, but can’t get the font right.   Ok Watson “the games afoot”

[3macboys]

I'd try a local sign shop - I'm will to bet that one that has a graphic designer on staff would be able to print it on vinyl with the slight curve to it in less time than you've spent already.  If you can find one that does truck and car lettering the price might even be right just for the challenge of it.  

[ramair]

Thank you, that’s a great idea. On another note I goggled 1939 radio stations and got all the stations in California , I live about 120 miles south of SF ( not nearly far enough ) anyway I could make all the buttons with stations in our area that are still around 85 years later

Edited November 27, 2023 by ramair (see edit history)

[Bloo]

Radios of that era often used a similar looking plastic for dial scales. Such things have been reproduced in the past in translucent green (for Hallicrafters) and translucent yellowish beige (for just about everything else). I imagine the material was celluloid, and I don't know what material the reproductions were made of, but it sure looked right. I would ask here:

 

https://www.radiodaze.com/

 

 

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by Bloo (see edit history)

[CarNucopia]

I had what I think was similar challenge. A car I bought had a bezel on the hood for the logo, but at some point the logo fell off. I haven't been able to find a replacement, so I wanted to make something passible to fill the void. 

 

I took an image of the logo and pasted it to a jpg photo file by simply using Microsoft paint. I then resized it a bunch of times so one image file had a range of dimensions. I printed it at Walgreen's on photo paper and cut out the one closest to the bezel. Since it's on the outside of the car, I laminated it to help it last.

[ramair]

Yes Bloo I will give them a call, you never know, thank you for the “clue”

CarNucopia, it never ceases to amaze me how solutions are found, in your case you solved a cosmetic and important problem and if you ever find the proper emblem you have the option of installing it, thank you,

[7th Son]

The preset buttons on your radio, as you probably know, are, no doubt, Bakelite, an early plastic (see Wikipedia for details). The metal caps contained a thin piece of acrylic sheet with the call letters of the radio stations printed on them. If you are "handy" and you like DIY projects you can do the job yourself.

 

To duplicate the originals, I would find a similarly sized and styled sheet of press-on letters typically found in good art supply stores or on line - see example:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Number-Letter-Transfers-Black-3mm/dp/B00C6ZLVPK/ref=asc_df_B00C6ZLVPK/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=658824014090&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10786436927116299693&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033790&hvtargid=pla-770413314708&mcid=e86ba520a5fe3333b109e6deee9c8293&th=1

 

 

,,,and then purchase a sheet of thin, flexible, clear acrylic plastic onto which you transfer the letters off the type sheet by pressing them in the proper arc and spacing. Use a pattern or template under the acrylic the exact size that will fit into the cap that goes over the preset buttons and trim the sheet to size. I would recommend a second piece of acrylic over the raw press on letters to prevent them from smudging and damage. You might experiment using clear "Scotch" tape to seal the letters which would protect them like laminating would.

 

I'm not a computer guy, but you might know someone who could do the whole process on his computer and printer saving a lot of time and frustration (maybe a local tech student).

 

As an aside, I have collected a number of 1930's and 1940's home radios that have station call letters printed on their dials. I also recall seeing many car radios with call letters printed on their presets or dials back in the day.

 

Good luck with your project however you choose to complete it. I also like your Packard.

[ramair]

7th son, I will research this also, thank you, since you like Packards I will include a picture of my 38 super eight , has the near same radio without the presets, same dash board without wood graining, thank you,

[trimacar]

7 hours ago, ramair said:

7th son, I will research this also, thank you, since you like Packards I will include a picture of my 38 super eight , has the near same radio without the presets, same dash board without wood graining, thank you,

I have a 1938 also.  I've had people see the speedometer, then ask what the dial is to the right of it.  I tell them that's the "high speed" speedometer, as the regular speedometer isn't very accurate over fifty miles per hour, so the high speed one takes over starting at 55!

[TAKerry]

9 hours ago, CarNucopia said:

I had what I think was similar challenge. A car I bought had a bezel on the hood for the logo, but at some point the logo fell off. I haven't been able to find a replacement, so I wanted to make something passible to fill the void. 

 

I took an image of the logo and pasted it to a jpg photo file by simply using Microsoft paint. I then resized it a bunch of times so one image file had a range of dimensions. I printed it at Walgreen's on photo paper and cut out the one closest to the bezel. Since it's on the outside of the car, I laminated it to help it last.

Thats a good idea, with the bit of a lip, you can pour just a bit of auto clear coat on top and it will seal the decal in place with a protective layer. I have done a few of things like that just to see if it can be done. The problem is getting the clear coat. May be able to drop it off at a local shop and have them put a splash on when they are painting a car.

[Bryan G]

I collect old radios and have made inserts for several home sets. On one, similar to this (but rectangular) I found some paper that was about the same beige/tan color and printed on that. It can be time consuming, but each time I was finished I was very happy with the results. 

[ramair]

Bryan G, I played around today and I found something close to what I need,  I have an industrial model of a brother ptouch which allows me to alter font, size spacing everything but the radius.  I also found that if I leave the backing on the p tape backlighting shows through like the original.  Not shown below is a label that came off of another Philco 1600 series radio that is really white compared to this KSFO off of my car, perhaps mine got a little to much California sun in the last 85 years

 

[Leif in Calif]

Wow! In the old days (60's) KSFO had the world's greatest jingle:

 

 

 

[ramair]

I don’t know what the odds are but to end up with 2 Earl C Anthony cars, both club sedans delivered in the same city approximately 1 month apart? Their radios were programmed similar but not identical.  Each radio has 6 push buttons that can be preset like KSFO, KYA, KQW, KPO, KDON,KGO and KFRC which was owned by the other luxury car dealer Don Lee