Hello All,

Just received Motorola Ranger 1000 ( model L14E ) today---purchased Saturday from a Henderson, NV Craigslist ad... Really neat radio ! Hand-wired metal chassis w/socketed transistors, tuned RF amp stage... Great performer w/smooth vernier tuning, very good sound quality, but audio level low probably from bad cap(s) ( only has four electrolytics )... In really good shape, but dirty from years of use... Inside original & very clean... Will post more later of this "project" when time allows... Here are some pics from Craigslist ad:

Battery-maker has a video of this radio which he also owns---anyone else have/had one ???

John

Nice pickup, John.

I have a tube Ranger; damn good receiver.

I would suggest replacing the 4 'Lytics, and tweaking the IF cans and both the antenna and RF trimmers on the tuning cap.

Thanks Fifties...

Asked the seller the other day if she had a "history" of the radio & just heard back tonight... Very interesting:

"The history of that radio was In 1968 my mom purchase a 2 story victorian home with a basement in Washington D.C by George town..The house was probate When she purchase the house they left a lot of boxes in the basement that is where she found that radio ever since then she kept it.. brought it every where from her beautiful garden full of roses,front house, on the table while she eats alone and listen to the news,when she sold her house in the year 1999 she gave all her belongings to her children and she went back home to retire now she is 90 years old then the radio ended up to me I have no use for it so that is why I listed in craigslist.I hope this will help you about the background on the radio you purchase"

Told her that I will think of her Mom when listening to it...

John

Neat story there John.

~ Mitch ~

Thanks Mitch---always like to know something about radios past if available... Have several that have "stories to tell"...

Looking forward to getting this one in shape & posting pics---that metal chassis & its layout is real "purty"...

John

Wow---took all day to clean & recap this set ! All those grooves, louvers, & nooks & crannies hold a lot of dirt & nicotine residue ! And, even though there were only four electrolytics, they must have put them in first as it was a chore to remove & replace them...
And removing chassis was a trick:

1) Remove volume knob & retaining nut
2) Remove tuning knobs
3) Remove two small phillips dial plate screws & plate
4) Remove two phillips flatheads behind it which attach to tuning cap while carefully holding chassis in place
5) Carefully slide chassis out while paying attention to antenna wires

Very nice hand-wired chassis, though... See pics below... And the knobs are metal...

Did find some cracks on one part of back cover top & the bosses which contain threaded inserts for back cover attachment were cracked & inserts had pulled out slightly... Carefully pressed back in and now cover fits tightly as it should...

Sensitivity on par with GE P-780, but audio cleaner...

Looks like you did a splendid job on the radio John! Totally awesome!

+1.

Motorola made some pretty good receivers, so I am not surprised to hear that it functions on par or better than a GE P-780.

+1 here too!
The cabinet polished up real nice and the dial just pops! Sweeeet

~ Mitch ~

Thanks much guys---sure appreciate the kind words !

Please consider posting more of your projects---like to read about & view what others are doing...

Really like the "Roto-Tenna" on this Motorola as you can have the radio facing you and rotate it for best reception---am listening to a college station some 60+ miles away broadcasting the "Bluegrass Connection" program... They sure made a lot of portable tube sets with that feature ( Grandma had a red, non-TRF stage tube set in her kitchen for many years )...

Thanks again...
John

Nice job John!

Thanks much Colin !

John

Never had one but want one now!! Nice job-what'd you use on the cabinet?

Edit: Nothing on greedbay completed listings... how rare are these?

Rich

Thanks Dorpmuller,

Just used a water dampened inside-out white cotton sock to clean & cotton cloth to dry & buff---took a lot of time ! On knobs, toothbrush & dilute dishwashing liquid solution... Radio had heavy, dirty film from many years of use, but had been pretty well cared for otherwise. I did use Windex on top of handle only and it caused some faint whitish discoloration, so plan on trying Novus2 to remove it...

Think these are fairly rare, but have passed at least one by on Ebay a long while back before I knew what they "contained"... Battery-Maker's YouTube video is what really sparked my interest in this set ( as well as looking over the Beitmans page on it )...

Good luck in your search & be sure to post if you find one...

John