sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems Antique Telephones Old "500" set before and after

Here are some before and after pics of an old 500 set I recently restored.

The system isn't wanting to upload my pics, so I will post the links to them in case they don't show up. sorry for any inconvenience

Before



https://www.flickr.com/photos/phone-man/6038821159/in/photostream

After


https://www.flickr.com/photos/phone-man/6038821173/in/photostream

Notice the "UN" prefix on the dial. Here in Springfield Missouri, the prefixes used to be UNiversity for the north part of town and TUxedo for south!


edited to fix pic links

I hope you wore rubber gloves when handling that thing in the "before." There's no telling what diseases were hidden there!
Now it may not look exactly brand spanking new, but it can pass for "gently used" :thumb:

That reminds me of the Kellogg K500 set in my grandmother's house in Greenville, NC. She rented it from UTS/Carolina Telephone/Sprint until she moved into a nursing home in 1999. It was unchanged from the day that it was installed in 1956 in her 'parlor'. The only thing that ever changed was the new stickers that came out from the local funeral home every year that she placed on the handset.

In later years, these stickers glowed so that people could find their phone in the dark.

She had an "extension" installed in her bedroom that had a plastic finger wheel in the late 1960's. She always complained that it didn't feel right when she dialed. She'd go downstairs to place her calls just in case.

Hers was PL8 (Plaza8)-2XXX. No area code of course; they didn't have DDD there back then.

She'd go downstairs to place her calls just in case. :thumb:

A GRAND ole lady

Glad to see my pics finally showed up.

As far as dirt and germs, I clean EVERYTHING on the handset, I take it completely apart, clean the receiver and transmitter caps, the cord, and interior and exterior of the actual main case.

I had to disassemble the dial and clean and oil it, but it purrs right along now.

In later years, these stickers glowed so that people could find their phone in the dark.
I actually think this sticker does still glow!

I love vintage tech, especially telephones because of the fact that today's stuff can't take half the abuse these old machines can, and things aren't made half as good as those of yesteryear.

Nice clean up. Is that a plastic dial or metal one??

Sorry for not getting back with you sooner. It's a metal dial. I believe it's aluminum.

Very nice. Good job. It's good see pic's of real telephones.....

Try some Armor-All to get the real shiny look.