1924 Chelsea Transcontinental ZR-4 Restoration 

In this video we will take 3 Transcontinental ZR-4 "parts" radios and combine them together to create a Gimbel Brother's Branded Transcontinental ZR-4 radio, which was produced by Chelsea Radio Company in Chelsea Massachusetts. Interestingly, this model is rarely associated with the Chelsea Radio Company, but they produced the radio and sold them to two competing Department Store chains. It may not be as much of a Gimbel's product as we once believed. We will delve into that history, and then take on several challenges as we work through this restoration. Weather will cause issues with finishing the cabinet work, as sub zero temperatures sabotage our efforts to put a decent finish on the case. One of the radios had way too much lacquer on it so clean-up was a challenge. We will be creating a decal for the Gimbel's logo from scratch. Then we will encounter a rather puzzling problem that will require extensive troubleshooting. But in the end, a pristine and fully functional radio will emerge and with it there will be a lot of lesson's learned before it crackles to life!