LOTUS Radio - Part 1 of the restoration of this unusual 1930's Lotus radio 

Me too. I’m beginning to think I’ll get there n the end.

Thanks Alex. I bought some from Evatco, which mainly sells stuff for electric guitars and amps. It’s nice stuff to work with and the fabric covering slides off so I can use it as sleeving as well. I’m well into the re-cap now and working on part 2 of the video.

Hi Lynton, Yes, that speaker really was a bit of a mess. I don't know why they thought it would be a good idea to mount the dial lights inside the speaker cone - they pretty much wrecked it! Yes I suppose the factory would be gone like most of our history. Lotus must have been a small manufacturer, in fact possibly a sub-brand of Mullard? I found it difficult to find much information. Anyway, thanks for your interest, Cheers

It's coming along nicely. Hopefully I'll have it working shortly. I'll have Part 2 ready in another week or so.. Glad you're enjoying it!

Hi. Yes the speaker in this one was a bit of a challenge, as was everything else - a quirky and unusual circuit didn't help, and whoever thought it would be a good idea to put those dial lamps so close to the speaker cone... Unfortunately David lives 4000km away on the other side of Australia so I don't have to worry about him popping over to fondle my radios! ;-D

@@Donno308 i guessed that dave was a good distance away from you, i do talk rubbish at times, well most of the time actually :-D I used to repair just about any thing that was thrown at me. A friend started feeding me c.b radios to repair, not difficult to fix but time consuming and annoying at times. I learnt i.f strips/mixers/p.l.l synthisers from them. (cant spell them though) And i worked in a factory as the electronic repair section. Amazing as i'm as thick as a bankers wallet lol. Place a philips radio in front of the lotus radio, just in case dave jumps on a train :-D. Sorry don ill shut up now.

@@zx8401ztv "Thick as bankers wallet" lol. Haven't heard that one before! As far as I'm concerned, anyone that understands PLL synthesisers (however you spell it) is a technological genius! I used to work in the electronic repair section of a pinball & video game company where I learned a bit about digital electronics (1970.s style) and a lot about cleaning switch contacts and before that for the PMG (Postmaster General's Department) which was the Australian government telephone company (more switch contacts). Neither was in any way relevant to fixing radios, except I suppose for basic electrical theory. Still, as long as you keep on learning you're still alive!

@@Donno308 my friends keep saying I'm clever, Not true. Mentally i use what i have learnt from taking things apart and repairs over the years. We all have tons of information from life, finding similar things is the trick. You do this all the time but don't realize it. You have learnt logic in chips and relays/contacts, you are clever you see. BMW owners, stands for "Break My Wallet" Its true lol. Sorry i will shut my face now lol.

Hi Mr Gigi Here's a link to Part 2: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Hxln1plpWBA.html And part 3: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OPPzoc7E3ic.html Cheers. RU-vid doesn't make it easy to find, however I have made a playlist for each radio so if you look at my playlists you will find them all grouped there. Cheers

@@Donno308 Thank you. 🙂🙂🙂🙂

Hi Patrick Glad you're enjoying my channel. I'm pretty new at this but trying to improve all the time, both in my technical skills and in producing the videos. Both are equally challenging! I work full time so I can only produce, on average, a video every two weeks, but I'll keep 'em coming! Thanks for your interest! Cheers

Thanks Ian. It appears to be a UK import. It has taps for 200 - 215V, 220 - 230V and 240 - 250V so should work ok here. The plug has me a bit puzzled. I wonder if it's an old UK plug.

@@Donno308 use an isolation transformer with it they very dangerous radio with out it the mains is about 250 so stop down transformer to 220 volts would run a lot cooler

@@Donno308 Yes quite likely, those bayonet plugs were reasonably common in the UK for powering devices from a light fixture, in the days before homes had multiple socket outlets. Surprisingly they were still supplied with sets of Christmas lights sold well in to the 1970s. (until about 20 years ago most light fittings and lamps in the UK used a bayonet fixture, they are still in use but Edison screw bases are widely seen now).

Next to the CY1 which is a half wave rectifier so it is an asbestos sheet.

@@hestheMaster Asbestos should be harmless when undisturbed. Perhaps to paint it with high temperature grill or engine paint would be wise.

@@SeekingTheLoveThatGodMeans7648 That would be a very good idea!

Yes, it is asbestos. I have sprayed it with acrylic lacquer before handling the case.

Saudações australianas ao meu amigo brasileiro Fiz o melhor que pude com o alto-falante, mas ainda não o ouvi tocar música. Eu não sei como vai soar. Se não for bom o suficiente, vou levá-lo a um profissional e colocar um novo cone. Eu gosto de tentar consertar eu mesmo primeiro. Há muitas coisas neste rádio que são novas para mim e estou aprendendo à medida que vou. Muitas felicidades

Thanks for the information. I haven't found any other dates on it although one of the electrolytic caps has "C9" printed on it which may also mean 1939. The cabinet styling suggests 1930's but there's not much else to go on. The dial says "Lotus Radio" but Lotus also made component parts so it could be just a Lotus Dial. In any case I consider working on radios as a form of therapy, so patience comes easily. Cheers