Zenith Royal 500D Radio Professionally Repaired Works Excellent Vintage USA 1957 For Sale

Zenith Royal 500D Radio Professionally Repaired Works Excellent Vintage USA 1957This radio is electronically restored. It works like when it was made and is in good condition. For a detailed description of the radio and the work done, please continue reading:Initial inspection:
This pretty 500D landed on my service bench 10-15-2026. It needed to be cleaned but looked good. It sides were collapsed (typical) and it has a very tiny chip in its top right clamshell corner. Its battery compartment was absolutely clean. I installed batteries and the radio sort of worked at a low volume. Sensitivity was poor, volume loudness was low, and I could hear the classic symptom of a bad transistor: the classic “shower” sound.Research:
Made in the USA, I can tell you exactly what day this radio was made: it has an ink-stamp date of 1-2-1958 stamped on its tuning condenser. Zenith produce the “500” series for ten years: 1955-’65. They updated them every year. For their model “D” they added a third IF stage which made them “Long Distance”. Other features that make the Royal 500 awesome are its high fidelity speaker and its “Verneer” tuning. (Verneer tuning is a gear reduction tuner which makes for much more selective fine tuning)Repair:
I carefully disassembled the radio and got to work carefully replacing the four electrolytic capacitors this radio uses. One was wide open. Once replaced, the radio’s low volume problem was repaired.Next I went through its transistors, applying deox to their sockets: I found the noisy transistor. I replaced it with a good used transistor of the same part number.Standard service work performed: applying deox to its volume control, made sure its earphone jack works, checked its alignment, etc.The radio was a little dirty. I thoroughly cleaned the radio inside and out, and its parts.This radio displayed the common “collapsed” sides. A common condition of the Royal 500 series models “D” and earlier where the tiny fingers that align the sides of the clamshell are often broken. Using JB Weld, I added two “alignment tabs” to the insides. Clamped and allowed to dry overnight, its cabinet’s sides now line up flush and strong.With that work completed, I reassembled the radio and tested it:Performance:
Volume control goes smoothly from totally silent to overload loud. For strong local stations it produces a sound that is Clean and Clear.Recapped and tuned up, these are very sensitive radios. The evening I tested it, I listened to KEJB, my favorite super-weak oldies station that is 402 miles away for over an hour.Condition:
A very tiny Chip in on corner of its clamshell, no Cracks. Shiny and reflective. It is pretty.Collector Quality: “B-“Epilogue & Opinion:
I like to end my repair reports for radios I think are superior with the words: “You won’t be disappointed”.-----I usually service the vintage radios I sell on . Serviced = I clean the volume control, check the radio’s alignment, and check its current draw. I also fix whatever else needs attention.I ship USPS Flat Rate. A tracking number will be provided the following business day after purchase. I will combine shipping when applicable, so please see my other cool old radios for sale.-karl : )_
Serial #390054