Montgomery Ward Airline Radio Refit?

[Kirk Freeman]

My integration of my new AV system did not go optimally. I wanted a radio receiver to listen to the radio (e.g. early weekend morning, reading drinking coffee, listening to NPR) as part of the system, but no joy.

In my dining room which adjoins the living room I have my paternal granfather's Montgomery Ward Airline. Identical to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnXK7EyfvAI

Has anyone refurbished one of these so that it is upgraded with modern tech? Is it cheaper just to do buy a console radio like this? Do they make them still?

Just want a radio, no CD, DVD player, etc.

 

[HoughMade]

I have refurbished an old tube radio with some success, but here is the real resource:

https://antiqueradio.org/welcome.htm

This is a restoration site, not conversion to a modern system.

If it were me and I didn't want to do a full resto, I'd probably leave the original innards alone and install a bluetooth speaker in there and get fancy so that if I turned on the bluetooth speaker (with an external switch), the dial would be lighted, then run it with my cell phone. Mine has an FM tuner.

 

[T.Lex]

Love the Instructables site:
Converting-Old-Radio-into-a-Bluetooth-Speaker Search Results

A specific one that might get you where you want to be:
Converting-Old-Radio-into-a-Bluetooth-Speaker Search Results

 

[snorko]

Sounds like an excuse to buy a tabletop am/fm/short wave.

 

[HoughMade]

Sounds like an excuse to buy a tabletop am/fm/short wave.

Someone needs a Zenith Transoceanic.

 

[halfmileharry]

Just for listening I'd swap out a nice analog solid state stereo receiver in the cabinet if you're wanting to keep the cabinet nostalgia.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Someone needs a Zenith Transoceanic.

Looking now.

 

[woodsie57]

The Ccrane CC radio is a bit more modern, but well made. I've been abusing the Am Fm shortwave version for a good 10 years now, still cranking it out!