XVIII Questions-Can it be saved?

[mattrx]

My first post here a little over a year ago was entitled "Is It Worth Fixing". Well, I am back at it about 15 months later, but this time it is not a family machine and it is in much worse shape.

I am to meet the seller tomorrow to decide whether to buy the machine or not, and to decide on a price. My three questions at this point are: Is it worth fixing? Can it be fixed? And, what size and type of horn would it require as the horn is missing?

Supposedly all the doors and their hardware are there, the motor and the original key are present, as are the tone arm and bracket. Three of the four sides are in decent shape, but as you can see, the left side is not even attached to the machine at this point. That side is present and accounted for, however. The crank escutcheon is missing.

Any opinion at this point is a help. Since it is an XVIII it is more rare than the VTLA or XVI that I have, and should be worth more in good condition. Can it be put in decent condition if all the parts are there, or would it be better parted out? I am certainly not a fan of parting one out unless there is no other choice, but I have not seen one in quite this shape before.

Thanks,

Matt

[downsouth]

Email sent Matt.

Wes

[Brad]

Hard to see by the pictures,but other than the obvious "make sure all the visible pieces are there and can fit together" I would look carefully at the veneer on the front and it looks like, on the side, that an attempt was made to strip the finish. It could be that the finish is really dirty and the side wasn't stripped, but was cleaned.

This one may be candidate for a full refinish.


I wouldn't go more than a couple of hundred bucks if you believe the cabinet can be reconstituted.

[phonogfp]

You mentioned the tone arm and bracket being present, but the one in the photo appears to be nickel...

George P.

[Jerry B.]

The unique feature of the VV-XVIII is the cabinet. If you don't have a restorable cabinet, there is not much to part out. The escutcheons are unique to the XVIII but little else. The mechanical parts like the motor, tone arm, reproducer, and turntable are the same as a XVI made at the same time. XVIII customers were paying for the fabulous cabinet. The question you have to answer is whether the cabinet is restorable and at what cost. If a red mahogany XVIII is worth $2500 in good original condition, what is this one worth when it is restored? I have very little experience with complex repairs like replacing a complete corner, including leg, of a cabinet. It's my impression that it would be very difficult even if all the parts are there. Any repairs would require making the cabinet sturdy and then you would have to deal with cosmetic repairs to splintered carvings, trim pieces and veneer.
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I believe all XVIII's have long but skinny gold tone arms and, like a previous post mentioned, the photos appear to show a fat nickel plated tone arm. In fact all trim pieces, including the outside edge of the turntable, are gold plated on an XVIII. Always rotate the reproducer into a playing position and the needle should hit, or be very close, the spindle. If not, you have to question the authenticity of the tone arm. Even if a nickel plated tone arm hits the spindle of an XVIII, it's incorrect.
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I would be in absolute awe of anyone that has the skills to resurrect this Victrola. I would tip my hat to anyone that has the gumption to make an attempt.
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Jerry Blais

[mattrx]

Does anyone know whether any of these horns will work? I do not know the dimensions of the missing horn and am making a guess. Anybody got the measurements on theirs? Which style of cast iron horn piece was used?

Matt

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid= ... &_from=R40

[Microtrol]

Wow, if this unit can be fixed, that would be an amazing feat, I know if the price was right, I certainly give it the college try. If you get it, good luck Matt

[ColoradoPhonograf]

Matt,
The ebay links appear to be for other models. I measured the opening of the horn on my XVIII and it is 17" x 9 ¾". That corner piece would be tough to replicate. I would look at it and deal with the seller as if were a parts machine. Hope this helps.
ColoradoPhonograf

[US PHONO]

Fantastic cabinet.....potentially, if most of the woodwork is there! I do not think restoring the woodwork is such a huge problem. This is perhaps a price efficient way to come by a great machine even though it may have some flaws? It woule be sacreliege to not try to save it. I do have one 3 legged cabinet that one day I hope to make complete.....been saying that for about 2 decades!

[downsouth]

Fantastic cabinet? Really? Now I know an XVIII is a machine worth putting the effort into, but this machine in my opinion will never be put in the higher value bracket due to the fact of having all the extensive work done to it that it will require to "bring it back" so to speak if it is even possible. If someone is gungho and has alot of time and effort to put into a project like this, then more power to them. I agree that it would be an astonishing feat, but in the end, what would you endup with? A machine that is flawed and filled with repairs. Would it really be worth it? Just my thoughts.

Wes