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I have later internal horn Victors and the turntable lifts right off. I was trying to take the turntable off a Vic III (I think) that I saw today, and the table wouldn't budge. Is there perhaps a retaining clip under the felt? If so, would the old felt need to be removed to get at the clip?

Hi:

I am not sure on your turntable, but some turntables have a screw under the turntable that you have to loosen with a long screwdriver. I am not sure if Victor used these, but its worth taking a look.

Jerry

I would be very surprised if there was a set screw or clip. It is most likely just jammed after not being removed for the last 60 or more years. What I have read earlier on the forum was this: With a friends help, try lifting the turn table while simultaneously tapping lightly down on the spindle with a plastic hammer or steel hammer with a block of wood to protect the spindle. It may take a few tries, but it should come off. This method has worked for me more than a few times.
Good Luck!
Matt

Some of the early machines use the spindle as a screw to hold the turntable in place. If it is that type the spindle should unscrew without much effort.

Dan

The turntable simply lifts off my Victor III. That model had a long production run, so there might be early or late variants. I suggest you upload pictures of both topside and motor for examination by our experts.

Want to be clear why I asked if there were a retaining clip. I have a Vic 0 that has the original turntable with no felt on it, as found. There is a clip that secures the turntable to the spindle. I looked at my VV-35 portable. It has the same clip. There is a groove near the top of the spindle that the clip fits into. I now understand that the clip goes above the felt, not underneath. Wasn't sure, but you do sometimes run into strange things as made. In any case I studied the Vic III. There is no clip. The platter is just frozen on. The task is to remove the platter without doing damage to the spindle.

jboger wrote:The task is to remove the platter without doing damage to the spindle.

Here is how I do it - Set the Victor on a sofa cushion. Have someone use both hands to grab the platter's rim with their fingertips and lift the machine straight up an inch from the cushion. You take a solid brass or aluminum rod (½" diameter) and hold it atop the spindle like a punch. Use a regular hammer to tap the rod with a gentle whack and the frozen platter should break free and drop the machine to the cushion.

I got the turntable off. Actually did not even need to give the spindle a whack. I had my daughter suspend the case over the couch when--voila!--the platter cam off in her hands.

Someone had put a Vic XI plate on the front. I knew that even before I bid. I also looked at the motor and saw that it was a single-barrel motor, not a double-spring motor, which is what I expected. It came with the right horn, tone arm, reproducer, and bracket. It winds, runs, and sounds good. So I bid on it.

Is it a Vic III? There is no escutcheon for the lid lock mechanism, which I would expect to see. Has the motor been replaced? See the two oak braces in the photo, one to the left, the other to the right of the motor. The brace to the left has a cutaway section as factory made. I believe this was to accommodate the second spring.

Any chance I got the right motor? The bolts that hold the motor to the motorboard do line up perfectly. Is it too much to hope for that this might yet be the right motor? It is an early motor, and sure looks as if it has been with this machine for quite awhile. Maybe it goes with the humpback. It's certainly too big for a Vic 0 or a Vic I.

If it is not the right motor, it does look as if I might be able to drop a Vic III motor back in it, that is if this is a Vic III.

Could it be a Victor 11? Looks like mine

jboger wrote:I got the turntable off. Actually did not even need to give the spindle a whack. I had my daughter suspend the case over the couch when--voila!--the platter cam off in her hands.

Someone had put a Vic XI plate on the front. I knew that even before I bid. I also looked at the motor and saw that it was a single-barrel motor, not a double-spring motor, which is what I expected. It came with the right horn, tone arm, reproducer, and bracket. It winds, runs, and sounds good. So I bid on it.

Is it a Vic III? There is no escutcheon for the lid lock mechanism, which I would expect to see. Has the motor been replaced? See the two oak braces in the photo, one to the left, the other to the right of the motor. The brace to the left has a cutaway section as factory made. I believe this was to accommodate the second spring.

Any chance I got the right motor? The bolts that hold the motor to the motorboard do line up perfectly. Is it too much to hope for that this might yet be the right motor? It is an early motor, and sure looks as if it has been with this machine for quite awhile. Maybe it goes with the humpback. It's certainly too big for a Vic 0 or a Vic I.

If it is not the right motor, it does look as if I might be able to drop a Vic III motor back in it, that is if this is a Vic III.

I am not sure, but it looks like the speed control may have been changed. I am not sure though???
I am going through a similiar dilema with someone having removed and swapped parts on a early Victrola VV-XI, it can be a real pain sometimes.