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As the new owner of a Victrola XX, I was looking the motor over and realized both the bull gear and governor drive gear are nickel plated. I don't recall seeing a governor drive gear like this (I no longer have a spiral drive Victor VI if needed for comparison).

I decided look at other VTLA motors online and from helpful members with early (flat tops) to mid and late model VTLA's and noticed all seemed to have a plain brass governor drive gear.Maybe even a plain brass bull gear.

So,I asked George V if he has ever seen a nickel plated governor drive gear on a Victor three spring motor and his reply was..."I have never run across an original nickel plated drive gear nor a reproduction plated".

Since George has dealt with a lot of parts over the years....I was somewhat surprised.

I thought the Victrola XX was just a fancy VTLA and utilized the same motor..??. Am I wrong in thinking this..?. Further, I thought the same motor was used in a later Victor VI (with extra nickel).

So, I would like to ask other members....was the Victrola XX supplied with a motor with extra plated gears or..??.

I would appreciate any information.

Note: the first two pics are of my Victrola XX motor. The remaining are courtesy of members and or the internet.

I have received a PM regarding my governor drive gear. The color looks somewhat yellowish (like brass). It is a bit dirty and not super bright in my pics. Here is the backside of the gear. Also, you can see the nickel on the bull gear. It is clearly nickel plated and not just an abundance of new years cheer.... .

Hi Wayne,
Mine does not have the additional nickel plating, but it does have the same motor. JD

Ripduf1 wrote:Hi Wayne,
Mine does not have the additional nickel plating, but it does have the same motor. JD

John, thank you for checking. Is your bull gear nickel plated..??.
I should also mention...I have noticed some governor friction disc's are also nickel plated with a squared edge (like mine) and others are brass with a rounded edge.

Wayne,
I don't know and I don't care. I am not taking the motor out of the machine again, to risky to the cabinet. You should assume it is not nickel plated or square edged. John

Ripduf1 wrote:Wayne,
I don't know and I don't care. I am not taking the motor out of the machine again, to risky to the cabinet. You should assume it is not nickel plated or square edged. John

Wow!!. I'm very sorry. I assumed you were looking at photos you had perhaps taken. I would never expect anyone to jeopardize a machine for my inquiry.
My humblest apologizes.

I once owned a rather early VTLA, a 1908 or 1909 machine, with a serial number of just around 2000 which had the all nickle plated motor. Unfortunately the machine was in rough condition. Very rough, as in it had set in a foot of water for a very long while. I used that motor when I repaired a late spiral drive Victor VI which had been the victim of a motor transplant..

Uncle Vanya wrote:I once owned a rather early VTLA, a 1908 or 1909 machine, with a serial number of just around 2000 which had the all nickle plated motor. Unfortunately the machine was in rough condition. Very rough, as in it had set in a foot of water for a very long while. I used that motor when I repaired a late spiral drive Victor VI which had been the victim of a motor transplant..

Thanks for the information UV. Because of your comments, I did a little more digging and discovered this same "all nickel" motor was used in post "spur gear" Victor VI #6300. This serial number seems early for having a spiral drive motor.

I should have kept my spiral drive Victor VI serial number 85**. Although, I seem to recall it also has a brass gear (no nickel). Victor may have changed to the brass gear after a short period. Maybe as a cost saving measure..??. I cant see any other reason for this change as the gear remains the same...just sans plating.

This is an assumption on my part....however,it would seem that Victor used Victor VI (all nickel) motors in their XX's (perhaps VTLA's) that were available during a particular time of the production run.

If the Victrola is early production, it may have the all nickel motor. If later production, it may have fewer nickeled parts on the motor. All Victor needed to do was replace the slotted crank winding shaft for a threaded winding shaft.

Here is the on line pic of the Victor VI #6300 motor to compare. Any thoughts or comments..??.

I am confused which is not unusual. Are we talking about the XX or an early Pooley? I have 2 XX's and they do not have that gear in brass?

Amberola wrote:I am confused which is not unusual. Are we talking about the XX or an early Pooley? I have 2 XX's and they do not have that gear in brass?

you have two XX's now?