O/T - Rockola jukebox
Turbo Mini Forums

I've seen some other random projects in here before so I thought I'd add my latest.. I work in the wood refinishing trade, painting most things from furniture, windows to fascia boards right through to sculptures. The chap I work for thou has a relative who imports jukeboxes, which we get in an restore the cabinet/tin work or rebuild, an over the last 3 years I've really learnt a lot about these machines. So heres my latest toy..





A 1955/56 Rockola 1448 'icicle'. 120 selection playing 45's. I bought it from a somebody in dartford who imported about 20 for his own collection but he didn't realize just how many he had bought so was selling a few off. It was abit of an impulse ebay buy, but was reasonably cheap due to a poor listing. I was a bit suprised when I picked it up as it looked to me like there were a few parts missing, but after buying a service manual it all seems there...

The first few pictures are when we got it back here, since then I've stripped it of most of its chrome work, glass an tin work. It was an american import, but its been converted to 240v.

Had a look through the wiring diagram an had a look what I had an hadn't got in terms of power at different terminals, after 20 minutes of going through it an a few loose connections either re-crimped or soldered I had this..

http://s441.photobucket.com/albums/qq138/T...t=VIDEO0017.mp4

I was well chuffed when it started up. Managed to get some US coins from work to keep popping in it, managed to get hold of a free play button though which has helped no end..

Thats all for now thou, as it stands the mech is now out an on the bench, along with the amp, credit accumulator an power supply unit, ready for me to tackle the cabinet this weekend I hope.

Cheers,
Tom.

Edited by TomBooth on 4th Dec, 2011.

I like that :)

In the 13's at last!.. Just

GROOVY!

Cheers lads, heres the goal anyway...

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=NTsJzTVhw4M

Well spent weekend, 18mm birch ply veneered with 1.5mm birch ply on the inside. Dropped the front door on earlier an its still a snug fit. Chuffed :)





It's been a shame to loose the old cabinet but it was just too far gone.

Managed to get more done over the christmas period to this, finally getting somewhere..



Got the sides laminated, limed oak fablon. Came out a treat, really chuffed with the finish.

Got the inside an back of the cabinet painted too, colour isn't the origional. I couldn't stand to do all the work on the cabinet an paint it the same old shit cardboard colour. It's a lexus colour, I like to think of it as a modern take on the old colour. Don't want to stray too far from the original with this build but at the same time I want it to stand out from the rest.



The colour looks abit much being an empty cabinet but I'm hoping the mech and fittings break it up abit.

nice what you goint to play got a load of 45's?

I run a supercharger and I don't care the TB is on the wrong side.
VEMS + 12 PSI + Liquid Intercooler = Small Bore FUN!

Yeah its a 45 machine, holds 60 an plays both A&B sides. We've bought a dozen or so already of old Fats domino an little richard sorta era but its soon racking up. Soon have spent as much on the records as the player!

Edited by TomBooth on 3rd Jan, 2012.

nice tom, i want one for the conservatory............ dont forget your drain pipe trousers, blue suede shoes and coat............iam all shook up

Getting somewhere now..













Managed to get most of the tinware painted up in the nearest ral colour I could mix, looks well I think. Bit different to the cack cardboard colour it all used to be. Amp an power supply are back in. Got the gold background foil in too which I think looks awesome, really chuffed with how that's fell. Chrome needs to come off again to be repolished or rechromed, going to decide after I've had a blast at polishing it. Speaker will be sorted this week hopefully so that can go in. Front door wants rebuilding too but that's not a massive job, the waffle glass will get replaced for new an the outer grill centers will be painted to match the back. It's coming together slowly but surely.

I spy VALVES!

Very different, nice work.

1/4 Mile 14.3secs 96Mph Terminal 10psi of boost.


Fibreglass Parts? - http://www.tdkracing.co.uk/
Split Rims? - http://www.force-racing.co.uk/

looking good

Done now needs redoing lol

is this wired up like vintage radios like the "all american 5" where the neutral is tied to the chassis? love older electronics, dangerous but awesome all the same :) Have you had to do much resto work here with dried out caps and the like?

turbo 16v k-series 11.9@118.9 :)

Denis O'Brien.

We had the amp an power supply rebuilt by a juke specialist, so other then the bodys, an the plugs everything's new. Transformers have been rewound, an the valves have all been replaced. Was more safety then anything but its nice to know it should all sound good an new.

Earths on this one aren't on the chassis, but Wurlitzers of the same era are
Cheers chaps

Edited by TomBooth on 27th Feb, 2012.

Just thought I should probably update this!

The machines now off with my local jukebox guy getting all the electrical worms sorted that people have added over the last 55 years.. In the mean time he's stripped all the button bank from the front door for me to strip an restore all the front door parts.

Started off like this..





Now looks like this..





Dying to see it on the machine, really can't wait!

Just found an old tube light an couldn't resist...

absolutely cracking mate my other half has wanted one for years ,shown her your pics on here ,shes now gonna save up and buy one, nice work mate

give em hell

She should do! There Awesome. I'm dying to finish mine.

Flatted an polished the black frame yesterday. Looks brilliant. Just the chrome work to attack now

that is a nice restoration, i also have a jukebox in my garage and i just love the vintage sound that comes out of it...
unfortunately it has been ages since it has played, it's broken and i haven't found the time to have a good look at it... mine's a wurlitze lyric that looks something like this

Edited by pieter on 10th Nov, 2012.

cool nice to see these old machines being restored

give em hell

Almost there now!





Should have it back soon for the final stage. It was so exciting to hear it play! That's on mono, with no tweeter connected or the bass and treble levels set. Plus it was recorded on a phone.

A mate of mines just told me that video link doesn't work, try this folks..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF_VdHL_y0c...be_gdata_player

Edited by TomBooth on 12th Feb, 2013.

Love it... :) and ye the vid works

Very very nearly finished now, took the trims from inside to work, blasted and painted them to match the lower grill.

I then got a call to say I could go fetch it! Soo excited.



Home, spent an evening putting a few bits on so it was secure and the door didn't fall down into anybody,dropped a brand new front screen in too so it looks original..




Then came to sorting the light fitting for the top...



And that's how it stands for the time being! Gonna get some use from it and finish off the little jobs, then just enjoy it! It's played every night for the passed week from 5.30-11ish and shown no signs of slowing down yet!

I'll just leave this here too...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRzqRrThw4k...be_gdata_player