Radio capacitor

[Jeffrey S.]

Hello all. I am going to try to restore the directional signal flasher radio capacitor on my '69. Right now it is just about all white and the original lettering is all gone. The wiring is OK and the brass spade terminals are OK. I have a picture of a capacitor with the markings and I can only see 2 lines. What I can see is as follows: ".47 MFD"; "100 V.D.C.". I can see a line above the .47 MFD but I can't read it. Does anyone have one that has the markings? If so, could you describe them or take a picture of it. Also, if you could describe the paper "insulator" that goes between the capacitor and the flasher. Thanks for your help.
Jeff

[Kevin M.]

Re: Radio capacitor

I have these 2 pictures saved if it helps.

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: Radio capacitor

Kevin:
Thanks very much for these pictures. This is exactly what I need. I think I can duplicate the printing on the bare capacitor and then coat it with candle wax. It appears that it originally was wax covered. Thanks again.
Jeff

[Jack H.]

Re: Radio capacitor

Yes, this was a wax foil capacitor originally supplied by Cornell Dublier. The insulating wrap is fische paper. The same part was used on mid-year and shark cars, but it was a single PN item in mid-year era (cap, insulator and attaching staple) while the individual parts had separate GM PN's in shark days (allowed service folks to get just the insulating fische paper that would often deteriorate due to age + moisture).

You can attempt to rebuild your original or go get a reproduction assy. I believe they're in the Long Island catalog and I've yet to hear any complaints regarding the quality of the reproduction part....

[John D.]

Re: Radio capacitor

Jeff, At the Seven Springs regional I got dinged for having a yellow TS capacitor. Supposed to be one like yours. So I recently found my old original and it was really crappy looking. I cleaned it with Zippo liter fluid and q-tips. It came out looking really nice and clean but very dull. I thin hit it with satin clear as judges really like clear. So now the old brown original cap. looks first class. Yours needs the brown look to it. Try some liquid shoe polish and a q-tip to dye it. JD

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: Radio capacitor

Jack and John:
Thanks for the replys. Jack- can you tell me if fisch (?) paper is still something that can be bought? Do you know how thick the inulator was and what that was made of? I know that there is a reproduction made by LectricLimited but I'm not sure that it has the writing on it and I always would rather resatore an original than buy a repro. The on-line catalogue picture doesn't show any.
John- Mine is pretty blanched out and the lettering is gone so what I was going to do (which is what I think might have been done originally) was to print the letters/numbers on the bare capacitor and then melt some amber candlewax and apply it to the piece.
Thanks again for you responses.
Jeff

[Jack H.]

Re: Radio capacitor

(1) Fische paper is still available, typically from art supply stores.

(2) Thickness varies along with color based on mfgr and stock weight.

(3) I don't think you're going to find judges sitting there with micrometers measuring paper thickness! You have your original to use as a template, but remember it's probably faded from its original color...

(4) Yes, the Long Island reproduction capacitor assy has the correct Cornell Dublier marks on it... But, remember some of these letter/numbers were CD internal lot mfgr & tracking sequences that we know we don't know how to decode.

(5) On 'made by Lectric Limited'...I'd be careful of making that assertion! Quite a few of the products they offer are actually made by others for them. I WILL buy 'sold' or 'marketed' by Lectric Limited as substitute prose though...

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: Radio capacitor

Jack:
Thanks for the reply. You are right in that LL may not be the manufacturer just the reseller-thanks for correcting. I will try art supply stores for the paper. I always enjoy the challenge of researching and then restoring a particular original part so while it may be easier to just pick up the phone and order one, I will continue to be creative. Thanks for your help.
Jeff