Hallicrafters S-39 Dial Restringing

[WA8FNJ]

I just picked up an S-39 in pretty good shape, but both the main tuning and bandspread dials have broken cords.  Anyone out there have any experience restringing this one?  It looks all but impossible to do without some major disassembly.  Any help would be most appreciated.

John
WA8FNJ

[AC5UP]

Apparently that's something of a rare bird as the only (?) free copy of the manual can be found here: http://bama.edebris.com/manuals/hallicra/s39/

...which will tell you everything about the radio except how to string the dial cords. If you stumble across a TM 94-069 manual that's the OD version of the same radio.

[K0OD]

I just picked up an S-39 in pretty good shape

Very rare radio from about 1945. I had to look it up.
http://www.qsl.net/la5ki/big/s39.jpg

Did you mean perhaps the vastly more common S-38 from the 1950s?

[KA5N]

You can get a service manual from   Mods DX  (have to sign up). 

There should be a restringing pictorial there.    I have never seen one of these receivers
in the flesh but the photos of them look neat.  Make a good collectable. 
Probably would have to start by removing the knobs and go from there.  Besure you don't
lose the springs and get some real dial cord, don't try to use dental floss or other substitute.
Don't be surpised if the pointer moves backwards the first time you try.  Restringing can be
tricky til you get the hang of it.

Good Luck Allen

[WA8FNJ]

I had never seen one of these before, so I was excited to take it home.  The problem is getting to the pulleys.  The switches are riveted to the front panel, so I think some major surgery will be required. There is no room to get at them without removing the front.  I  had hoped someone out there had had experience with one of these.

 The wiring is very compact also, so replacing capacitors will be a challenge too.  The filter caps are in removable cans.  Although messy, removing the guts will be easier than trying to find a place under the chassis for new ones.