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WFAA's Old DuMont Telecruiser

C

Chuck

A few weeks ago, I posted news that I had purchased this old relic from the estate of it's previous owner. Since then I've had several responses from people, both on this message board, and privately via email. Thank you to one and all. They have been very helpful.

We've made some progress. Most of the junk that was inside it has been sorted through. It filled two dumpsters. We've hosed it off inside and out (boy was it dirty) and it now has nice new tires. This weekend, we plan to see if the old Buick engine will start. If you are curious, and like to look at old TV stuff, you may view new pictures at:

http://www.chalkhillmedia.org/museum/dumont.htm

As always, if you have any information about this or similar early TV mobile units, I'd love to hear from you. I'd also love to hear from anyone who actually worked on this thing from 1949 to 1972 or so. There is an email link on the web page.

Thanks

Chuck
 
> A few weeks ago, I posted news that I had purchased this old
> relic from the estate of it's previous owner. Since then
> I've had several responses from people, both on this message
> board, and privately via email. Thank you to one and all.
> They have been very helpful.
>
> We've made some progress. Most of the junk that was inside
> it has been sorted through. It filled two dumpsters. We've
> hosed it off inside and out (boy was it dirty) and it now
> has nice new tires. This weekend, we plan to see if the old
> Buick engine will start. If you are curious, and like to
> look at old TV stuff, you may view new pictures at:
>
> http://www.chalkhillmedia.org/museum/dumont.htm
>
> As always, if you have any information about this or similar
> early TV mobile units, I'd love to hear from you. I'd also
> love to hear from anyone who actually worked on this thing
> from 1949 to 1972 or so. There is an email link on the web
> page.
>
> Thanks
>
> Chuck
>
Chuck, you found a one of a kind, truely a rare gem in Dallas TV history. Once finished, what are your plans for the dumont?
 
> > A few weeks ago, I posted news that I had purchased this
> old
> > relic from the estate of it's previous owner. Since then
> > I've had several responses from people, both on this
> message
> > board, and privately via email. Thank you to one and all.
>
> > They have been very helpful.
> >
> > We've made some progress. Most of the junk that was
> inside
> > it has been sorted through. It filled two dumpsters.
> We've
> > hosed it off inside and out (boy was it dirty) and it now
> > has nice new tires. This weekend, we plan to see if the
> old
> > Buick engine will start. If you are curious, and like to
> > look at old TV stuff, you may view new pictures at:
> >
> > http://www.chalkhillmedia.org/museum/dumont.htm
> >
> > As always, if you have any information about this or
> similar
> > early TV mobile units, I'd love to hear from you. I'd
> also
> > love to hear from anyone who actually worked on this thing
>
> > from 1949 to 1972 or so. There is an email link on the web
>
> > page.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Chuck
> >
> Chuck, you found a one of a kind, truely a rare gem in
> Dallas TV history. Once finished, what are your plans for
> the dumont?
>

I know nothing that will help, but I am looking forward to hearing more about the history and the restoration as it moves forward.
 
> Chuck, you found a one of a kind, truely a rare gem in
> Dallas TV history. Once finished, what are your plans for
> the dumont?

Good question. I imagine it will eventually end up in a museum somewhere or another. Maybe some organization in Dallas will eventually want it. I'm optimistically guessing it will take three years to get it up and presentable. Of course, projects like these usually take twice as long and cost three times as much as you ever imagined. This one probably won't be an exception.

Once it is complete, I plan to take it to various car shows around the country, as well as the Flxible rally held annually in Loudonville, Ohio, the home town of Flxible. I might even loan it to various museums as a special exhibit, assuming anyone is interested

I think it will get quite a bit of attention. After I've had my fun with it, I'll have to work on finding it a permanent home. Meanwhile, I'm happy to be the caretaker of such an interesting piece of history.
 
> I know nothing that will help, but I am looking forward to
> hearing more about the history and the restoration as it
> moves forward.

I have feelers out in quite a few places trying to research some of its history. The Flxible Owners group has been quite helpful in dong research on it. Some of the guys are even volunteering parts.

It now has new tires, and I'm attempting to get the engine running. The latest setback is the throttle linkage seems to be permanently rusted in place and refuses to move. I've used two cans of WD-40 trying to get it to free up.

I can see this is going to be like most restoration projects. You take two steps forward, then take one step back. I'm now lowering the weekend’s expectations to just seeing if the engine will turn over, or if it is frozen like the linkage. I hope not.

We'll see.
 
> > Chuck, you found a one of a kind, truely a rare gem in
> > Dallas TV history. Once finished, what are your plans for
> > the dumont?
>
> Good question. I imagine it will eventually end up in a
> museum somewhere or another. Maybe some organization in
> Dallas will eventually want it. I'm optimistically guessing
> it will take three years to get it up and presentable. Of
> course, projects like these usually take twice as long and
> cost three times as much as you ever imagined. This one
> probably won't be an exception.
>
> Once it is complete, I plan to take it to various car shows
> around the country, as well as the Flxible rally held
> annually in Loudonville, Ohio, the home town of Flxible. I
> might even loan it to various museums as a special exhibit,
> assuming anyone is interested
>
> I think it will get quite a bit of attention. After I've
> had my fun with it, I'll have to work on finding it a
> permanent home. Meanwhile, I'm happy to be the caretaker of
> such an interesting piece of history.


It is indeed that. And you'll find, as with most projects, that the final 10 percent of the renovation will occupy 70 percent of the time and effort.
>
 
> It is indeed that. And you'll find, as with most projects,
> that the final 10 percent of the renovation will occupy 70
> percent of the time and effort.

Very true, I've restored a couple of houses, converted two busses into motor homes, and I have restored quite a few antique cars, so I'm aware of what a huge undertaking I'm getting in to. Sounds like you may have done some of the same.

The last 10% is very hard, and that last 3% is the really incredibly expensive, time consuming and frustrating part. Sometimes, it isn’t worth doing, since not very many people would know the difference.

One possible use for this thing might be a local museum in my own area of East Texas. I already operate a Virtual Museum of old broadcast equipment and other electronic oddities on the Internet. Visitors are invited to drop by in person to take a look at the real thing on a "please call ahead" basis. But better yet, an organization has sprung up in Kilgore (where I get my mail) called RATA Corp., which stands for Radio and Theater Arts Corp. It is a non profit that wants to establish a broadcasting and theatrical history museum in Kilgore, to compliment the East Texas Oil Museum. I don't know if they will be successful, but I hope they are. It too, is a big undertaking.

Their proposed site is called “The Mansion on 9 Acres.” The mansion used to be owned by Texas oil man, Tom Potter. It would appear that at time this mobile unit was ordered, Potter was the owner of Channel 8. At that time, it was called KBTV. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that Belo purchased the station from Potter in 1950 and changed the call letters after the sale to WFAA. According to Flxible factory records, this bus was delivered to Allen B. DuMont Labs on October 19, 1949. I'm not sure when Dumont delivered it to Channel 8, but sometime in 1950 would seem reasonable. Potter most likely still owned the station at that time it was being built, and may have been responsible for its purchase.

In any case, it is an interesting East Texas connection. Maybe the Telecruiser will end up as a display at the new museum. That would certainly be appropriate.
 
Hey, that's looking great! Very interesting photos.

On the Web site you said "It's unclear if the unit ever said KBTV on it."
Well it did. You got my interest up on that old thread and since then, I've been looking for old photos of it, I've Googled it and looked in the Dallas library on line. And then I thought of the Ch.8 40th and 50th year anniversary shows that I have on VHS(EP speed). On the 40th year version, there are 3 still shots of your cruiser! One inside shot and two from the outside. The 50th year version didn't show much. I could make stills from this VHS if you'd like, but ch.8 has these and most likely more. Again, great job on you labor of love.
 
> Hey, that's looking great! Very interesting photos.
>
> On the Web site you said "It's unclear if the unit ever said
> KBTV on it."
> Well it did. You got my interest up on that old thread and
> since then, I've been looking for old photos of it, I've
> Googled it and looked in the Dallas library on line. And
> then I thought of the Ch.8 40th and 50th year anniversary
> shows that I have on VHS(EP speed). On the 40th year
> version, there are 3 still shots of your cruiser! One inside
> shot and two from the outside. The 50th year version didn't
> show much. I could make stills from this VHS if you'd like,
> but ch.8 has these and most likely more. Again, great job on
> you labor of love.
>

Thanks for sending the pictures. Great stuff! I've posted them on the web site as part of the Telecruiser's history. www.chalkhillmedia.org/museum/dumont.htm
 
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