Radio for 55

[MilesP]

Working on my 55 electrical system and the radio went dead it is not the fuse have power beyond the fuse and voltage dropping resistor . When the radio is turned on the volt meager goes to zero turn the radio off volt meager recovers and reads voltage any ideas?

[Fid]

A meter going to zero  when a device is turned on means there's a short circuit some where. I'm surprised it doesn't blow the fuse. Where are you measuring the voltage from?
Another possibility - is the radio grounded properly?  A bad ground should not cause the meter to go to zero - in fact, it would do the opposite and keep the voltage at max.
Do you know if the radio has the original type vibrator in it?  Those can short and not cause the fuse to blow as the coil in the vibrator would absorb the current but it likely would not make the meter go to zero- it would drop below 6 or 12 volts but not likely to 0.

[MilesP]

Lowell your are correct it seems to be a dead short one minute it was playing the next it was dead. I think it has the original vibrator will poke it More tomorrow and see if I can find the short I will try to ground the case to see it that helps

[MilesP]

Turns out I have a erratic on off switch if i cycle it enough times the radio works only took four hours to discover that Ii dd replace the fuse holder and ran a new wire to ignition switch for good measure but all it is is the on off switch

[Fid]

That on/off switch tends to burn up inside.  The good part is, there are two sets of contacts in the switch: One for the main power and one for the dial light. The dial light is very low current so that side is always in good shape. You can't get that switch any more so I just swap the wires so the main power goes through the same set of contacts the  light does. The only issue is, the light has its own power source and that wire connects the head light switch so the dial light comes on only when the headlights are on.  Doing the switch I described means the dial light is on any time the radio is on. This is how the Henry J radio and early KF radios work so it's not really a problem but the bulb will burn out a little faster.

[MilesP]

Tears ago had a similar problem with my 51 the radio repair man installed a toggle switch now to turn it on I just flip a switch works great not stock but it works

[MilesP]

Should be years not tears the 51 has never been trouble but the 55 has been all tears

[Fid]

Well, it could be tears depending on what the guy charged you!  Yes, I've done that too -the toggle switch. I did it recently to a '48 Chevy radio I did for a fellow. That's the tough part is finding controls etc. The inner components are easy.