Fantasy Project?

 Back in the summer of 1975, I improbably got a steady baby-sitting gig. This was the only time anyone ever hired me to do anything as a teenager. 

Flush with cash, I bought a used Silvertone 1485 guitar amp through the Swap Sheet for $75:

Here's a Sears catalog description:

That's right, baby! Six, count 'em six, 10" Jensen speakers and 120 watts of tube-driven power! I was in hog-heaven. And dig that cool trolley with the industrial casters.

This amp saw service in my garage bands as well as my brother's punk band, The Factor.

I sold it off in 1998 when I moved to North Carolina. I think it was on the cusp of needing to be re-capped, but, hey! I sold it for $200, so who's laughing now?  Let's see what they're selling for in 2021...

Conclusion? I am a genius!

I'm not crying... shut up!!!

SO, what is this fantasy project?  Read below the fold, people.

My friend, Bill, gave me some old Atlas Sound PA speaker columns. The kind that were probably screwed to the walls of a VFW post for Bingo Night.

Each cabinet has six 5-1/2" speakers in it.  

Well, one was missing a speaker. That one I rewired as a four-speaker cabinet and I'm using it for my 16mm projector in my basement.

A whimsical thought crossed my mind the other day. 

"What," I mused, "If I took the six 5-1/2" speakers out of the remaining cabinet and built a "Mini-Me" version of my Silvertone 1485 cab?

I floated the idea past Bill and he's on board to help me, as he has the necessary saws, corner clamps and what-not at his house.

The original cabinetry was made out of particle board with a Masonite speaker baffle to keep costs down. God bless Sears.

Thanks to the local criagslist, I have a line on some shelving that will be used for the box part.

The covering material is going to be a challenge, as that was special only to the long-out-of-production amplifiers.

Original Silvertone covering pattern.

Some internet searching indicates the covering was more akin to wall paper than standard "tolex." So, here's some black basket-weave wallpaper that's kind of close:

Bohemian Bling Black Basketweave Vinyl Strippable

Also, there's this peel-and-stick contact paper:

Contact paper for that true sixties vibe!

A Google search for "charcoal gray leatherette" turned up some possibilities:

CASA82 Naugahyde CASABLANCA TUNISIAN GRAY

Spradling KILKENNY KIL-2923 CHARCOAL Faux Leather

Lastly, I sent away for a sample of automotive upholstery:

Much thicker than the other two options.

But, I'm getting way ahead of myself, here.  If I can get this project off the ground, I'll make further posts.

Ta-Ta for now, from Craig's fantasy workshop!