The Oldest Cobra 148 GTL DX ?

[UGLY_BOB]

Been playing around with a new toy today, a very tidy Cobra 148 GTL DX Mk 1.... bog standard and un-molested. I was amazed to notice it's Serial Number - 0300062 ... number 62 of what must have been thousands of them. Is this the oldest one you've seen ? Anyone got a lower serial number ?



I'd love to know if you have ? Or any really low serial numbers on other 'classic' radios.
My Stalker is 13000716 ... any advances on that ?
Ugs

[wheel bender]

my mk1 is a 1300 so not even in the same league as yours. serial numbers can be very interesting.

[Radiohead01]

Depends how the serial is coded. Maybe they were counting down .

In all seriousness it'd be interesting to know how it's coded. Is it a simple count or do some numbers signify revisions.

[UGLY_BOB]

I think 03 was the model number - followed by simple production total. Then when modded it became 13.... which continued on into the Mark 2 production. But I'm keen to know more. The internal PCB codes were more likely to show revisions. But the Superstar 360 series were also Mk1 and Mk2... but no significant serial numbers.
So to claim '62' as the 62nd one 'off the line' could be way out. I suggest that chassis and boards were produced simultaneously, and only got allocated a Cobra Serial Number at the end of the line, when the identity of it's fascia was determined.
Any boffins out there that might like to chip in? My comments are mere supposistion.
Any lower numbers yet ?

[astradyne]

I would presume that the serial numbers began at 01 and ran upwards. If that's the case then the one you have there Bob is a real find.

I would not have a clue how the factory process went regarding the 148 and 360. As you say they came off the same line and were "badged up" at the end of which ever conveyor belt the chasis went down. But theoretically there could be a 62 MK1 360FM as to all intents and purposes they were a different radio been sold by a different company.

Anyway, very nice radio Bob.

[Radiohead01]

Be interesting to see some more numbers for the MK1 incase there is any pattern. Though what Ugs suggests sends about right to me.

This is the problem with CB/11m radios, there is little or no information on the web.

For example:

Uniden - Only a passing reference to CB in an already sparse article.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniden

Midland's entry is laughable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midland_Radio

And not even an entry for Cobra, let alone any of the more obscure radios.


I'd love to know more about the history behind the radios.

[wheel bender]

Where I can I like to try and trace the list of previous owners. My cobra 148mk2 stayed in the area where I live for a while so it goes something like :- wheeler dealer(staffordshire) Cadger, Fishkeeper and Pannel surgeon a local rig doc(who owned it for a while ) It's funny but when I bought it I had no idea it was the same one I'd been oggling when I used to spend time in Pannel Surgeon's shack. My mk2 has a serial number but it might not be the original as it was only attached to the heat sink sometime and by another owner after the heat sink was fitted.

[ChrisUK]

Well it just so happens that i knew a person of a person of a person of a person....etc.

Not really....
But this same question came up years ago.....maybe in the middle to late 80's.
And from what i heard and was informed.
All the chassis were givern a serial number once they came off the production line and then some where cased up as 148's and some where sent to europe/asia and cased up SS 360.

So you could have No1 was a 148, No 2 was a 360, No3 was a 148 etc.
And then of course you have your Mk1's and Mk2's.

The original Cobra 148 Mk1 was a GTL and just had AM/SSB, the Cobra 148 GTLDx is a Mk2 and had FM added and the 1300 series is a Mk3 148.
The SS360 front was made for europe/asia and the cobra GTLDX was for south america and Ireland.

Of course this is all speculative and just what i heard/was told years ago.....unless you were actually in the factory, you will never know.
In fact evern on the factory floor they never knew...prob just them in the design room.

[Admiral]

Sorry, I have no idea, my only input is that your 148 is a handsome looking rig considering it's age.

[Ashtec]

I think you fined there bob is inside your radio has the boss in it in with black marker......................
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTRYG3l3 ... e=youtu.be

[ChrisUK]

I think the BOSS needs to lay off the pizza's and get himself a Wii or Xbox Konnect, instead of useing radio.

[Ashtec]

I think the BOSS needs to lay off the pizza's and get himself a Wii or Xbox Konnect, instead of useing radio.

[UGLY_BOB]

I think you fined there bob is inside your radio has the boss in it in with black marker......................

Nope... had a good look. Must be another one you're thinking of ?

Here's the serial number again -



It appears to be a PC-879AB board -



Despite it's age it's in suprisingly nice condition -





... any older Serial Numbers yet ?
Ugs

[Ashtec]

I see there bob it must of been the other i sold to Paul down the road from me a member of CT.
Thinking about it it was the one i sent over to you for testing.

Here's a number plate i have on the back of my last Cobra 148gtl dx Mk1 the dog that ive done up as it was in a bad way.

http://www.transmission1.co.uk/forum/vi ... 3&start=75

[astradyne]

Beautiful condition inside Bob. It's a rare treat to find them like that.