Beogram 8002 (5633): Initial Assessment

I recently received a Beogram 8002 (Type 5633) from a customer in Missouri. It arrived safely packaged in a Beolover shipping container, and no shipping damage occurred. I put it on the bench:

As usual, the aluminum panels had come loose. The hood has some moderate scratching. Also very common. Luckily, this can be fixed. Co-Beolover Beomazed has figured out how to transfer the original trim to a new replacement hood. This is a significant step towards a pristine, like-new look!

Otherwise, this unit is in pretty nice cosmetic condition. The veneer corners are in an unusually good condition:

It also has a platter that looks very good:

Unfortunately, these platters are easily damaged when people try to clean them with alcohol or harsh detergents. It is usually best not to use alcohol on this particular Beogram vintage. The black paint of the enclosure is also easily damaged that way. Water and a mild hand dishwashing detergent, plus a soft cloth or sponge, are usually the best approach.

After this visual inspection, I removed all the technical parts and set them up on my lazy Susan work platform for easy access to all components:

Then I plugged it in and pressed START. It reluctantly moved the carriage over to the LP setdown point and arm lowering was triggered properly. The typical signs of hardened lubricants and/or a worn carriage belt. But after the arm was down, it immediately returned the carriage to the home position. This usually means that the <</>> adjustments are out of whack. 

In summary, I would say this unit is a promising starting point for a full restoration to a like-new condition. Stay tuned for my post about the work that will be done on this unit!