Stereo Cabinet Restoration Inspiration

I've been working on this little gem:

   If you can believe it I picked this Magnavox stereo cabinet up for FREE!! The stereo inside didn't work any more. I suspect the of the tubes had gone bad as this is a pretty old unit. Regardless the record player still worked beautifully. But I had other ideas for the unit check after the jump for a big surprise!! I promise it is worth it!!

A little different? No?

Read on at the bottom.....

  First I removed the stereo and reconstructed the hole that it left. Next I checked the speakers in the unit and, surprise-surprise, THEY WORK!! So I wired them so they could be plugged into the receiver that just fit perfectly inside the sliding tops. Then come the paint! A few coats of gloss black paint and two coats of clear coat after some fine sanding. Then I dipped the hardware in aluminum paint. The final step was to reapply the graphics. I wanted to redo the original black outline but my  hands just aren't that steady. Then I tried an Atomic Age style starburst, nope... then tried a diamond, and nope, still too shaky. So I settled on using a pinstriping tool tool known called a Buegler and the results are, I think, satisfactory. After wiring the whole thing up and plugging it in I christened the completed unit with a little Billy Holiday and my day was a little better.