Bringing the shipping damaged Sunfire back to life.
daddyjt
Posts: 2,546
This thread (and the project itself) is long overdue, however I just recently got the house back together after the year-long ordeal of the flood.
First, a very special thanks to @JCL for his selfless contribution of a donor Sunfire TGP to replace the damaged cover of my Sunfire (many of you will recall the Sunfire shipping saga from earlier this year).
I have repaired the electronic damage to the amp - it had a bad rectifier and a bad pair of output transistors, which I was able to source from a friend on the Carver forum. For those that don’t know, the first THREE generations of the Sunfire TGP (TGP, TGP I, AND TGP II) share the same 19” wide cover as the Sunfire amps (well, almost the same, but more on that in a minute). The TGP III & TGP IV are 17” wide units. The TGP processors were fantastic in their day, but the advent of HDMI, Dolby Atmos, 4k and such has unfortunately rendered them relics of a bygone era.
While the covers share the same dimensions, there are a few differences that must be overcome. First is the back flange that folds over the back panel. The flange on the amp cover is 3/4”, and the processor has just shy of 1/2” inch of flange (I have a pretty good idea of how I’m going to compensate for this). The second, and more difficult to reconcile is the front panel mounting flanges. For those that don’t know, the front face of Sunfire amps mounts to the cover, and the cover (with attached face plate) mounts to the amp chassis. The TGP front face is integral to the chassis. Therefore I need to duplicate the mounting flanges that are spot-welded to the amp cover.
I am going with 3/4” X 1/2” aluminum angle stock cut to size and JB welded to the cover.
The glue is setting now - more to come as this project progresses…
First, a very special thanks to @JCL for his selfless contribution of a donor Sunfire TGP to replace the damaged cover of my Sunfire (many of you will recall the Sunfire shipping saga from earlier this year).
I have repaired the electronic damage to the amp - it had a bad rectifier and a bad pair of output transistors, which I was able to source from a friend on the Carver forum. For those that don’t know, the first THREE generations of the Sunfire TGP (TGP, TGP I, AND TGP II) share the same 19” wide cover as the Sunfire amps (well, almost the same, but more on that in a minute). The TGP III & TGP IV are 17” wide units. The TGP processors were fantastic in their day, but the advent of HDMI, Dolby Atmos, 4k and such has unfortunately rendered them relics of a bygone era.
While the covers share the same dimensions, there are a few differences that must be overcome. First is the back flange that folds over the back panel. The flange on the amp cover is 3/4”, and the processor has just shy of 1/2” inch of flange (I have a pretty good idea of how I’m going to compensate for this). The second, and more difficult to reconcile is the front panel mounting flanges. For those that don’t know, the front face of Sunfire amps mounts to the cover, and the cover (with attached face plate) mounts to the amp chassis. The TGP front face is integral to the chassis. Therefore I need to duplicate the mounting flanges that are spot-welded to the amp cover.
I am going with 3/4” X 1/2” aluminum angle stock cut to size and JB welded to the cover.
The glue is setting now - more to come as this project progresses…
"Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow
“Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
“Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Comments
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That's some sweet lemonade.
Nice work so far, and glad to hear you were able to tap the network for assists.I disabled signatures. -
That's some sweet lemonade.
Nice work so far, and glad to hear you were able to tap the network for assists.
Source: BRP Panasonic UB9000, CDP Emotiva ERC3 - Display: LG OLED EVO 83 C3 - Pre/Pro: Marantz 8802A - Amplification: Emotiva XPA-DR3, XPA-2 x 2, XPA-6, Speakers, Mains/2ch-Focal Kanta No2's, C-LSiM706, S-702F/X, RS-RTiA9's, WS-RTiA9's, FH-RTiA3's, Subs - Epik Empire x 2
Cables: AudioQuest McKenzie XLR's/CDP/Amp, Carbon 48/BRP, Forest 48/Display, 2 channel speaker cable: Furutech FS Alpha 36 12AWG PCOCC Single Crystal (Douglas Connection)
EXPERIENCE: next to nothing, but I sure enjoy audio and video MY OPINION OF THIS HOBBY: I may not be a smart man, but I know what quicksand is.
When I was young, I was Superman but now that old age has gotten the best of me I'm only Batman -
It’s coming together quickly now. Had a bit of a setback with the aluminum angle adhesion. I figured the slightly burnished finish of the cover would be enough to give the JB weld a grip. I was wrong. Ended up roughing it up with the dremel tool and re-gluing. It’s not budging now. Drilling the holes in the aluminum was tricky, getting them in the right place to hit the threaded holes in the face plate. Now to drill and tap the new holes on the back plate…
"Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow
“Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn -
Glad it’s starting to come together! Sorry it wasn’t an exact fit with the brackets.L600 (front), R200 (rear), R200 (rear surround), L400 (center), Sunfire HRS-10 (2)Marantz AV7706Sunfire Cinema Grand, Marantz M8077, Music Hall Stealth, Ortofon bronze cartridge, Parasound Zphono XRM, Sony UBP-X800
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Finally got everything back together. Drilled and tapped new holes in the back cover to align with the holes in the donor cover. Put screws in the new and old holes for a finished look.
"Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow
“Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn -
It is now driving the front 3 in my HT - mission accomplished! Thanks again to member @JCL for the donor cover, and allowing me to bring this amp back to life…
"Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow
“Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn -
Nice job! Glad it worked out.L600 (front), R200 (rear), R200 (rear surround), L400 (center), Sunfire HRS-10 (2)Marantz AV7706Sunfire Cinema Grand, Marantz M8077, Music Hall Stealth, Ortofon bronze cartridge, Parasound Zphono XRM, Sony UBP-X800
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👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
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