WOW, that is a nice looking RV-6!
Click the small picture above folks. It enlarges a lot.
The wording on the motor box looks engraved, that would be older. The motor is newer. The DEC housing is older (cast iron). The legs are newer. The small rings with flat head hinge bolts is a cross breed of hardware.
Everything considered, I'd say you have a later (newer) scope that might not be identifiable for age. I'd go mainly by the legs and the Haydon motor. Criterion distinctly put out some hodge podge scopes during their end times. They used any and everything they had to use up whatever was available for parts. This is the only explanation I have and I've had a few like this, and still have some of these cross over RV-6 with non consistant era parts. CHECK your focuser housing. Criterion started with iron housings, then went to aluminum focuser housings. Use a magnet.
The RED tag Sure is PRETTY! I wish I had one of those! That is first time I've seen that on a pier cap. I have no explanation for one. Come on folks, let's see some info on that tag. It looks like yet another factory substitute. Maybe they found a box of them on a shelf but I've never seen that tag on anything before and I have some oldies. Sure is Pretty!
The paint is not consistent. Some parts look normal flat black while others are wrinkle paint. Some one might have put this together from several at home. Some of us here will do that, some of us here have several RV-6 projects at home. I have 5 or 6 or somewhere around there. Quinton and/or his dad have a handful also. I know others have a few. Can someone post a link to that string with all the RV links in it? It seems this one scope has more strings in this forum than any other given scope. I commend 'CriterionRV6' for consolidating by using an old string.
Edited by apfever, 16 August 2024 - 07:05 PM.