Phonoland

Hi--I have one of the gold mid-1950s V-M record changers. For some reason when the last record drops, the machine shuts off without playing it. Can somebody point me to a fix?

Thanks
John

VM changers are notorious for problems, including your problem.
Over time, the lubricant dries up, oil turns to mollasses, etc. It's best to flush out all the old grease, oil, and do a thorough re-lubing, including the motor bearings.
underneath the chassis, the record stabilizer shaft drops with the last record, and trips a lever on the slider assembly to set the next cycle for shutoff. Watch it while slowly turning the turntable under a good light. I'm thinking there's a small lever with a spring on the slider assembly that grease has made "slow moving". Clean it to free it up.
Hardened grease on any of these parts will cause it to malfunction. and the lightweight aluminum parts will bend out of alignment to cause a malfunction too.
You certainly wouldn't drive a car without proper maintenence and oil, so...
The same thing goes for the rubber tires..... age!
I bet if you studied the workings of the changer in slow motion, and determined exactly how the cycle shuts off the changer after the last record drop, you'll see the linkage in action and how it's binding/malfuntioning.

Hey man, thanks for the reply. I have noticed the slide trip mechanism you're talking about. Will do my best to get it rectified.

Thanks again

The delay stop is not working.

When the last record drops, the overarm drops, making the shutoff lever press on the delay stop. This is a spring-loaded trapezoidal flap on the change cycle slide that covers a slot in the slide. It keeps the shutoff lever from locking out the pickup arm until after the last record plays. As the slide returns to its resting position, the shutoff lever drops into the slot in the slide. On the next change cycle, the shutoff lever pushes the delay stop out of the way as it locks the pickup arm out by stopping the swing-in drive.

Possible causes include:

- Dried-up lube on the delay stop, keeping it in the retracted position.

- Missing delay stop spring.

- Bent delay stop.

- Shutoff lever bent. This usually happens if someone tries to turn the control knob during the cycle.