One of the first I bought, in a batch of 3 NOS watches, off Milanuncios, was a Racer J39024-50 - the 'panda' dial variant.
- Racer-Orient-J39-x3-milanuncioscom-August2013.png (164.45 KiB) Viewed 4752 times
Bagged a bargain basement basket case beater Racer J39
Bagged a bargain basement basket case beater Racer J39
Let's start with a little background history. I began collecting the Racer branded variants of Orient J39 back in August 2013, thanks primarily to a 'heads up' from forum member Konkordski (Lawrence). I documented many of my earlier acquisitions in the old forum's 'Spanish Inquisition' thread. These watches were manufactured by Orient Watch Co. Ltd for the Spanish market. Although a few I've purchased (on eBay) came from other countries (including Romania and Turkey), I've found the majority of them on various Spanish classifies sites, like Segundamano (which became Vibbo), and has since absorbed by Milanuncios, Todocoleccion and latterly Wallapop.
One of the first I bought, in a batch of 3 NOS watches, off Milanuncios, was a Racer J39024-50 - the 'panda' dial variant.
One of the first I bought, in a batch of 3 NOS watches, off Milanuncios, was a Racer J39024-50 - the 'panda' dial variant.
Re: Bagged a bargain basement basket case beater Racer J39
There were 4 different dial colour variants of Racer J39024-50, plus two of the all over gold-plated J39924-50, one of which still eludes me. So naturally I still keep searching for them, though perhaps not as fervently as I did in the past. You see there comes a point when you have to ask yourself 'how many of these things do you really need ?' 
As mentioned previously, over the last few months I've been attempting to re-organize my collection into a semblance of order. That process usually starts by me laying out all my similar examples on a tray, to assimilate what I've actually got, before starting to slot them into a collection box. That's not quite all of them.
Looking at that photo raised a wry smile. Going back a few years, I can remember complaining vociferously about a Spanish seller on Segundomano, 'Tony from Mostoles', who stubbornly refused to post his J39024-50 'Reverse Panda' anywhere - not even within Spain. 
Now I have four of that variant, including three NOS examples.
- rsz_p1790037.jpg (244.36 KiB) Viewed 4744 times
As mentioned previously, over the last few months I've been attempting to re-organize my collection into a semblance of order. That process usually starts by me laying out all my similar examples on a tray, to assimilate what I've actually got, before starting to slot them into a collection box. That's not quite all of them.
Looking at that photo raised a wry smile. Going back a few years, I can remember complaining vociferously about a Spanish seller on Segundomano, 'Tony from Mostoles', who stubbornly refused to post his J39024-50 'Reverse Panda' anywhere - not even within Spain. 
Now I have four of that variant, including three NOS examples.Re: Bagged a bargain basement basket case beater Racer J39
Anyway, getting back to the subject of this thread. Three weeks ago, I was browsing Todocolecction, just searching on 'Racer Reloj', when I spotted a listing for an extremely worn J39024-50 'Panda'. And I mean a really battered beater.
https://www.todocoleccion.net/vintage-r ... x292218368
It was titled Reloj racer chronograph and the brief description simply read: 'Reloj racer en estado funciona perfecto'.
https://www.todocoleccion.net/vintage-r ... x292218368
It was titled Reloj racer chronograph and the brief description simply read: 'Reloj racer en estado funciona perfecto'.
- Racer-Orient-J39024-50-Gold-PandaFace-Todocoleccion-Oct2021-1.jpg (145.97 KiB) Viewed 4731 times
- rsz_racer-orient-j39024-50-gold-pandaface-todocoleccion-oct2021-2.jpg (223.96 KiB) Viewed 4731 times
- Racer-Orient-J39024-50-Gold-PandaFace-Todocoleccion-Oct2021-3.jpg (254.65 KiB) Viewed 4731 times
Re: Bagged a bargain basement basket case beater Racer J39
Having briefly studied the photos, particularly the second one, I decided this was definitely a case of my not needing another. It was a 10-day auction listing, with an opening bid price of 10 Euros. Out of curiosity, I just added it to my watched item list (by clicking on the like button). The following day, I noticed someone with an all too familiar user ID had placed an opening bid on it. None other than scufutz, a small time dealer, who regularly buys up watches cheaply off other platforms and re-sells them for fat profits on eBay or Wallapop. So, just to let him know that I'd spotted it, I placed a bid myself, expecting him to respond. He didn't. The auction was ending late on the evening of 19th October, (gone 11:30pm BST, if I remember). I certainly wasn't going to stay up to see if he sniped me in the closing minutes, nor did I bother placing a higher 'safety' bid. I woke up the following morning to find I'd won the auction for 10.50 Euros !
The seller was tardy providing a shipping cost (and his bank details) and eventually got around to posting it a week later. It finally arrived in this morning's post. The watch wasn't running and shows the same time as in the seller's photos. I'll post a couple of my own tomorrow - to say 'pretty it ain't' is a mild understatement !
It was a 10-day auction listing, with an opening bid price of 10 Euros. Out of curiosity, I just added it to my watched item list (by clicking on the like button). The following day, I noticed someone with an all too familiar user ID had placed an opening bid on it. None other than scufutz, a small time dealer, who regularly buys up watches cheaply off other platforms and re-sells them for fat profits on eBay or Wallapop. So, just to let him know that I'd spotted it, I placed a bid myself, expecting him to respond. He didn't. The auction was ending late on the evening of 19th October, (gone 11:30pm BST, if I remember). I certainly wasn't going to stay up to see if he sniped me in the closing minutes, nor did I bother placing a higher 'safety' bid. I woke up the following morning to find I'd won the auction for 10.50 Euros ! - Racer-Orient-J39024-50-Panda-Todocoleccion-Oct2021-Ended-Sold-10.50Euros.png (38.21 KiB) Viewed 4717 times
The seller was tardy providing a shipping cost (and his bank details) and eventually got around to posting it a week later. It finally arrived in this morning's post. The watch wasn't running and shows the same time as in the seller's photos. I'll post a couple of my own tomorrow - to say 'pretty it ain't' is a mild understatement !
Re: Bagged a bargain basement basket case beater Racer J39
As promised - here it is in all its unsightliness, without any sympathetic lighting: taken under my worklight this morning.
As you can see, the upper surfaces of the case are extremely worn. The bezel's gunmetal coating is almost completely worn away and the crystal is nearly opaque with scratches. The cheap and nasty 18mm plastic 'mock croc' strap fitted will be headed for the trash can, as soon as I've taken a wrist shot.
Like a few other dressy Orient / Racer J39 designs, the J39024-50 watch case is metal skinned resin core construction, which is susceptible to sweat induced corrosion and erosion of the exposed resin. This case, belonging to another Racer J39024-50 which I restored back in 2014, was probably one of the worst instances I'd seen.
That was till now. It might not have been obvious in the seller's third photo, but I'd an idea that's what I was looking at.
- rsz_p1790039.jpg (242.87 KiB) Viewed 4701 times
As you can see, the upper surfaces of the case are extremely worn. The bezel's gunmetal coating is almost completely worn away and the crystal is nearly opaque with scratches. The cheap and nasty 18mm plastic 'mock croc' strap fitted will be headed for the trash can, as soon as I've taken a wrist shot.
Like a few other dressy Orient / Racer J39 designs, the J39024-50 watch case is metal skinned resin core construction, which is susceptible to sweat induced corrosion and erosion of the exposed resin. This case, belonging to another Racer J39024-50 which I restored back in 2014, was probably one of the worst instances I'd seen.
- P1310048.jpg (76.53 KiB) Viewed 4700 times
That was till now. It might not have been obvious in the seller's third photo, but I'd an idea that's what I was looking at.
- rsz_p1790040.jpg (244.28 KiB) Viewed 4696 times
- rsz_p1790041.jpg (220.95 KiB) Viewed 4696 times
Re: Bagged a bargain basement basket case beater Racer J39
The case-back unscrewed easily to reveal a relatively clean, if not exactly spotless Orient J3920 movement:
I suspect it's probably suffered a minor battery leak at some point, from the small signs of rust around the two plastic locating pins adjacent to the negative battery terminal / back-plate screw. Probably warrants a future investigation. Anyway, I fitted a new battery and it sprang into life, though the chronograph functions aren't all responding yet.
One thing I was fairly confident of - and that was underneath that battle-scarred almost opaque crystal, lurked a nice clean dial and hands. So I popped the dial / movement out to check - and sure enough.
- rsz_p1790049.jpg (239.98 KiB) Viewed 4687 times
I suspect it's probably suffered a minor battery leak at some point, from the small signs of rust around the two plastic locating pins adjacent to the negative battery terminal / back-plate screw. Probably warrants a future investigation. Anyway, I fitted a new battery and it sprang into life, though the chronograph functions aren't all responding yet.
One thing I was fairly confident of - and that was underneath that battle-scarred almost opaque crystal, lurked a nice clean dial and hands. So I popped the dial / movement out to check - and sure enough.
- rsz_p1790050.jpg (243.99 KiB) Viewed 4685 times