Archive of schematics, specs, and history for post-WWII kit brands: Heathkit, EICO, Allied Knight-Kits, Dynaco, PACO, EMC, Precise, Stancor, and Conar.
Key Takeaways
Heathkit ran 1947-1992 (no new kits after 1986), covering test gear, ham radio, audio, computers, robotics, and automotive kits.
EICO (Brooklyn, 1945) focused on test equipment and audio; quality was considered comparable or superior to Heathkit by informed buyers.
Allied Radio’s Knight-Kit line was generally seen as a tier below Heathkit/EICO despite solid sales volume.
Dynaco (Philadelphia, 1954-1980) specialized in audio; Conar was tied to NRI correspondence school and targeted radio/TV service students.
Site provides clean schematics, block diagrams, calibration info, and service bulletins; no parts or manuals for sale.
Hacker News Comment Review
Commenters share direct build experience spanning Heathkit, EICO, and Knight-Kit gear, confirming the site’s catalog aligns with real builder histories.
The Dynaco audio line gets specific praise for longevity; one commenter notes a Van Alstine-modified PAT 5 preamp running trouble-free for nearly 40 years.
A recurring thread: kit-building as an unsupervised, self-taught path into electronics careers, with S-100 cards and discrete analog work cited as follow-on steps.
Notable Comments
@mitchbob: Still running a Dynaco PAT 5 preamp with walnut case as a primary audio component after almost 40 years, unmodified in function.
