My Heathkit SB-220 This too was a almost too good to be true deal. The wife and I,, We were cruising an Estate sale back in ohhhh 1985 or so. And came across something for sale.  I knew instantly what it was! If you were not familiar with it's looks and layout, you would not know what it is, and for sure a non amateur would never ever know. Sitting on the card table was this BIG black box with no writing or lettering on it at all. Just a large and very heavy Black Box. Just 5 knobs, 2 meters, and 3 switches. I understood what It was immediately. It was a Heathkit SB-220. Except it did not look like that. It was all black and no lettering of any kind. It was in pretty bad shape too. But acting dumb I asked the seller what it is. And they had no idea, they just found it in the basement of the estate home. So I guess asking what it is and does, or even if it works is a bad question yes? We all laughed. I went to pick it up and yup HEAVY, and she said yeah I don't know what it is or what makes it soo heavy, but we want it gone. How much? Make a offer. 10 bucks? Sure! So I brought it home, And it was a basket case. Looking inside it looks by the wear on the band switch and dust and corrosion that it never ever left ten meters. So I'm thinking it was used as an illegal amp for CB most likely. So got the manual, and started going through the amp just as if I was building it from the beginning. Found many changes. and put them back to factory spec's I added a few Measures mod's ( All the rage to do at the time )  And a soft start feature. As well as that ummm, Zero Bias feature. Well the day has came and I made sure the wiring was right and hit the power switch. Wow 3-500Z tubes are BRIGHT! Ummmm Huh? Meter in HV position is pegged. Hmmmm? Shut her down FAST! Check the shunts, and both are good. Hmmmm? Out of the case she comes, and shorting bar is bypassed. Attach High Voltage probe. And turn her on. Wow, OK, did NOT expect that. 4.6 KV no load! Not sure how it is making this voltage. Everything looks stock! Huh? Oh well, shut her down again, and leaver her for the night. The next day chicken stick the HV, take out the shorting strap defeater, and put her back into the case. Fire her up again and all looks OK except for the pinned HV meter. Put the rig into transmit and the amp does nothing.  Hmmm, check the cables etc. all looks good. Then remember a mod they added was a tiny by pass switch that even if the amp is on you can make it not go into amp mode if you did not want it to.  That was a nice mod I kept in that the CBer made. I flip the switch and clunk. all sounds good and looks good. I crank her up, and wow pretty cool. This amp kicks butt. 80 thru 15,, 2 KW+ output! close to 2200 watts! On 10 only 1900 watts he he he.. I was amazed. I did not think a pair of 3-500Z's could make this much power with a 100 watt drive rig, but here it was into a cantenna, needless to say I did not transmit very long the oil got hot quickly. This thing kicks butt. so shut her down and added some vinyl press on lettering, and used her till 1993, when I went off the air. Well here she is, not a beauty, but as Hans Solo said about the Millennium Falcon. Luke Skywalker: [on first seeing the Millenium Falcon] What a piece of junk! Han Solo: She'll make point five past lightspeed. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid. I've made a lot of special modifications myself. he he he and here she is,