Hans Koblet

... and above all : buy very good 0.965'' eyepieces with long focuses and you would be fine. It's quite astonishing what you get : a clear, stable, sharp picture. Don't expect too much, but good within limits, max. 60x I would recommend.

New eyepieces : Antares 25mm, Harry Siebert 17mm / 70°, Vixen 20mm, Harry Siebert 50mm

I have such a telescope by Eschenbach Germany from 1984. I only now hear that it is a Bird-Jones-type, never heard that before. Last year I invested some money in upgrading that telescope :

 - Recoating by Orion Optics GB
 - 90° angle adapter
 - mounted on heavy wooden, massive stand ( wooden tripod gone )
 - motor cable got attached a new 3-pole electric plug ( cable from 1984 had only 2-pole )
 - two different, better Polbock screws, especially the tiny useless one got replaced with massive screw