need a new radio

[alps66]

Now that it's winter, I'm finally replacing my leaking radiator with the DeWitts I ordered at Carlisle and figured why not replace the heater core while I'm at it. And now that the firewall is open and the glove box is out, why not replace the aftermarket radio with an original (that NCRS devil nagging at me again...). I checked the archives and went online last night without much success in finding a source for replacement radios for a '66. Any recommendations? And (gasp) any thoughts on the cost? Much thanks!
Cheers!
Jeff

 

[Geek's 65]

Jeff,
Believe it or not, try e-bay. You can get one rebuilt or a used one. My personal opinion is that since you don't know squat about whomever did the rebuild on e-bay, I would buy the used one and then send it to a known rebuilder who gives you a warranty. That's exactly what I did. Paid $120 for the radio and $125 for the rebuild. It's still going strong.

 

[alps66]

Geek
Thanks for the advice. I was on e-bay last night and that thought crossed my mind. The operative phrase seemed to be "it worked when I pulled it" but who knows whether it'll work in my car?? From the archives I came up with a list of radio repair sites. You're obviously satisfied with your rebuild. Who did you use? Thanks again.
Jeff

 

[IH2LOSE]

boy I hope some other fellows chime in here.as I remember speaking to some one about having an original radio rebuilt with todays tecnology and also having a way for some one to connect an ipod intead of a CD player,Might of been Barry as he is up on the audio stuff

 

[stepinwolf]

Geek
Thanks for the advice. I was on e-bay last night and that thought crossed my mind. The operative phrase seemed to be "it worked when I pulled it" but who knows whether it'll work in my car?? From the archives I came up with a list of radio repair sites. You're obviously satisfied with your rebuild. Who did you use? Thanks again.
Jeff

alps66,

You might want to be careful of any e-bay ads that have the words ( IT WORKED WHEN IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE CAR ) . This is the universal phrase used to describe, or justify any defective part, and get away with it without getting any negative feedback from the buyer.

Stepinwolf

 

[BarryK]

alps
you say the NCRS devil is nagging you, but what are your true goals for the radio?
do you want one rebuilt back to stock or do you want an original radio for cosmetic looks but a somewhat more modern performance out of it.

There are plenty of places that can rebuild one back as stock and it will work just like new, including the original crappy sound that we all expect out of them but if you are going for NCRS that's what you will need and want.

Your other option is to have an original radion rebuilt but the innards can be upgraded to more modern technology. It will still LOOK stock but it will have digital tuning, upgraded amplifier, full stereo rather than mono output, and if you wish thay can even add an AUX input line so you can hook up an external source such as an iPod.
This is what I eventually plan on doing to mine but than I also don't plan on NCRS judging.

One thing to remember that's very important - if you get an original radio and have it rebuilt back to stock you MUST make sure your speaker is correct. The original speakers had a transformer attached to the lead terminals. If the radio is rebuilt stock and you don't have the correct speaker with the transformer attached you WILL fry the radio's output stages. Chances are whoever you send the radio to can sell you a correct speaker with the transformer attached - if not, you can get them I believe at some of the Corvette parts vendors.

If the radio is rebuilt with upgraded innards, than any "normal" speaker will work.

 

[Subfixer]

boy I hope some other fellows chime in here.as I remember speaking to some one about having an original radio rebuilt with todays tecnology and also having a way for some one to connect an ipod intead of a CD player,Might of been Barry as he is up on the audio stuff

Here's my review of the radio I had updated:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=1157314&forum_id=4&arch=1

 

[66 big block]

Here's my review of the radio I had updated:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=1157314&forum_id=4&arch=1

sub fixer on converion do all controls work same as before push buttons etc thanks JOHN

 

[alps66]

You might want to be careful of any e-bay ads that have the words ( IT WORKED WHEN IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE CAR ) . This is the universal phrase used to describe, or justify any defective part, and get away with it without getting any negative feedback from the buyer.
Stepinwolf

Stepenwolf,
It sounds as though Geek had a pretty good experience using e-bay, but I hear ya'. Even if I was able to find a repairable radio on e-bay, the cost of having it repaired could be quite variable. Thanks for the caution!
Jeff

 

[Subfixer]

sub fixer on converion do all controls work same as before push buttons etc thanks JOHN

Yes, Buttons work as before, as do the station tuning knob, volume, balance control (it has other functions as well) and AM/FM slider.

If you've read all the way down the original post, I also explained how the balance and fader controls work. For what it is, I'm still very happy with the conversion.

 

[alps66]

Barry,
I'm leaning towards keeping the radio original as an NCRS 'just in case.' I know that may not register with a lot of folks out there, but the car is pretty much original and I want to keep my options open. Yeah, those radios are pretty primative by today's standards, but as far as I'm concerned, the car already has a stereo system piped through the chambered exhausts which I prefer to listen to anyway (and which, of course, I'll also have to change if I ever get the car judged). If it was a quiet family driver, I'd feel differently, but the sound system just isn't that important to me in the old '66.

Thanks for the warning about the transformer on the speaker. It would be just my luck to spend a few hundred bucks on a radio repair and fry it the first time I tested it!

Now, back to my original question. Does anyone know of a reputable source for rebuilt radios?
Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Geek's 65]

Jeff,
Yeah my e-Bay buy worked out just great but Stepinwolf's advice certainly deserves consideration. I have seen radios on e-Bay that are rust buckets and the seller is asking top dollar cause it's "rare". (That would be the other word to look out for - way over rated). If the radio carcus looks like it is in decent shape, places like Dr. Don's and other radio restoration places can make it look like new and play just fine. The fact that it worked or didn't when they took it out of the car is imaterial cause you're going to get it rebuilt anyway. There are other places that put the new technology in place of the old so again, you only want it to look good before it's rebuilt. Patience is a virtue when looking and cheap isn't alway better.

Good Luck
Geek

 

[paul67]

Subfixer,
That's a heck of a lot of money for a circuit board. What else was included? Besides the AUX.

 

[Subfixer]

I know it cost more than a rebuild, and I waffled on what I wanted to do for almost a year. Since my car is pretty far from original with the recent frame repair, upgraded engine, A/C, P/S, sidepipes, I figured "what the heck" and went with the conversion.

I guess the price includes having the original look and operability as well as the updates electronics. And i can hear it over the roar of the sidepipes and wind noise.

I can justify the cost to myself and that's what counts for me, so I'm not disappointed with the decision, but it's probably not for everyone.

 

[paul67]

Thanks for the reply. A bit much for me.

 

[Subfixer]

No problem.... Just offering up alternatives.

 

[alps66]

Jeff,
Patience is a virtue when looking and cheap isn't alway better.

Geek

Geek,
I'm pretty patient (in fact, the older I get, the more of a patient I become otfl), but I probably won't be patient enough to keep everything apart until the right radio comes along. It would have been a convenient time for a radioectomy, and I may get lucky and find one, but there's no real urgency.
Thanks for your insight.
Cheers!
Jeff