am/fm radio

6hypo5conv_old · May 30, 2005 at 7:43 AM

This might be a match for the nearly 5K steering wheel when its finished: ebat item #7977684402 an ORIGINAL am/fm (mono) radio, starting bid is right at 1K anyone got one, or the repro stereos that were made in the 80s?? WOW!!!

Murf_old · May 30, 2005 at 9:39 AM

I have one in my 66 conv that was purchased in the 80s. My buddy just picked one up recently in Huntsville for his 65 coupe. They are expensive for sure, but if you like rare stuff and you see one you may as well jump in since it is seldom they are for sale. There is a nice history of both radios on the net - Daves mustang site or something I think - that goes on at length about both the original and the reproductions made by Ed Janoski (?) in the 80s. Probably some of you know how to post a link to this article. Murf

Murf_old · May 30, 2005 at 11:42 AM

http://www.hammar.dyndns.org/~djhamma/radio.htm Sorry for all of the partial links. This will be my last attempt and perhaps it will get you to the entire block of information.

BIGERMIKE_old · May 30, 2005 at 11:58 AM

The am/fm that came in my 641/2 comet cyclone must be worth a lot more money then the mustang one. They had a special dash bezzel.

Mike

sundown_old · May 30, 2005 at 6:50 PM

I have an AM/FM radio in the 65 coupe although I know that the radio was not original to the car.It stopped working about 2 months ago. Just stopped one day. I have no clue wjat the problem is....I haven't got it fixed yet. Actually I don't know where to take it to be serviced.

I rally haven't missed it though because I raqrely listen to the radio when I drive the coupe. I am attacted to the other mechanical sounds that are going on....

I will fix it when I figure out where to take it. Sounds like these radios are valuable?

I had no clue that people would pay so much for a darn low fidelity AM/FM.

SixT5HiPo · May 31, 2005 at 11:10 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>

The am/fm that came in my 641/2 comet cyclone must be worth a lot more money then the mustang one. They had a special dash bezzel.

Mike

I had one in my 65 Cyclone, and it's essentially the same chassis as the Mustang unit, except for the chrome bar that selects AM or FM. The Mercury radio has "COMET" engraved on it. Both radios were made by Bendix. I currently have the correct mono Mustang AM/FM in my HiPo.

The Mustang AM/FM radios generally will bring more money on the market than the Comet ones do. It may be because there are just so many more Mustangs still around than Comets.

HipoCV · June 9, 2005 at 4:22 PM

You guy must be behind the times. In the last year, I have sold 2 of these radios for $1850 and $1600. The most recent one was at the MCA show in Huntsville, AL. What is really hard to find are parts for these radios. They were made by Bendix who made a small appearance in the radio electronics business. All of the AM/FM units use the same internal parts, just different chassis. Some of the Bendix AM parts are the same as in the AM/FM. But the FM tuner is usually the part that goes first. Of the 6 I have had over the years, the FM tuner was bad in 3 of them.

1966KGT_old · June 9, 2005 at 7:42 PM

I recall a mod for the AM radios was available to convert it to am/fm. Not the same as a real AM/FM , but at least you could pick up some decent radio channels. Anyone have any info on this type of conversion?

SixT5HiPo · June 9, 2005 at 10:53 PM

Well...this one ended because "The seller ended this listing early because the item is no longer available for sale". There were no bids on it anyway.

SHELB66_old · June 11, 2005 at 12:31 AM

The AM/FM is a very nice (and potentially expensive) addition to the early Mustang and Shelby. I have one in my '66 GT convert that I acquired years ago in a trade for five 1965 Styled Steel wheels. My other one was acquired off E-Bay about a year ago and that will go into my Hertz Shelby. I once came across one in a box at a swap meet that was all apart and very rusty (spent some time in a river). I purchased it for $10 more for its rarity than anything else. Someone offered me $100 for it a couple years later which I couldn't pass up. Probably should have kept it for parts as it was all there. Another interesting AM/FM is the one made by AR (Automatic Radio). It was designed to fit in the confines of the Mustang dash and doesn't look half bad. You can find those on E-Bay on occasion also. Come to think of it I guess we can find almost anything on E-Bay these days! I authored the radio ID article that was published in Mustang Monthly in the early 80's. I would find the radios and my dad would fix them. I just wish he was still around to teach me those skills today. The radio site that was referred to above is excellent! The site address again is: http://www.hammar.dyndns.org/radio.htm

Have a great weekend!

Craig

SHELB66_old · June 11, 2005 at 12:39 AM

I have some additional info to pass along with respect to the Comet AM/FM radio. I have owned a couple of 1965 units and the major differences are the slide bar, as mentioned above, has COMET instead of FORD embossed on the front, the bezel is painted black instead of being chrome, and the tuning & volume control shafts are much longer due to the thicker dash faceplate that is utilized in the Comet. FYI

Craig

cobrajeff_old · June 12, 2005 at 8:00 AM

I have had a few of these AM/FM radios.

The first one I had was a Comet model, which I used to run in my 1965 Caliente. When I got my '66 GT350 in 1971, I took the AM/FM out of the Comet, and installed it in the Shelby. The tuning shafts had to be cut-down to work in the Mustang dash. I added a 1/8" strip of chrome mylar tape across the slide bar to hide the "COMET" lettering.

The one I now have in my K-code convertible was picked up at a swap meet years ago. All it needed was a cleaning and a new dial bulb. For me, the "original" AM/FM Mono radio, with all it's quirks and crackles, just helps take me back in time. 1965 was the year I garduated from high-school, and, I really thought I was SOMEBODY when I was driving around in my Dad's new '65 Mustang convertible. Really brings back a lot of great memories for me.

Jeff

round2K_old · June 12, 2005 at 9:21 AM

With the cost of those old radios having gone through the roof I was considering taking one the original AM radios that are in abundance and seeing about internal modification. Does anyone know anything about this fellow that did FM conversions?

http://www.mustangcountry.com/articles-musta…ioman/home.html

Edited by - round2K on 06/12/2005 09:24:35

morelos_old · June 12, 2005 at 1:57 PM

internal modification on an AM radio to make it tune FM frequencies isn't technically hard. remember, though, that you'll wind up with an AM-looking radio that tunes FM stations. in other words, it won't LOOK like the am / fm radio. the use for this mod is to put a smile on the listener's face, not to make it look like the am / fm kit.

~ dan ~

SixT5HiPo · June 12, 2005 at 11:20 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> I authored the radio ID article that was published in Mustang Monthly in the early 80's. I would find the radios and my dad would fix them. I just wish he was still around to teach me those skills today.

Thanks for that info, Craig. I'm always interested in learning about behind the scenes stuff, and I recall reading your informative radio ID story...

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>I have some additional info to pass along with respect to the Comet AM/FM radio. I have owned a couple of 1965 units and the major differences are the slide bar, as mentioned above, has COMET instead of FORD embossed on the front, the bezel is painted black instead of being chrome, and the tuning & volume control shafts are much longer due to the thicker dash faceplate that is utilized in the Comet.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

You're quite right about the longer tuning and volume shafts which also require special, extended length hex nuts to secure the Comet radios to the dash panel. I considered mentioning this in my post, but decided not to get that specific. It appears that the basic chassis is the same for both radios, and that was my main point.

It's also interesting that the pushbuttons can be preset to different positions on the AM band than on the FM band.

round2K_old · June 13, 2005 at 4:32 PM

Regarding the conversion of the early radios:

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>internal modification on an AM radio to make it tune FM frequencies isn't technically hard. <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

Technically hard, no. Practically hard, as in finding someone who actually does it well?? That's the challenge. I'd like to find someone who could do what the radio man in Texas was doing. I'm not trying to replicate the am/fm face, just get some FM sound without having an aftermarket radio in the car. The early Ford radios are available in abundance and should make good donors for the original look with today's sound.<img src=images/icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle>

Murf_old · June 13, 2005 at 5:14 PM

You use the past tense in speaking of the radio man in Texas. Did he stop doing these conversions. I noticed there was a mention of checking with the Texas Attorney General or somebody such as that before sending radio, or check with the BBB. Does anyone know what happened and if this service is still offered? Murf

round2K_old · June 14, 2005 at 1:39 AM

That article is pretty old. I tried to reach him based on the email address and also through the yellow pages. No luck.

Edited by - round2K on 06/14/2005 01:41:10

noelfisher_old · June 14, 2005 at 12:30 PM

I plan to have my radio converted to AM / FM Stereo and have information somewhere about the guy in Florida. Don't have the Texas one. Anyway, I've been looking for someone where I can drop the thing off to avoid potential rip-off problems (already been ripped off for this decade.)

In the meantime, I met one of his cohorts at Carlisle. He does the same thing... does not change case appearance except that included in the price is restoration of the bezel, so when it is installed, it looks new --- I think.

The basic cost is $399 (same as Florida guy) for standard 12-volt radios and $449 for Wonderbar or other signal seeking radios. 6-volt radios require addition of a power supply at an addtional cost, but it does not say how much. The power supply is installed within the case.

Mike Hagan Antique Auto Radio Repair

235 Glouster Road

Fairless Hills, PA 19030 (in south Jersey near Trenton)

215-547-7145

There was another guy at Carlisle, too. His card says AM/FM Stereo Conversion / Antique Radio Reapir.

Mike Frenchek

5524 Ridge Road

Elizabethtown, NJ 17022 (not too far from Harrisburg / Carlisle)

717-367-1428

WEB: http://www.retroradio.biz/

Noel

Murf_old · June 14, 2005 at 1:55 PM

Is anyone aware of someone who does this conversion and is located in the midwest. I hesitate to get involved in these deals with an outfit far away. I would however consider a distant radio repair IF someone on thie forum has had theirs done and vouches for the repair shop. Once burned twice shy I guess. Murf

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