1967 Corvette Original Radio Performance
12-21-2009, 04:12 PM
#1
Pro
Thread Starter
1967 Corvette Original Radio Performance
For those who drove the 67's back in the day were the radios really that bad. Mine sounds pretty good while sitting still but as soon as I get moving the signal really weakens and fades in and out. Was this the way these radios sounded back in the day, or do I have a another problem (contact with antennae)? Just curious.
Kirk
Kirk
12-21-2009, 04:36 PM
#2
Team Owner
Member Since: Feb 2003
Location: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
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2015 C2 of Year Finalist
get your radio restored and it will work good as new. I know of a an excellent repair man that they call the radio doctor
12-21-2009, 05:08 PM
#3
Le Mans Master
If your radio has never been restored, it is probably on its last legs. They had several parts that were of marginal quality 40 years ago. Jerry Rudbeck will make it better than new and makes the output have more base. Matched with a correct speaker, Jerry will tell you where to get one, it sounds awesome. You can even have him add an I-Pod jack on the back.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...on-1965-a.html
Jim
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...on-1965-a.html
Jim
12-21-2009, 05:23 PM
#4
Instructor
Nowhere Man and 1Snake have it right. Time for restoration. Mine works just fine. Only issue is that we have come a long way with radio tech over the past 40 + years and it will never work as well as the one in your BMW, unless you change out the system entirely.
Bandito
Bandito
12-21-2009, 05:36 PM
#5
Team Owner
I drove a lot of '60s cars off my Dad's car lot back 'in the day' and the radios were really pretty bad...many had the old DX/LX (Distance / Local) switch to try to deal with sensitivity shortcomings and signal drift was pretty bad; no DPLL (Digital Phase Locked Loop) back then. Then there were the old antenna 'trimmer's...usually a screw in the back of the radio you played around with to try to get the strongest signal.
If you were lucky enough to live in an urban setting with strong stations the radios were adequate but anything else was pretty sorry... As soon as the old noise suppresion capacitors started to leak you would get the typical generator 'whine' and other electrical interference. On the flip side, the songs you could hear back then were absolutely the BEST !!
If you were lucky enough to live in an urban setting with strong stations the radios were adequate but anything else was pretty sorry... As soon as the old noise suppresion capacitors started to leak you would get the typical generator 'whine' and other electrical interference. On the flip side, the songs you could hear back then were absolutely the BEST !!
12-21-2009, 06:52 PM
#6
Team Owner
Member Since: Feb 2003
Location: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
Posts: 49,016
Received 6,946 Likes
on
4,785 Posts
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
I drove a lot of '60s cars off my Dad's car lot back 'in the day' and the radios were really pretty bad...many had the old DX/LX (Distance / Local) switch to try to deal with sensitivity shortcomings and signal drift was pretty bad; no DPLL (Digital Phase Locked Loop) back then. Then there were the old antenna 'trimmer's...usually a screw in the back of the radio you played around with to try to get the strongest signal.
If you were lucky enough to live in an urban setting with strong stations the radios were adequate but anything else was pretty sorry... As soon as the old noise suppresion capacitors started to leak you would get the typical generator 'whine' and other electrical interference. On the flip side, the songs you could hear back then were absolutely the BEST !!
If you were lucky enough to live in an urban setting with strong stations the radios were adequate but anything else was pretty sorry... As soon as the old noise suppresion capacitors started to leak you would get the typical generator 'whine' and other electrical interference. On the flip side, the songs you could hear back then were absolutely the BEST !!
my AM/FM in my 66 Chevelle picks up a radio station just as good as any car we have I can get a radio station that is about 75 miles away clear as a bell. the same guy restored the radio in dads 67 and is just as good
12-21-2009, 08:09 PM
#8
Race Director
12-21-2009, 08:12 PM
#9
Race Director
12-21-2009, 08:17 PM
#10
Team Owner
I'm just relaying my experiences in driving dozens of these old cars decades ago...including ferrying used cars every weekend between Fredericksburg, Va and Va Beach, Va. Trust me there wasn't much else to do on those late night runs but listen to the radio...
12-21-2009, 08:21 PM
#11
Le Mans Master
Here's the link to his web site - www.electrodesign.us
He will give you a firm estimate when he gets your radio. On mine, the FM didn't work but it looked to be in very good condition. Jerry fixed everything, increased the performance (bass & treble), added an I-Pod jack and sent it back for less than $200. Give him a call. He's a great guy.
Jim
He will give you a firm estimate when he gets your radio. On mine, the FM didn't work but it looked to be in very good condition. Jerry fixed everything, increased the performance (bass & treble), added an I-Pod jack and sent it back for less than $200. Give him a call. He's a great guy.
Jim
12-21-2009, 08:32 PM
#12
Melting Slicks
Update Your Radio
Hello
I would convert your radio to todays standards. My radio had been DEAD for decades. I had a FM/AM Cassette under the driverside dash. (previous owner installed
) Everytime I got into my Corvette I would bump my knee on it..One day after cutting my knee and bruising it again I ripped out the radio (Sparkomatic) and threw it in the TRASH where it belonged. I got a new speaker and original radio redone..I couldnt be happier..Stations come in and sound GREAT..Well worth the investiment..
I would convert your radio to todays standards. My radio had been DEAD for decades. I had a FM/AM Cassette under the driverside dash. (previous owner installed
) Everytime I got into my Corvette I would bump my knee on it..One day after cutting my knee and bruising it again I ripped out the radio (Sparkomatic) and threw it in the TRASH where it belonged. I got a new speaker and original radio redone..I couldnt be happier..Stations come in and sound GREAT..Well worth the investiment..
12-21-2009, 10:12 PM
#13
Racer
Radio Antennae lead solved the problem on a '67
My '67 radio was never right; FM marginal, AM almost non-existent. Sent the radio for upgrade to today's electronics/I Pod connection/double cone speaker - still not right. Antennae ground was fine. Then had the entire antennae lead replaced -that solved the problem. Now the system is great. Hope this helps.
Greg Thompson, S&M Eelectro-Tech, 8836 Xylite Stree N.E. Blaine MN 55449, 763.780.2861 did the upgrade and counseled me to find the antennae lead problem. Greg is great to work with and I 100% recommend S&M.
Greg Thompson, S&M Eelectro-Tech, 8836 Xylite Stree N.E. Blaine MN 55449, 763.780.2861 did the upgrade and counseled me to find the antennae lead problem. Greg is great to work with and I 100% recommend S&M.
12-21-2009, 10:30 PM
#14
Race Director
Here's the link to his web site - www.electrodesign.us
He will give you a firm estimate when he gets your radio. On mine, the FM didn't work but it looked to be in very good condition. Jerry fixed everything, increased the performance (bass & treble), added an I-Pod jack and sent it back for less than $200. Give him a call. He's a great guy.
Jim
He will give you a firm estimate when he gets your radio. On mine, the FM didn't work but it looked to be in very good condition. Jerry fixed everything, increased the performance (bass & treble), added an I-Pod jack and sent it back for less than $200. Give him a call. He's a great guy.
Jim
12-21-2009, 10:43 PM
#15
Race Director
Here's the link to his web site - www.electrodesign.us
He will give you a firm estimate when he gets your radio. On mine, the FM didn't work but it looked to be in very good condition. Jerry fixed everything, increased the performance (bass & treble), added an I-Pod jack and sent it back for less than $200. Give him a call. He's a great guy.
Jim
He will give you a firm estimate when he gets your radio. On mine, the FM didn't work but it looked to be in very good condition. Jerry fixed everything, increased the performance (bass & treble), added an I-Pod jack and sent it back for less than $200. Give him a call. He's a great guy.
Jim
