Orange74UL5

Hi, I purchased a 74 L48, auto, with a/c. I was told that the car was delivered without a radio but had one installed a short time later. The antenna was mounted in the correct area however does appear to be slightly forward (this supports the claim). Originally I did not think any 74's were delivered without a radio but checked and saw some were (later learned that if no radio was selected from the option list the car came without one). Anyway, I am doing a restoration now and wondering what to do. The build sheet / tank sticker are long gone and was wondering if there is any other way to tell if it was one of the cars sold without a radio. The car has no options other then A/C, PB, and PS. Has anyone heard of a car being sold with A/C and no radio? Did the wiring harness still have wires to hook up a radio in a car sold without one? Any help would be great!

Mike Ward

Corvettes, or any car being ordered with no radio in the 70s were not rare. The OEM units were notoriously overpriced and offered poor quality and features compared to decent aftermarket units.

7T1vette

Also, 8-track players were all the rage and GM didn't offer one till late 70's. So folks would delete the Delco radio and install their own. Happened all the time....

RaymondD

My 77 came with A/C and radio delete. I haven't checked the wiring harness but I'm sure they didn't go to the trouble of using a special harness. 25 years ago my friend bought a 77 Trans Am that came with no radio but 'radio installation package'.

gbvette62

I believe there were 547 no radio 74s. I would have to guess, that it would be pretty uncommon on a 74, with steering, brakes and air. Technically, prior to 79 (when an am/fm mono radio was made standard and all Corvettes had a radio) there was no radio delete option. The standard car was no radio, to get an AM/FM, or AM/FM Stereo radio, it had to be specified on the factory order. UL5 "radio delete" was a $126 credit option, first offered in 1980.

On cars ordered without a radio, there would be no ignition shielding installed on the engine. There would be no antenna or antenna cable and there wouldn't be any capacitors or ground straps, though by 74, there weren't many of either being used anyway. The dash top would still have the perforations for the speakers, but there were no speakers in the dash. The dash had a blank diecast plate, attached over the radio opening in the center gauge cluster (Paragon repros this plate, it lists for $150.00). I think that the dash harness did come with provision for connecting the radio. My Corvette Parts Books only list 2 dash harnesses, one for cars with air conditioning and one for those without.

My brother has a 78 Z28, that he bought new. It came with the radio preparation package, like RaymondD mentioned. It was made up of a windshield mounted antenna, a dash speaker, wiring provision for a radio and the block off plate in the dash. The Corvette never was available with a similar radio prep package.

LS7Vette

I have to agree that a radio delete car would probably not have a/c in 74 being there were very few made (according to the stats). I could see the PS, and PB and maybe the L48. However I would guess most of these went into cars with the LS4 and no a/c. Some L82's may have also been sold without radios.

Easy Mike

Yes.

Yes.

There would be no way to document whether your car did not have the optional stereo without original paperwork for the car. You can take a look at the underside of the left rear fender and see if you can find evidence of a factory patch for the original antenna mount hole.

Radio delete is a popular term, but is incorrect. The radio/stereo was always optional until it became standard. You had to order it and pay for it. There was nothing to "delete".

Mike Ward

Agreed. There also no mystery or high science about the combination with other options- the original purchaser most probably wanted an aftermarket unit fitted.

Ganey

Some dealers would order cars w/o radios so they could install one.

stevekk

What did the radio delete look like? Anybody have a picture? Was there a bezel or just a flat plate or both?

skaping

I am pretty sure the hole for the antenna would be present with or without the radio and had a plug in the hole for radio option omitted.

gbvette62

There was just a plain smooth black diecast plate, with a chrome edge around it. The plate has 2 studs on the back of it, that fit through the radio **** holes, in the center gauge cluster. As such, when you remove the plate, the standard radio openings are underneath.

Paragon has an photo of the plate on their website www.corvette-paragon.com. The part no. is 2002K.

Easy Mike

stevekk

Thanks guys..now I know what it looks like.

jaki30

Take a quick look behind the passenger side dash panel/map pocket. The radio amplifier transistor(s) bracket was mounted to the firewall there. If it was a real no radio car, there shouldn't be an amp and the screw holes won't show any evidence of screws having been inserted.

Ironcross

Some items before they became standard equipment had to be specifically ordered or the car came without the item....ie, special engine options or as in the first Vettes a heater had to be specifically ordered or it came without one...that is before it came as standard equipment in 1962.....not delete, just not available with some options or simply not ordered.....and radio delete came about in around 1980 as option 'UL5 and the buyer actually got a credit for not ordering a radio off the base price.......probably the only time one was issued....

68/70Vette

I've seen the price lists for the AM/FM AC Delco stereo offered in the late 60's early 70's. It was really expensive. I forget the exact price amount but I remember that's it's price was about the same as the large HP engine options.

My father would never buy a car with a radio in it for most of his life. He thought they were too expensive. In his old age, he broke down and started buying Cadillacs with radios.