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I'm looking to replace the radio in two 71 Vettes. I can find several offering a multitude of options. All I really want is an external input and normal AM and FM output. What I'd like to have is input from some of our members who are satisfied with a radio and the source or name and model that works well for them. I'd would like the original look or close to it, bur not a deal breaker. Thanks for your input.
2025 C2 of the Year ('64-'66) Finalist - Unmodified
2025 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2025 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2023 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C4 of the Year Finalist- Modified
2022 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C7 of the Year Winner -- Modified
2020 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
10 years ago I bought the reproduction gauge bezel (steel) that looks stock but fits single din radios. I paid something like $150.00 for it back then, but boy has the price gone up on these things
No modifications need to install
I currently have a flip up screen Pioneer with Car play and Android Auto, Blue tooth and WIFI and hands off phone calls. LOVE it. Now I have navigation (when phone is Blue tooth connected) and I can make phone calls while driving. I also play Amazon Music when my phone is connected. (the screen does NOT have to be up for this to work)
Just an different point of view, I want to keep the original AM/FM/CB radio in my 79 but have the same issues, I would like and external input. What I did was get a nice Bluetooth speaker and put it in the back between the seats and use it for my external inputs.
Search vendors that do Aurora conversions. They gut the original radio internals, refurbish the parts that will still be used (push buttons) and turn your original radio into a state of the art unit with original look and feel.
I think that you could have an external input installed on your original radio. Someone who knows what they are doing should be able to rig that up. I have a copy of the Sam's service manual with the electrical schematic and photos of the circuit boards (both faces). You just need a path to feed into the preamp section of the radio.
Robert Pacini (Precision Stereo Repair) can add the blue tooth stuff as well as improve the output of the stock Vette radio. He fixed my AM/FM/CB but I didn't do any upgrades. He a great guy.
Call or email
315-797-5219 oldstereo@hotmail.com
my '72 had a modern din radio / cd player in a cut up bezel when i got the car, but i wanted the original look.
in the first couple of years I had bought 2 different units from reputable vendors, a custom autosound ~400$ and a (forget the brand) ~700$ unit.
with the crap $ conversion rate at the time and shipping costs to Australia, they ended up being very expensive.
both were pre bluetooth, but had USB port and earphone jack inputs.
both were lousy with reception, quality of sound input from phone, just pieces of junk really. (one was actually broken in the box when it arrived, needle detached/**** shafts loose)
I left the dearer unit in the dash for looks and went bluetooth amp hidden up under the dash where the original amp was mounted.
used a KENWOOD KAC-M1824BT 4-channel amp attached to my already upgraded Polk dash and kick panel speakers.
I have a Autosound that the PO installed. Not bad, it does the job. Bluetooth to my phone for music and calls, OK sound output but the since the speakers are probably the limiting factor it works. I have heard that they are poorly made but so far so good. Ike
Last edited by general ike; Mar 3, 2021 at 10:50 PM.
I installed a single DIN in my 80 from Crutchfield , my gauge bezel was nice but not perfect so I just trimmed it to fit , after pricing new Bezel and one pre-cut I ended up saving a lot of money , Bluetooth, Satellite and external ports it sounds great
I have a retrosound stereo I bought (on ebay) and use with an alpine 4 channel amp for the speakers which I replaced.. its nothing special but leaps and bounds better than stock. the retrosound stereo is a fairly cheaply made stereo and pricey for what it is honestly (If it wasnt a specialty classic car layout I think it would be something you would find for $50 on ebay) I've installed many car stereos and in hindsight I might have been just as well served sticking with the butched dash panel and DIN pioneer stereo that came in the car but I wanted it to somewhat resemble the stock layout. I bought a box of broken center dash panels and repaired one with jb weld that still had the original stereo area layout.
Last edited by augiedoggy; Mar 4, 2021 at 08:12 AM.
My bezel has been broken for decades. About 10 years ago (guesssing?) I cut it for a DIN AM/FM CD player and that worked ok. When that failed a little over a year ago i just took it out and got a cheap contraption (for temporary use) for like 22 bucks at wally world. Well, it has been working so fine that I had pretty much forgotten about getting one of those flip screen systems.
Anyway, for like 22 bucks I have radio, USB input, aux input, bluetooth, phone pairing, and it has been working like a dream. On top of that it is so "shallow" that it's the easiest thing to install. No CD player but I wasn't playing those anyway. My USB flash drive holds thousands of songs for that matter. Take a peek:
I contacted one of the listed services from your link. They aren't from me. Prices seem good, I have two for 71s to do, so I'll take them up to him next week. Thanks for the lead.
Replacement Radio
