If there isn't ANY sound coming from the speakers, how do you know they are really working?

 

I tried other speakers. Checked amperage and resistance coming from radio. Seems to be some variance. The new transistor has power in yellow and blue wires. I put a new NTE105 transistor in as someone suggested. The one j took out was a DS501. Would that make a difference?

 

I took mine out of my 72 Don't know if it works but you're welcome to it. I just have to dig it out

John

 

Why go through all that trouble for an inferior AM/FM radio? It's not a fruitful endeavor. Nobody listens to them because of the great sound they produce (sarcasm)...

I'm going the bluetooth route on my '69 - cost about $700 bucks for the unit alone, but worth it because they look so cool while a very close replica, aesthetically, to the original.

If you really want to put the original AM/FM unit back in there - as an alternative, you could wire in a CD or bluetooth unit in one of the storage boxes (the one behind the passenger seat) and leave the original in place (disconnected) for originality. We did that in my '70 L46 vert with a custom bracket built to securely pitch the unit at an upward angle for easy access to the face. Worked like a charm, and out of site. No one knew the wiser.

In short, you maintain the look of the original, with another unseen unit actually playing the tunes. I've seen some owners wire a separate unit under the dash, but it's tight up there and you can see it. Looks hokey....

Sure, you lose one storage compartment, but you still have the middle one for some small item storage (obviously can't use the one behind the drivers seat, as that is where the battery sits).

The originals look cool, but nobody listens to the radio anymore - 1.) because the sound quality sucks on these units, and 2.) why listen to commercials when you can have your own commercial-free playlist that you can control through your phone with bluetooth through a superior sound system? or 3.) they don't want any radio drowning out that V8.

 

I listen to the AM/FM radio.... I think it's kind of cool going old school.

 

There will always be a small minority of contrarian folks who actually still use these old AM/FM radios, or are into things that the majority think is silly. This isn't just for old radios - it's for basically across the board.

I like the radio too (and LOVE the way it looks!), but that old school nostalgia wears off after about 2 minutes of listening.

Having to listen to an ever-increasing amount of modern commercials between an ever decreasing song set list that you have no control over is old school lame...

 

This is a long shot, but this fixed my radio. Unplug the coax antenna cable from both ends, test the center wire, front to back, for continuity, it should test. Then test the outside ground of the cable front to back, for continuity, it should also test. Then test between the center wire and the ground, it shouldn't test. Then make sure the antenna body is grounded correctly to the frame. The center part of the actual antenna shouldn't be grounded. If the center wire of the cable doesn't test,,,, like mine did,,,, cut the end that plugs into the radio off about 1 1/2" and then reassemble the plug. It should bend back together as mine did. I was surprised but this fixed my radio.
The reason this probably won't work, is there should be at least some static in the speakers. It is a good fix for others that are trying to fix their old radio's.

 

I had my original 76 radio rebuilt by Doctor Don's here in Texas. He fitted it with RCA plugs which allowed me to hook it up to an aftermarket amp, too. I also installed an Isimple radio mod that allows me to play a mp3 player through the factory radio.

 

Is the DTE105 the same as the SD501?

 

700$ is a lot when you can’t hear much of it with the sound of the 454. I just like things to work correctly.

 

I changed mine out with new speakers but I fixed the entire thing with SIDE PIPES! No adjusting no. Xm memberships and I can't hear the people riding with me ☺️. Win win win.

 

Are you running a top fuel build with open headers or something? No way a stock (or close to stock) 454 is going to drown out a radio (including the stock AM/FM). Even with side pipes (which you don't have if that is your '73 in your avatar pic), you can still hear the radio well enough... By '73, those 454s were pretty much fully de-fanged and whisper quiet from all the de-tuning and the emissions crap put on them. I think a Singer sewing machine is louder.

Nothing wrong with wanting the radio to work correctly, but why not improve the system if you can? It's really nice to have a decent sound system with a playlist that you can select without commercials on those longer drives.

I guess if you're just doing occasional short trips to the local car show, then it doesn't really matter, but when I drive, I like to drive all day - like the way folks used to cruise for several hours on Saturdays/Sundays. It's really nice to have tunes in those situations.

If you like the look (and I do too), leave it in place, and consider using another hidden system for tunes like I mentioned before. Or spend the scatch on the radio that duplicates the look of the original, but allows you to use your iphone (or whatever) to play your own playlist.

It's your car, and you can do what you want with it - but others here are just trying to present alternatives that also work.

 

With the motor and top down, you can hardly hear the person beside you, let alone the radio

 

LOL! Yeah, at 160 MPH with the top and windows down, maybe, and the ability to hear the radio would be the least of my worries at those speeds in these cars. I have owned three early C3 Corvettes - all convertibles, including my current '69 convertible, and that's just nonsense. I can easily hear the radio while having a normal conversation with a passenger at legal freeway speeds. You get some wind noise, but it's not bad at all at those speeds.

I also grew up with these cars, so experienced them as a child in the passenger seat too. Never an issue hearing the radio (both original and then aftermarket radio) or stuff going on around me.

Your situation is quite bizarre. I've never heard anyone say that they can't hear the radio or the person next to them in one of these cars under normal driving conditions - although you didn't specify the speed you were driving.

 

I’m sorry, I didn’t know I needed to explain it to you
how did you know how fast I was going….

 

Yeah, please do because you aren't making any freakin' sense. Sounds like that may be a typical scenario for you - spouting senseless nonsense.

Explain to me s-l-o-w-l-y so that everyone here, including me, understands how YOU cannot hear your radio or a passenger over your seemingly loud thumping 454.

And why try to fix something you supposedly can't hear anyway - oh yeah, because you like everything to work - even if it's useless, apparently, because you can't even hear it. I guess everyone here should just throw their stereos away since they are useless and you can't hear them, even if we can.

Nice way to turn on a person who is trying to offer you guidance.

 

I remember now, you were that ZL1 I passed and left in my dust….
really???
I thought this place was really informational until you replied…. Do you know my situation, do you know my health condition, do you know my hearing? Please don’t reply with your remarks. I can’t hear a waitress with background noise. You aren’t offering me any guidance or to the point. I’m trying to figure out my radio. I don’t need your static, I’m trying to get it on my radio, not here….

 

My fix
Custom autosound couple hundred watts
Replaced dash speakers
Put new 6X9's in boxes in rear area.
Sounds great and I can hear it with the t-tops off at 80 mph.
use my old I phone for music source and done.
Looks good enough for me and works all for under $400.00

John

 

I can’t find a data sheet for an SD501, so I can’t say if they’re interchangeable. But the NTE -105 you tried is supposed to interchange with the original DS-501:

Delco DS-501 Transistor ?

If replacing the original DS-501 with an NTE-105 didn’t fix things, you have other problems.

 

Oh dear. You acting like a jackass isn't helping the situation at all, and no one knows your situation because you haven't told anyone what it is or if you can or cannot hear! And besides, the title of your thread is "C3 Radio question" - the last thing most would assume is that the OP would have any sort of hearing loss.

We are insightful here, but we are not mind readers.

Since it appears your memory is impaired, why don't you go back to my first post and re-read it. That was sound advise and offered in earnest to try and help you with alternatives - not intended to stir up any issue. Others here have also offered similar advise.

You can choose to ignore my comments if you so desire, but you have no authority to boot me from your thread, OP.

Just chill out and stop acting like a jackass..... Everyone here, including me, is trying to help you out.