Got my factory AM radio working today. Now a new problem. Nothing good to listen to..

[Mister-B]

You may have seen my posts as I progressed with my radio situation. Finally got it working today.

The PO installed a cheesy aftermarket radio. I took it out, and did the following:

Bought a stock AM radio off eBay

Replaced the broken antenna

Replaced the broken stock speaker with a functional stock speaker I found today at the junk yard off a '70 K20

Got it all wired, and it works! It's satisfying to have it work, and to have it pumping out stock sound like it did in 1969. What IS NOT satisfying, is the lack of anything of value to listen to lol. Some of you warned me about this, but I remembered AM being different in the past. Boy, it's really bad.

Anyway, I'm thinking of installing a wireless Bluetooth speaker under the seat, so I can stream music from my phone, but maintain the stock look.

Anybody have input on what to hook up under the seat?

Here's the radio


The new antenna

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[69GWC]

Yeap am is pretty much a dead radio band these days not like it was back when we were young/younger..lol

Good Day.
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[68Gold/white]

I'm sure that some still makes a converter, that allows a AM radio to receive FM, also, it was done "in the day". The radio is not modified in any way, and keeps the stock appearance...

[danheit]

Why not go buy a cheap amp, some 6x9's behind/under the seat, and run it all into an ipod/your phone/mp3 device? This is what I do in my CJ7. Easy as can be to set up. Just run a headphone jack to RCA adapter cord and go from your headphone outputs to the RCA inputs on the amp.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by danheit

Why not go buy a cheap amp, some 6x9's behind/under the seat, and run it all into an ipod/your phone/mp3 device? This is what I do in my CJ7. Easy as can be to set up. Just run a headphone jack to RCA adapter cord and go from your headphone outputs to the RCA inputs on the amp.

That's a good idea. Thanks. I'd prefer wireless, but this is a good option
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[pritch]

Baseball is only 6 weeks away-nothing better than catching a game on an AM radio

[GRX]

Originally Posted by danheit

Why not go buy a cheap amp, some 6x9's behind/under the seat, and run it all into an ipod/your phone/mp3 device? This is what I do in my CJ7. Easy as can be to set up. Just run a headphone jack to RCA adapter cord and go from your headphone outputs to the RCA inputs on the amp.

Expand on this and download a radio tuner app for your smart phone. I like 'Tune In Radio". Any station in the world, plus internet only stations, and Pod casts. Might kill your minutes if you don't have unlimited though.

[67ChevyRedneck]

My mustang has an AM radio. Around here it's either talk radio, Jesus Channels (not a bad thing), and a couple stations in spanish. However, during football season on sat or sunday theres an ESPN channel that played college on sat and a pro game on sunday. During the playoffs I cruised around listening to football. It does suck though, so I hid a modern AM/FM/CD/AUX jack radio in the center console.

[LSUMurse]

You could always make your own transmitter for an ipod, etc.:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make...tter/?ALLSTEPS

I have no idea how practicle this is, but it might work for you. If not, there are other kits, etc. on the web.

[lowrollin70gmc]

Over in the stereo subforum there is this jewel from Frizzle Fry:

My Factory AM Radio is now mp3 Compatible!

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by lowrollin70gmc

Over in the stereo subforum there is this jewel from Frizzle Fry:

My Factory AM Radio is now mp3 Compatible!

Yeah, I've seen that. Cool, but way over my head
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[FirstOwner69]

Here's what I did.

I got an AM/FM from a late 70s van that looks like the truck radios. As a bonus, this one has a factory output and fader for an auxiliary speaker, or, as we called them in the old days, a rear speaker. So, I also grabbed the 6X9 speaker from the back of the van along with the 1 wire "harness" and speaker grille. I found a truck lens and bought a correct decal for the AM/FM drum here on the forum, and it now appears to be a true truck radio. I have factory buckets and console. I mounted the 6X9 in a spare console pointing out the rear. At first I'd built a plywood box to contain the speaker under the passenger's seat.

This would only give you FM. However, I also have a Garmin with MP3 capability (via a micro SD card) and a built in FM transmitter. So, all I have to do is select a FM frequency on the Garmin and match it on the radio. It's a bit tougher to do this on a radio with analog tuning vs. today's digital tuners, but it works. Obviously, it's not stereo.

The part I know you'll appreciate is that the radio and speaker were less than $20 at the local junkyard, and the decal and lens were another $20. I think I got the last 2 lenses in the U.S. though.

The worst part of the original AM radios is that they have horrible range. Just wait until you get away from SLC. You'll be lucky to get anything!

[JOJABOY]

Originally Posted by LSUMurse

You could always make your own transmitter for an ipod, etc.:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make...tter/?ALLSTEPS

I have no idea how practicle this is, but it might work for you. If not, there are other kits, etc. on the web.

Coming from a radio guy (military).....this will work. It won't be in stereo but will work. The fun part is building something from scratch and thinking "How cool is this?" I would build one. Hide the transmitter behind the glove box with the 3.5mm audio plug coming through where the light is. Then just plug up an MP3 player or iPod when you are rollin down the highway.

Can always dial in som NPR and get stoned on politics if you iPod battery dies.

[71K20chevy]

I had the same problem with mine...

So I got a radio at a garage sale for $10 that requires no cutting of the dash. I think I'm going to put my stock one back in and put a nice aftermarket one in the glovebox.

[Mister-B]

This is pretty cool. It's a Bluetooth receiver, with a 3.5 mm jack. It's only $39, and then I can connect it to an amp with speakers under the seat



http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Speaker-Bl...Posted via Mobile Device

[Tuff Gong]

I bought a nice Bose Soundlink wireless speaker. Kinda expensive, but it has really good sound. I ended up buying a few retriever magnets and made a wood mounting box so I could keep it in place without drilling any holes in my cab. It also allows me to take it in and out of the truck. I had to play around with the mounting a little because the magnets where shutting off the speaker when they got to close. I guess the speaker cover has a magnet and when it is in the covered position, it shuts it down.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by Brian Atkinson

I bought a nice Bose Soundlink wireless speaker. Kinda expensive, but it has really good sound. I ended up buying a few retriever magnets and made a wood mounting box so I could keep it in place without drilling any holes in my cab. It also allows me to take it in and out of the truck. I had to play around with the mounting a little because the magnets where shutting off the speaker when they got to close. I guess the speaker cover has a magnet and when it is in the covered position, it shuts it down.

Great idea with the magnet mounting system.
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[Katrina/10]

[QUOTE=Mister-B;5899797]You may have seen my posts as I progressed with my radio situation. Finally got it working today.

The PO installed a cheesy aftermarket radio. I took it out, and did the following:

Bought a stock AM radio off eBay

Replaced the broken antenna

Replaced the broken stock speaker with a functional stock speaker I found today at the junk yard off a '70 K20

Got it all wired, and it works! It's satisfying to have it work, and to have it pumping out stock sound like it did in 1969. What IS NOT satisfying, is the lack of anything of value to listen to lol. Some of you warned me about this, but I remembered AM being different in the past. Boy, it's really bad.

Anyway, I'm thinking of installing a wireless Bluetooth speaker under the seat, so I can stream music from my phone, but maintain the stock look.

Anybody have input on what to hook up under the seat?

Well, I think what you did was worth doing whether you can find much to listen to or not. The factory radio and antenna look great. Maybe use a portable radio on the seat?

[Katrina/10]

[QUOTE=Mister-B;5899797]You may have seen my posts as I progressed with my radio situation. Finally got it working today.

The PO installed a cheesy aftermarket radio. I took it out, and did the following:

Bought a stock AM radio off eBay

Replaced the broken antenna

Replaced the broken stock speaker with a functional stock speaker I found today at the junk yard off a '70 K20

Got it all wired, and it works! It's satisfying to have it work, and to have it pumping out stock sound like it did in 1969. What IS NOT satisfying, is the lack of anything of value to listen to lol. Some of you warned me about this, but I remembered AM being different in the past. Boy, it's really bad.

Anyway, I'm thinking of installing a wireless Bluetooth speaker under the seat, so I can stream music from my phone, but maintain the stock look.

Anybody have input on what to hook up under the seat?

Well, I think what you did was worth doing whether you can find much to listen to or not. The factory radio and antenna look great. Maybe use a portable radio on the seat?

[oldblue1968chevy]

This thread made my

[Longhorn 70]

Rush Limbaugh

[Kid]

Originally Posted by Longhorn 70

Rush Limbaugh

Mark Leven, Shawn Hannity

[SS Tim]

Someone help me here, does the stock radio have a matching screw? The antenna being an AM/FM is not exactly optimal.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

Someone help me here, does the stock radio have a matching screw? The antenna being an AM/FM is not exactly optimal.

I'm not sure I understand what your question is about the screw?
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[SS Tim]

Antenna trimmer screw, its used to match the antenna to the radio. You would tune the radio to a high station and tweek the screw for best reception. I just don't remember if the stock AM radio has one or if it is front accessable below the tuner shaft.
At night I can get KSL here in the California desert.

Of course there are radio station alternatives as well.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=509151