Factory look modern amenities most affordable option?

[kna4977]

Truck came with a factory AM radio. Doesn't currently work. I would like to have a unit that looks original but has ability for FM and bluetooth where I can pair my phone to it and have whatever is playing projected through the speaker(s). I don't really want to spend $800+ as I won't drive the vehicle enough to justify that cost. What would be my best option?

Truck originally came with a single dash speaker located in the middle of the dash above the radio. What is the best way to get the best sound without cutting it up?

[dmjlambert]

Your best option on a low budget and for occasional use is leave the AM radio and its speaker right where it is in the dash and get a nice portable Bluetooth speaker to attach under the dash or sit on the hump or stuff slightly under the seat. Bose Revolve series speaker fits in a large cupholder and has room-filling sound. Other people have used JBL speakers and other brands.
I bought a non-working AM radio for mine and got it working with some sprays of Deoxit D5, and plan to repair my cut-up dash and get the radio going with a reproduction AM radio speaker, so everything will be working as original, and I have a completely independent blasting stereo under the seat I use with bluetooth.

[kna4977]

Do they make anything that wires in vs having to charge that can be hidden and receive Bluetooth signals from your phone and transmit them through the single dash speaker? Or is there a decent device that transmits Bluetooth to AM radio?

[dmjlambert]

Does this mean you got your factory AM radio working and thinking of adding bluetooth to it?

[kna4977]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

Does this mean you got your factory AM radio working and thinking of adding bluetooth to it?

I did get it working. I'm wanting to somehow have the original AM radio that functions as it should, but also have some type of bluetooth capability that will either transmit to an AM channel or that is wired in as an interface to the speaker or ?? I want it to look completely stock though. Not sure what my options are. I've heard of and don't really like the Redi-Rad setup and I can't seem to find a transmitter that would send what is playing on my phone via bluetooth to the AM radio and subsequently hear through the speaker. I would also like something that doesn't need to be charged or recharged and that doesn't work off of a battery. Something that can be wired in and that turns on when the truck turns on or is put in ACC just like the regular radio.

[dmjlambert]

Here is what I would do, but my disclaimer is I have not done it. I do use the Bluetooth module mentioned below to connect to the input of an under-seat amp and speakers.

Get a Bluetooth module that automatically switches from aux input to Bluetooth when a Bluetooth device is connected. This one has a relay. It routes Bluetooth sound from a paired device when the device is connected, via the out jack. It routes aux audio to the out jack when no Bluetooth device is connected.
https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-DRO.../dp/B07P94Z9XR

Power it by tapping off the grey wire that runs from inside the AM radio case toward the bulb holder in the back of the radio. That wire is turned on when the radio is turned on. I like to clean up the voltage with a voltage regulator.
https://www.amazon.com/Wolfwhoop-Con.../dp/B076P4C42B

Here is a thread where one forum member came up with an aux input connection for the radio, and several people did the project and also modified their radios. Cut the wire going to the volume control potentiometer in the radio. Connect the 2 each 2K resistors to combine the left and right sound output from the Bluetooth module to the high side of the volume control. Connect the left and right aux input to the radio audio from detector wire that was formerly connected to the volume control. The shield conductor from the out jack on the Bluetooth module should be connected to AM radio case ground. https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=502427

I suggest enclosing the Bluetooth module and regulator in a small plastic project box. Cut an aux cable in half to connect the wires inside the radio and allow plug in to the Bluetooth module aux and out jacks.
https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basics.../dp/B00NO73MUQ
https://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-El.../dp/B089K4KCQK

Should you decide to disconnect the Bluetooth module you can connect the plug ends of the aux and out into each other using a female to female adapter, to re-enable the AM radio to operate without the Bluetooth module. Or you can open the radio again and remove the extra wires and solder the radio audio from detector wire back to the volume control potentiometer.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C9U3XI4/