Restoring Rusty

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by flashed

What is a fair price to pay for a GM radio (AM/FM) from a 74 truck ? I know where one is in a yard but its a ways off (60 miles each way) and I have no way of knowing if it works .They were high on everything else so I didnt ask but I would like to have it if I get back that way.

I paid $16 bucks for this one, non stock, and apparently NOT working! just got done testing it

[Titomars]

When I was looking at putting a Delco AM/FM cassette stereo radio back in mine, I was expecting to pay anywhere from $30 to $100. As the weeks went by everything suitable I could find was upwards of $150+. I came to realize even if I found a great working unit I still had no way to listen to my music. See I had dumped my cassettes years ago. going with a retro-aftermarket was more my speed and only cost $210 after a discount I had. Now I can listen to my music via Flash drive or I-pod. If I want to add a remote C/D changer later I can. But honestly I have not missed the C/D capability at all which I thought I would.

[Slonaker]

You should be able to mount those 4X10 speakers in the cab corners by using a set of factory brackets from an 80s Silverado (test fit the brackets in a 70s truck before you leave the yard...). Alternatively, you can buy a set of Jeff's 6X9 brackets from 73-87.com. They will sound better than the 4x10s.

Slonaker

[Gregski]

ok, so how would you wire up this bad boy, it has the following wires

Red
Yellow
Black
Black
White
Black

[Gregski]

well after some trial and error I figured it out, and in doing so I can now explain why after wiring up all those car radios to house speakers back in the 80s still has me confused to this day

Red - this is switched power
Yellow - this is speaker wire for one side (L or R I forget which)
Black - this is ground speaker wire (don't matter which side)
Black - this is ground speaker wire (don't matter which side)
White - this is speaker wire for the other side (L or R I forget which)
Black - this is ground for the radio

What had me confused is the yellow wire, I thought it was also a power wire, but you got to remember back in the early 80s this radio had no pre sets, it had no memory, it had no clock, so no need to keep a constant voltage, so the yellow wire was simply the other speaker wire, I kept scratching my head going how do they get stereo out of two black wires and one white wire, and then I tried the yellow as a speaker wire and whalla we had tunes

but I must say I like the simplicity of this box, red = positive, black = negative, there are no yellow power wires, there are no blue tooth jobies and antena retractor wires, and cancel the radio while on the phone crap, etc...

[Gregski]

so GOOD news the radio works, it plays music, the BAD news the dial does not slide left or right as you turn the knob to change stations, now you can still change stations with the knob but the needle don't move, so peaked inside and sure enuff that guitar string looking band is broken, gonna try an electronic hobby store tomorrow to see if they take pity on me and help me out

in the meantime I am kicking myself for getting too excited when I found this gem and not testing it before pulling it out of that truck, I mean you don't need power to turn the dial Greg, you could have just turned the knob and watched the mechanical needle more or not move, so keep that in mind fellers, play with these things before you buy 'em

[cnorth]

Man I wish the yards around me had that many squares to choose from.... lucky gregski

[enaberif]

Originally Posted by Gregski

well after some trial and error I figured it out, and in doing so I can now explain why after wiring up all those car radios to house speakers back in the 80s still has me confused to this day

Red - this is switched power
Yellow - this is speaker wire for one side (L or R I forget which)
Black - this is ground speaker wire (don't matter which side)
Black - this is ground speaker wire (don't matter which side)
White - this is speaker wire for the other side (L or R I forget which)
Black - this is ground for the radio

What had me confused is the yellow wire, I thought it was also a power wire, but you got to remember back in the early 80s this radio had no pre sets, it had no memory, it had no clock, so no need to keep a constant voltage, so the yellow wire was simply the other speaker wire, I kept scratching my head going how do they get stereo out of two black wires and one white wire, and then I tried the yellow as a speaker wire and whalla we had tunes

but I must say I like the simplicity of this box, red = positive, black = negative, there are no yellow power wires, there are no blue tooth jobies and antena retractor wires, and cancel the radio while on the phone crap, etc...

Working on stuff like this and our trucks really makes one appreciate the simplicity of vehicles that were made in these eras. Vehicles these days are so crammed together and difficult to diagnose or work on its just nuts.

A radio that requires a single power lead...

[greg64]

Originally Posted by enaberif

Working on stuff like this and our trucks really makes one appreciate the simplicity of vehicles that were made in these eras. Vehicles these days are so crammed together and difficult to diagnose or work on its just nuts.

A radio that requires a single power lead...

X2! That's part of why I like old vehicles. Style is the second.

[Titomars]

Originally Posted by greg64

X2! That's part of why I like old vehicles. Style is the second.

Style for me first. Detroit has not made a good looking car since the mid 80's
If it has a carb I am good. Computers belong on a desk not in my vehicles. Yes I know I'll get slammed for that but I am an old guy who watched the muscle cars grow up and die off. I lived the era when Detroit built excitement not appliances!

[rusty76]

Nice finds. My uncle had the same radio in his truck eons ago. Funny I remember listening to Johnny Cash on 8 track in his truck.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Titomars

Computers belong on a desk not in my vehicles.

I love that and I concur, and by the way I am an IT Geek by day.

[Titomars]

Originally Posted by rusty76

Nice finds. My uncle had the same radio in his truck eons ago. Funny I remember listening to Johnny Cash on 8 track in his truck.

8-tracks and Johnny Cash, boy that takes me back.

[Titomars]

Originally Posted by Gregski

I love that and I concur, and by the way I am an IT Geek by day.

I say that same thing over on the Jeep forums and I get slammed every time!!!
It is refreshing to see some one who agrees and is an IT to boot..... right on!

[Gregski]

so I decided to take advantage of the FREE admission to the junk yards this weekend and exchange that AUDIOVOX (broken dial needle) for a much more period correct Delco, AM/FM Stereo with Ccaasseettee (man I could never spell that word right, it's like Missiissippii) LOL

I found her in this there 77 Suburban that was so twisted up in the front no wonder nobody yanked the radio, the front seat was almost touching the bottom of the dash, but The Greg took his time and got her out

... but she had no knobs so we went on searchin

[Gregski]

couple rows over we came across an '85 dually that I decided to effectionally call the Cocaine truck, man the entire cab looks like a dozen flour bags blew up in there, all covered in white

hey, what ever man, I'm just here for the radio knobs, LOL

[68Timber]

Nice score. They were still using that radio at least up to 1983, I had one with that radio way back when.

[enaberif]

That is the exact radio I have/had in my truck.

[Titomars]

Originally Posted by Gregski

couple rows over we came across an '85 dually that I decided to effectionally call the Cocaine truck, man the entire cab looks like a dozen flour bags blew up in there, all covered in white

hey, what ever man, I'm just here for the radio knobs, LOL

Technically those knobs are not period correct to your 74. If you care about such things. the correct knobs would match your headlight knob.

That was one of my problems with putting a Delco back in mine. I am the anal type that would only do so if I had the correct knobs. Guess what I could not find any the weren't an arm and a leg to buy.
I also took advantage of the member sale too. I scored a cherry painted front bumper for mine off of a 75 LWB stepside.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Titomars

Technically those knobs are not period correct to your 74. If you care about such things. the correct knobs would match your headlight knob.

Well shark tails, I was fine till you had to go and point that out, LOL, jk, my analism has limits, I guess cause I am fine with it, hee hee

[Gregski]

ok so test fitted the radio to make sure it physically fits and it do, and I also hooked it all up temporarily and it works, well I only get two FM stations but it plays music

then I go to unplug the thing to take it back out for a proper cleanin' and realized the genius over here forgot to hook up the antenna, so that's why only two stations came in - LOL man I still get too excited when working with radios what's wrong with me

[Gregski]

and as luck would have it the plugs are different so this can't be just a plug and pray, and even the pins be different so I can't do my regular trick where I just repin the connectors (old pins are female new pins are male and the radio is female too)

and you know me I will not cut the original harness, so I put some blade connectors on the back of my new connector to slide right in to the old factory connector (got all that)

this will work if not just for testing

[Titomars]

Originally Posted by Gregski

Well shark tails, I was fine till you had to go and point that out, LOL, jk, my analism has limits, I guess cause I am fine with it, hee hee

Well it sure does look good in its new home!! For me personally I loved the 70's knobs but hated the 80's knobs. Just something about black and chrome LOL

[Gregski]

well lets take a closer look at that beauty

[Gregski]

aint you gonna tell us about all them purdy wires stickin' out the back

BLACK POWER CONNECTOR

WHITE FRONT SPEAKER CONNECTOR

BLUE REAR SPEAKER CONNECTOR