1964 AM radio stereo conversion

Discussion in 'Sparky's corner' started by 64 wildcat conv, Apr 7, 2017.

  1. 64 wildcat conv

    64 wildcat conv Silver Level contributor

    I decided to finally upgrade the tunes in my '64 Wildcat but wanted to keep the stock appearance. The OE radio still worked and looked good so it was a prime candidate for an AF/FM conversion rather than a period looking replacement or straight up restoration.
    I sent it off to Tayman Electrical in FL for the conversion after researching several dealers who off the service. For $405 including postage Gary replaced the guts of the radio with a 4X 45 watt AM/FM receiver with an aux input for an MP3 player or similar. Turnaround time was about 2 weeks from the time he received it. He did a pro job and cleaned/painted the OE parts for a nearly new look.
    I finally installed the radio this past weekend and have to say I was very much impressed with the sound quality, even with only a 4X10 inch dash speaker and a 6.5 inch round speaker in the rear seat location. I had to go with a RetroSound low profile DVC dash speaker to clear the HVAC controls. The rear speaker is a Kenwood coaxial unit.
    The tuning and tone controls work pretty much like standard. Switching from AM to FM to Aux is done by power cycling (quickly turning the unit on/off/on). I installed a 6 feet long aux cord from the radio to the glovebox (along with a 12V power receptacle) for an MP3 player so that all can be concealed. radio upgrade 01.jpg radio upgrade 03.jpg radio upgrade 02.jpg rear speaker.jpg
     
  2. elagache

    elagache Platinum Level Contributor

    Dear Mark and V-8 Buick audiophiles,

    Thanks for sharing! I have been curious about how these upgrades worked. One quick question: why didn't you go with a Bluetooth upgrade? With smartphones everywhere, I find it a very convenient way to provide music for all our cars.

    Cheers, Edouard
     
  3. Appreciate the post. Does this render the B-U-I-C-K presents non-functional?
     
  4. 64 wildcat conv

    64 wildcat conv Silver Level contributor

    The tuning buttons function as original. The main reason I opted not to add Bluetooth was to keep operation as simple as possible. Since there's no display all functions such as switching from am to fm to aux input are done by power cycling. I can connect my phone to the aux input cable to play digital music
     
  5. elagache

    elagache Platinum Level Contributor

    Dear Mark and V-8 Buick audiophiles,

    It is neither here nor there when it comes to your installation, but for other fellows who are thinking about this sort of upgrade. I upgraded all our cars with Bluetooth equipped stereos. Because that music is so much more pleasant than anything else, the stereos remain on Bluetooth all the time. These days, there are apps to report traffic problems, so the one remaining reason to listen to commercial radio stations has vanished. In a situation like this, you would only have to configure your stereo into Bluetooth once and then leave it there. That gives you one additional convenience, no wires to connect the phone to the stereo.

    There is one other potential advantage - receiving phone calls. Unless you take precautions, that could be considered a real hassle and potential danger. However, I have an app on my phone that blocks all calls except immediate family members. In a real emergency, being able to reach a family member on the road could be real help. I never have gotten around to setting up my trusty wagon to receive phone calls, but I should some day.

    Cheers, Edouard
     

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