[67GTONUT]

I know some will think I am sacrilegious for thinking of this.....

But I have had this car since 2001...... I have probably turned on the radio maybe 3 times.....

Although my car was a clean survivor...... 19 years later, its more resto-mod than anything else.....

So I believe this radio is worth some money.... and maybe someone else who is restoring a 67 will be better served to own it.....

Thinking of selling the Radio and Reverb set-up and putting a more modern setup in the dash ( no.... I will not cut up the dash) ..... I always try to retain as much classic "feel" with the car while trying to get modern amenities .....

My other though it to just install one of these Out of Sight Audio systems
http://www.outofsightaudio.com/

But like I said..... I could recoup some decent funds by selling this Original head unit......


I would be doing this in conjunction this fall when installing a Dakota Digital RTX series of gauges ......

Thoughts?

[Navy Horn 16]

I've got a 1973 Datsun 240Z that my dad bought new, and the radio was terrible. I installed a new one in the glove box. It has a USB cable out the back that runs under the carpet to the center console, so I control all the music from an older I-Pod (could easily be an IPhone).

Original look, modern convenience and sound.

[Stuart]

There's currently an AM-FM with reverb on eBay, the bid as of this morning is $202.50. The auction runs until tomorrow afternoon, you could keep an eye on it to see what the final bid will be. It's only a sample of one but will give you an idea of value.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1967-67-PON...gAAOSwRTJfHKVH

If it does turn out to be really valuable and you decide to sell it, and since you rarely turn on the radio, you could just pick up a used AM radio for a few bucks to plug the hole in the dash. There are modern radios that look correct and don't require cutting the dash, but they are pretty expensive. I've seen a number of discussions here about alternatives (hidden stereos, Bluetooth adapters, etc.) that you can probably find with a search.

One neat method to play music from a phone or other personal device is board member Engine-Ear's Redirad: https://redirad.com It plugs into a stock AM or AM-FM radio with no modifications to the car.

[TAKerry]

I had a hard time finding a 'decent' am/fm for my 77 'bird when I restored it. Most were selling $400 -$600. I ended up with a practically brand new one (owner took it out of his car when it was a week old) for about $250. I considered that a BARGAIN!!
For the right guy, and in good enough condition I would think $300 as a starting point.

[Formulajones]

I always remove the original radios and just store them away.
Used to replace them 35 years ago with knob style Kenwoods and Pioneers that plopped right in place but those are no longer made.

Last few years I've converted over to a Retro Sounds setup with a digital style radio that has stock like appearances, and fits in the holes without cutting. It's really the only aftermarket option out there these days. I went this route for the USB connections and can plug in my MP3 player with thousands of songs, perfect for the long road trips we do, plus we daily drive them anyway so the modern sound and convenience is just nice to have. I supplemented the radio with a small amp hidden behind the dash powered from the radio, and aftermarket speakers hidden in stock locations and the sound is excellent. Best of all the install is simple and requires no cutting or hacking.

[67GTONUT]

Well, I guess the market has changed anyway......
Years ago..... this AM/FM Push button radio was worth $700+ ...... does not seem it anymore....
For $300 value, I will just leave it in the dash and do something hidden......

I will see...... nothing I am going to do until the fall anyway....

[Formulajones]

Yeah not a ton of value in them these days with the aftermarket coming out with so many options now. Only the numbers guys want that stock stuff if the dates match, and even then you'd have to hold out a while to find the right buyer.


What you might consider if you want to keep it, is just send it out to be converted so it accepts USB or MP3 players and give it a little bit of a modern touch without ruining the originality. There are a handful of places that do that now with original radios.

I'd go that route before I'd even think about remote mounting something. I just never wanted more stuff shoved in the glove box when I need that space for other things, and prefer the convenience of having the radio out where I can not only reach it, but read it.

[67GTONUT]

I considered sending it out...... but I figured I would be bastardizing a desirable part..... so I figured if it still had that high value...... let someone else use it for their "original" build.....

But if it is now just another old radio..... lol ...... I will just send it out and make the internals modern....

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by 67GTONUT

I considered sending it out...... but I figured I would be bastardizing a desirable part..... so I figured if it still had that high value...... let someone else use it for their "original" build.....

But if it is now just another old radio..... lol ...... I will just send it out and make the internals modern....

Exactly. I think you'll find more and more people are sending them out since they don't seem to be fetching big dollars anyway.

[Shiny]

If it works well and looks like new it may be worth more than $200 or $300 but I personally would view an original as having suspect reliability, even if it was working after 50 years.

The cost to repair and/or replace tired components is high. If you look at eBay, the price of a restored and guaranteed working radio will give you a good idea of value but you would be competing with a professionally repaired unit.

If I was buying a "gem", I'd want to know a pro had gone through it and stood behind it or I would plan on spending more money to have it serviced, even if it was working.

I think this is why there's a good market for the conversion (example is S&M Electro-Tech/Turnswitch) that puts modern electronics inside the original radio. They use the pushbuttons and knobs as original which is very cool and the cost is less than you might expect.

The components inside an original are OLD. It is common to replace the electrolytic capacitors which are notorious for failing. Delco also had some unique/proprietary parts that can fail and aren't made anymore.

Good luck with your decision!

[67GTONUT]

OK.....

So what company to use to convert this thing?

[1968GTO421]

I personally haven't used them but have had Turnswitch recommended to me by others here (like Shiny recommeneded post 10). Here's a link:

http://www.turnswitch.com/

[242177P]

Originally Posted by Shiny

The components inside an original are OLD. It is common to replace the electrolytic capacitors which are notorious for failing.

Our radios don't use them, scroll down to page 20

https://library.gtoaa.org/documents/...2010_06Jun.pdf

[TCSGTO]

With all of the Bluetooth options today there really is no need for a traditional radio. You can get a 400 watt Bluetooth amp and play anything you want thru your phone and keep it all out of sight.

[hgiv]

I can't tell you what its worth but... I have seen and heard some of the original look alike radios and they are solid. Still need an amp(s) to get the loose change to jump! I decided to leave my original radio in place. Have a head unit located underneath above shifter where you see extra gauges sometimes. I looks real good there. It was like that when I got it and I kept it because it played cassettes. I know... but they are kind of retro so... And doesn't mess with the dash. Amps can go anywhere... trunk, glove box, under seats etc.

[Formulajones]

To add to the amp deal, I don't want to put those large amps under the seat or in the trunk, and I don't want big power wires running through the firewall and to the battery.

So I tried one of those mini Alpine amps that powers off the radio, along with a retro sound radio. I have to say I love it. No excess wiring, and it's small enough that I just set it behind the radio under the dash, with a piece of Velcro to hold it still. It's cheap to buy and easy to wire.

I never wanted to monkey with my phone or blue tooth. I hate to even carry my phone with me, lol. With multiple cars that would start to turn into a hassle. No phone, no radio.
I'm pretty traditional and basic. I just prefer the radio where it belongs and things to work as they should, without cutting the dash, where I can reach down and turn it on when I want. The MP3 stays plugged in, which is hidden in the glove box and takes up virtually no room, and I have 1,000's of songs to choose from, playing through speakers in stock locations. Everything looks stock, nothing looks out of place. Since we daily drive them, it's simple and easy.

If it weren't for these places selling retro radios, the next option would definitely be Turnswitch to convert my original radios.

[Goatracer1]

I have a 1967 GTO and I didn't have an original working radio so I purchased a Classic Auto Sounds # 740 radio. I used my original knobs and cut the bezel off a junk original radio and put it around the new radio's bezel. The radio has all the new features and looks just like the original.

[Shiny]

Originally Posted by 242177P

Our radios don't use them, scroll down to page 20

https://library.gtoaa.org/documents/...2010_06Jun.pdf

Huh?

The linked article is helpful, showing how an old radio can sometimes come to life without replacing caps but extrapolating to state they don't contain electrolytic capacitors is inaccurate. Even the photo in the article shows a big silver can that's a classic electrolytic cap:





Maybe a case of communication breakdown?



Here's a copy of a Sam's guide for a 72 Pontiac AM/FM showing 17 electrolytic cap part numbers:



If you're interested, this is a good real-world article on the reliability of old electrolytics:

https://www.qrxrestore.com/electrolytic-reliability/

When I opened a radio I bought from a forum member, here's an example of what I found before I even powered it up. This was a 40+-year-old electrolytic that is obviously bulging. Had it failed? Maybe not, I didn't have an easy way to test it.. but it wasn't healthy!



This is why I personally would not pay "restored" price for a radio that had not been serviced by a pro.

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by 67GTONUT

Well, I guess the market has changed anyway......
Years ago..... this AM/FM Push button radio was worth $700+ ...... does not seem it anymore....
For $300 value, I will just leave it in the dash and do something hidden......

I will see...... nothing I am going to do until the fall anyway....

Value?

$241.00 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-19...orig_cvip=true

[1968GTO421]

Originally Posted by Chief of the 60's

Value?

$241.00 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-19...orig_cvip=true

Yup, That's a real dose of reality