Car radios

6/7/2012 2:23:34 PMRalph Schneider

I work on alot of old car radios, why did GM stick with the vibrator and high voltage power supply after Ford and Chrysler switched to transitor out puts in 1957? I recently fixed a 1957 Chevy radio and was suprized to see it had a transistor out put, but a 1957 Oldsmobile still has a vibrator and the oz4!

6/7/2012 4:12:54 PMWarren

Are you sure that was a 1957 Chevy radio? I have owned 57 Chevys. The Nomad had the top of the line AM radio. 0Z4, vibrator, two 12V6.

6/8/2012 12:38:09 AMMAG

:Are you sure that was a 1957 Chevy radio? I have owned 57 Chevys. The Nomad had the top of the line AM radio. 0Z4, vibrator, two 12V6.
:
You are both right about 57 Chevrolets, there were 5 different radios for 57 if you count the 57 Corvette, a carry-over from 56. The passenger car line had a manual tune with vibrator and single 12V6, a push-button 5 tube, 1 transistor, a Wonder-Bar with vibrator and 2-12V6 tubes, and a push-button radio with vibrator and 2-12V6 tubes.

Actually, GM had a radio with transistor output in 1956, a year before Ford. The 56 Corvette radio had push-pull 2N173 output transistors. An oddity, the 57 Cadillac Brougham had 13 transistors, no tubes.

6/8/2012 5:11:09 AMLewis L.

::Are you sure that was a 1957 Chevy radio? I have owned 57 Chevys. The Nomad had the top of the line AM radio. 0Z4, vibrator, two 12V6.
::
:You are both right about 57 Chevrolets, there were 5 different radios for 57 if you count the 57 Corvette, a carry-over from 56. The passenger car line had a manual tune with vibrator and single 12V6, a push-button 5 tube, 1 transistor, a Wonder-Bar with vibrator and 2-12V6 tubes, and a push-button radio with vibrator and 2-12V6 tubes.
:
:Actually, GM had a radio with transistor output in 1956, a year before Ford. The 56 Corvette radio had push-pull 2N173 output transistors. An oddity, the 57 Cadillac Brougham had 13 transistors, no tubes.

My 57 Chevy had a 12 Volt plate/transistor hybrid, but you could also get an all transistor radio that would fit in the same space, also Delco.
Lewis
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6/8/2012 8:53:03 PMJohn Kogel

:::Are you sure that was a 1957 Chevy radio? I have owned 57 Chevys. The Nomad had the top of the line AM radio. 0Z4, vibrator, two 12V6.
:::
::You are both right about 57 Chevrolets, there were 5 different radios for 57 if you count the 57 Corvette, a carry-over from 56. The passenger car line had a manual tune with vibrator and single 12V6, a push-button 5 tube, 1 transistor, a Wonder-Bar with vibrator and 2-12V6 tubes, and a push-button radio with vibrator and 2-12V6 tubes.
::
::Actually, GM had a radio with transistor output in 1956, a year before Ford. The 56 Corvette radio had push-pull 2N173 output transistors. An oddity, the 57 Cadillac Brougham had 13 transistors, no tubes.
:
:My 57 Chevy had a 12 Volt plate/transistor hybrid, but you could also get an all transistor radio that would fit in the same space, also Delco.
:Lewis
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My 49 Chev business coupe had the radio mounted vertical, pushbuttons curving down to two knobs. All I know is that it could kill a 6 volt battery in about 20 minutes.

6/8/2012 9:11:31 PMNorm Leal

John

Those 49 Chev radios were fused at 14 amps and almost drew that much...

Norm

::::Are you sure that was a 1957 Chevy radio? I have owned 57 Chevys. The Nomad had the top of the line AM radio. 0Z4, vibrator, two 12V6.
::::
:::You are both right about 57 Chevrolets, there were 5 different radios for 57 if you count the 57 Corvette, a carry-over from 56. The passenger car line had a manual tune with vibrator and single 12V6, a push-button 5 tube, 1 transistor, a Wonder-Bar with vibrator and 2-12V6 tubes, and a push-button radio with vibrator and 2-12V6 tubes.
:::
:::Actually, GM had a radio with transistor output in 1956, a year before Ford. The 56 Corvette radio had push-pull 2N173 output transistors. An oddity, the 57 Cadillac Brougham had 13 transistors, no tubes.
::
::My 57 Chevy had a 12 Volt plate/transistor hybrid, but you could also get an all transistor radio that would fit in the same space, also Delco.
::Lewis
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:::
:::
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::
:My 49 Chev business coupe had the radio mounted vertical, pushbuttons curving down to two knobs. All I know is that it could kill a 6 volt battery in about 20 minutes.
:

6/9/2012 8:27:18 PMRalph Schneider

:John The fact that they made 5 different radios for 1957, clears it all up. I have a friend that owns 2 1962 chevys, on has a all transistor delco radio and the other has a tube hybrid, both are factory radios.
:
:Those 49 Chev radios were fused at 14 amps and almost drew that much...
:
:Norm
:
:::::Are you sure that was a 1957 Chevy radio? I have owned 57 Chevys. The Nomad had the top of the line AM radio. 0Z4, vibrator, two 12V6.
:::::
::::You are both right about 57 Chevrolets, there were 5 different radios for 57 if you count the 57 Corvette, a carry-over from 56. The passenger car line had a manual tune with vibrator and single 12V6, a push-button 5 tube, 1 transistor, a Wonder-Bar with vibrator and 2-12V6 tubes, and a push-button radio with vibrator and 2-12V6 tubes.
::::
::::Actually, GM had a radio with transistor output in 1956, a year before Ford. The 56 Corvette radio had push-pull 2N173 output transistors. An oddity, the 57 Cadillac Brougham had 13 transistors, no tubes.
:::
:::My 57 Chevy had a 12 Volt plate/transistor hybrid, but you could also get an all transistor radio that would fit in the same space, also Delco.
:::Lewis
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::::
::::
:::
:::
::My 49 Chev business coupe had the radio mounted vertical, pushbuttons curving down to two knobs. All I know is that it could kill a 6 volt battery in about 20 minutes.
::
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:

6/10/2012 10:10:15 PMJohn

I was looking for info on a Motorola radio repair and stumbled upon this, nice pics of a '49 Chev radio. That was a unique plastic they used on the knobs, Plaskon?
This seller says he has 3000 car radios.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/49-50-Chev-Chevy-car-radio-Repaired-Good-Working-Nice-original-stock-6-volt-1950-/320911858441?hash=item4ab7d65b09&item=320911858441&pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr

::John The fact that they made 5 different radios for 1957, clears it all up. I have a friend that owns 2 1962 chevys, on has a all transistor delco radio and the other has a tube hybrid, both are factory radios.
::
::Those 49 Chev radios were fused at 14 amps and almost drew that much...
::
::Norm
::
::::::Are you sure that was a 1957 Chevy radio? I have owned 57 Chevys. The Nomad had the top of the line AM radio. 0Z4, vibrator, two 12V6.
::::::
:::::You are both right about 57 Chevrolets, there were 5 different radios for 57 if you count the 57 Corvette, a carry-over from 56. The passenger car line had a manual tune with vibrator and single 12V6, a push-button 5 tube, 1 transistor, a Wonder-Bar with vibrator and 2-12V6 tubes, and a push-button radio with vibrator and 2-12V6 tubes.
:::::
:::::Actually, GM had a radio with transistor output in 1956, a year before Ford. The 56 Corvette radio had push-pull 2N173 output transistors. An oddity, the 57 Cadillac Brougham had 13 transistors, no tubes.
::::
::::My 57 Chevy had a 12 Volt plate/transistor hybrid, but you could also get an all transistor radio that would fit in the same space, also Delco.
::::Lewis
:::::
:::::
:::::
::::
::::
:::My 49 Chev business coupe had the radio mounted vertical, pushbuttons curving down to two knobs. All I know is that it could kill a 6 volt battery in about 20 minutes.
:::
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:
:

6/14/2012 6:52:12 PMharold

:I was looking for info on a Motorola radio repair and stumbled upon this, nice pics of a '49 Chev radio. That was a unique plastic they used on the knobs, Plaskon?
:This seller says he has 3000 car radios.
:
:http://www.ebay.com/itm/49-50-Chev-Chevy-car-radio-Repaired-Good-Working-Nice-original-stock-6-volt-1950-/320911858441?hash=item4ab7d65b09&item=320911858441&pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr
:
:
:::John The fact that they made 5 different radios for 1957, clears it all up. I have a friend that owns 2 1962 chevys, on has a all transistor delco radio and the other has a tube hybrid, both are factory radios.
:::
:::Those 49 Chev radios were fused at 14 amps and almost drew that much...
:::
:::Norm
:::
:::::::Are you sure that was a 1957 Chevy radio? I have owned 57 Chevys. The Nomad had the top of the line AM radio. 0Z4, vibrator, two 12V6.
:::::::
::::::You are both right about 57 Chevrolets, there were 5 different radios for 57 if you count the 57 Corvette, a carry-over from 56. The passenger car line had a manual tune with vibrator and single 12V6, a push-button 5 tube, 1 transistor, a Wonder-Bar with vibrator and 2-12V6 tubes, and a push-button radio with vibrator and 2-12V6 tubes.
::::::
::::::Actually, GM had a radio with transistor output in 1956, a year before Ford. The 56 Corvette radio had push-pull 2N173 output transistors. An oddity, the 57 Cadillac Brougham had 13 transistors, no tubes.
:::::
:::::My 57 Chevy had a 12 Volt plate/transistor hybrid, but you could also get an all transistor radio that would fit in the same space, also Delco.
:::::Lewis
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::::::
::::::
:::::
:::::
::::My 49 Chev business coupe had the radio mounted vertical, pushbuttons curving down to two knobs. All I know is that it could kill a 6 volt battery in about 20 minutes.
::::
I want to ask the car radio folks that are on this post--did you ever note the long shafts (and heavy cast metal knobs) on car radios causing vol. and tone control premature problems, or did I just dream it.

Harold
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6/14/2012 11:17:07 PMNorm Leal

Harold

Haven't noticed long shaft and heavy metal knobs causing problems but the switches often go bad. They have to handle high current of the car radios.

Norm

::I was looking for info on a Motorola radio repair and stumbled upon this, nice pics of a '49 Chev radio. That was a unique plastic they used on the knobs, Plaskon?
::This seller says he has 3000 car radios.
::
::http://www.ebay.com/itm/49-50-Chev-Chevy-car-radio-Repaired-Good-Working-Nice-original-stock-6-volt-1950-/320911858441?hash=item4ab7d65b09&item=320911858441&pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr
::
::
::::John The fact that they made 5 different radios for 1957, clears it all up. I have a friend that owns 2 1962 chevys, on has a all transistor delco radio and the other has a tube hybrid, both are factory radios.
::::
::::Those 49 Chev radios were fused at 14 amps and almost drew that much...
::::
::::Norm
::::
::::::::Are you sure that was a 1957 Chevy radio? I have owned 57 Chevys. The Nomad had the top of the line AM radio. 0Z4, vibrator, two 12V6.
::::::::
:::::::You are both right about 57 Chevrolets, there were 5 different radios for 57 if you count the 57 Corvette, a carry-over from 56. The passenger car line had a manual tune with vibrator and single 12V6, a push-button 5 tube, 1 transistor, a Wonder-Bar with vibrator and 2-12V6 tubes, and a push-button radio with vibrator and 2-12V6 tubes.
:::::::
:::::::Actually, GM had a radio with transistor output in 1956, a year before Ford. The 56 Corvette radio had push-pull 2N173 output transistors. An oddity, the 57 Cadillac Brougham had 13 transistors, no tubes.
::::::
::::::My 57 Chevy had a 12 Volt plate/transistor hybrid, but you could also get an all transistor radio that would fit in the same space, also Delco.
::::::Lewis
:::::::
:::::::
:::::::
::::::
::::::
:::::My 49 Chev business coupe had the radio mounted vertical, pushbuttons curving down to two knobs. All I know is that it could kill a 6 volt battery in about 20 minutes.
:::::
:I want to ask the car radio folks that are on this post--did you ever note the long shafts (and heavy cast metal knobs) on car radios causing vol. and tone control premature problems, or did I just dream it.
:
:Harold
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6/17/2012 8:10:02 AMDanny