Hey I'm new to the Forum. Just bought a 59 in great shape. It has a tube(?) radio in it with a round face, a volume, and tuner **** with a tone **** in the center of the face. Is it likely that this is a tube radio? I get the light, a little crackle in the speaker, otherwise no sound.

Are these rare? I cant find any photos online of these at all.

I'm considering taking it out and getting it repaired just to be authentic but I'm wondering if anyone has experience with these? Are they prone to trouble? Should I avoid using it once repaired?

Thanks!

B.

 

I don't know about rare but scarce might be more accurate. I have looked in about 20 trucks in the last couple months and only saw one.
You might send it off and have a more modern radio made out of it while retaining the original appearance.

 

I have the same radio in my '59. If you get a light and some crackle from yours you're doing better than me, lol. I see them on eBay fairly often but they always state that they're "untested". By the looks of most of them I'd highly doubt they'd work. I may end up sending mine away to have it repaired someday...I dunno. I imagine its pretty pricey and I almost never turn on the radio when I drive....but it would be nice to have it working someday.. If you buy the big shop manual it has a small section on the radio. Congrats on your new fridge!!

 

I have purchased both a correct radio,and a "radio facts" sheet for repairmen from that era, with the intent of having it modernized to be installed later.Also,another member provided me with the paper template that dealers used to lay out and install radios on the trucks that came from the factory without them.I'll likely never install it, as it's a lot of money just to have bragging rights.As is,my glovebox mounted am/fm/cd player does just fine.

 

Thanks for the replies. This looks like a lively forum!

I've found a radio repairman here in Bozeman Montana that says he'll take a look. The truck is a one owner with only 48k on it. Everything is original so I don't want to be "the guy" who started modernizing it. I'll let you know how it goes and what the cost was.

http://tinyurl.com/cot3yo8

Thanks! B.

 

NICE truck!!!

 

Very nice truck! It is definately worth putting out a little cash to have the correct radio in that baby! I have the same one in my '60 that was in my '59 parts truck. If you can hear crackle, it might just be the speaker. They can be repaired as well as I did to mine. There are some good sites around that will walk you thru the process and even some tutorials on youtube about old speaker reair. What an info age we live in!

 

DANG!!!! That is one nice fridge truck! And a factory radio... Make sure it has an ipod hookup so you don't have to listen to todays 'new country' music. That way you can listen to some David Allen Coe. His dad sold used tires off his front porch for 3 bucks a piece. Now THAT'S country.....

 

IIRC, the radio is a hybrid. Half tubes and half (very, very early) transistors. I think the RF section is tubes and the audio amplification is transistor but I could have that backwards. It might take a bit to find it but I have a copy of Sam's Photofacts (kind of an early Chilton's for electronics) for the radio if anyone would like me to make them a copy.

Lou Manglass

 

Manglass, Yes I'd love a copy of that Photofacts. I've taken the radio out and yes it is a hybrid of tubes and transistors. Having that info will help my technician trouble shoot and repair.

Thanks! I've had a hell of a time finding info about this awesome old school radio.


Bill

 

I'd like a copy of the photofacts too if its not too much trouble...thanks!

 

I'll dig it up.

Lou Manglass

 

Old thread but good info. I picked up a stock radio that was broke. I cut the radio of the faceplate. I will have a hidden modern radio under the dash and when it is on the power antenna will power the light in the stock radio. That will give it the look of working radio

 

Coming from more of a radio guy than the truck angle, (do what ya want, jus sayin) it's nice to see (hear) the original radio. Don't see that very often because they were ripped out at some point and replaced. To me there isn't a whole lot worth listening to on FM radio, but there are times when a good old school AM radio is just right - like when tooling around in an old pickup on a gravel road, and click on WSM and maybe hear some old school music. Or listen to a baseball game at a park. I'm not a Luddite guys, just figuring with modern amps and mp3s and iPods there's no longer much technical reason to cannibalize the radio in there.

 

The one in My '59 was missing, I'd just be happy with one that doesn't work, just to fill the empty hole