Vintage Electronics

[Mike Szadaj]

The "Who is still rockin' a turntable" thread has amassed a good number of replies, while being hijacked quite a lot. This title can be used for a large variety of subjects without anyone worrying about going off subject.
I plan on having several operating 8 track players for my R/T. By using the theft prevention brackets on all of them, I can switch from one style to another easily, in addition to having the option of no player under the dash when legroom is at a premium. Here is one of the players. It has a couple of rare features. This player can be used with 4 or 8 track tapes, hence the name Stereo 48. It has a thumbwheel labeled Fine Tuning that adjusts the playback head up and down to eliminate crosstalk. There is a switch on the back to change between positive or negative ground.
The other player, while very similar in looks, also has an FM radio incorporated. I think it's cool the way the radio dial is part of the cartridge door.
I picked both of them up at estate sales. The top one looks practically unused. I have several more (than I hate to admit) home and car players and recorders.

 

[JimCoronette]

Here is my 1967 Tenna Ranger Stereo 48. I got it on eBay. My Dad used to have one that he would swap as he sold his cars. I even scored a nice Patty Page 8 track that he used to play all the time.

 

[Mike Szadaj]

Nice. You don't see many 8 track players with the common right and left radio type knob arrangement. Do you know if yours will play 4 track cartridges? Does yours have the Fine Tuning dial? I have a Tenna Ranger also. It is a 4 and 8 track player. This one is basically the same as the first one I posted except for the name on the upper right.

 

[Mike Szadaj]

Here is one that has the more traditional knob arrangement. I have not figured out the origins of this player. With the Mopar logo on it, I am inclined to believe it was a dealer sold item. Anybody ever see one? It is lower end in that there is no cover for the cartridge slot, and no track indicator. It weighs a ton because of instead of the more common sheet metal case this one is made of cast material.

 

[Suregrip391]

I have some old 8 track players if anyone is interested. One is a cassette/8 track converter

 

[Billccm]

Here is one that has the more traditional knob arrangement. I have not figured out the origins of this player. With the Mopar logo on it, I am inclined to believe it was a dealer sold item. Anybody ever see one? It is lower end in that there is no cover for the cartridge slot, and no track indicator. It weighs a ton because of instead of the more common sheet metal case this one is made of cast material.

View attachment 944668

Automatic radio made quite a few MOPAR and DELCO labelled radios, stereos, reverbs, 8 tracks, etc, etc. I often wondered why GM and Chrysler never went after the company as Automatic Radio products were competing with Mopar and Delco products. Automatic Radio eventually merged with Kraco and most of their stuff was Sanyo, or Panasonic sourced.

 

[JimCoronette]

Here is one that has the more traditional knob arrangement. I have not figured out the origins of this player. With the Mopar logo on it, I am inclined to believe it was a dealer sold item. Anybody ever see one? It is lower end in that there is no cover for the cartridge slot, and no track indicator. It weighs a ton because of instead of the more common sheet metal case this one is made of cast material.

View attachment 944668

That is a LearJet player. The company that invented the 8-track. It's relabeled for Mopar.

I've been looking for one for a while.

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

I need to go through some totes. I have a Pioneer car component system some where

 

[JimCoronette]

I need to go through some totes. I have a Pioneer car component system some where

The 8 track and cassette Supertuners are bringing some good money these days.

 

[Mike Szadaj]

For those who are not familiar with 4 tracks, here is a 4 track player and a 4 track cartridge. The 4 track format was the precursor to the 8 track. From the front the cartridge could be mistaken for an 8 track. Viewed from the back, however, a hole is seen that is absent in an 8 track. While 8 tracks had the pinch roller incorporated in the cartridge, 4 tracks did not. The pinch roller was a part of the player, and flipped up into that hole when the cartridge was inserted into the player to hold the tape against the capstan. While 8 tracks had 4 programs, you can see on the back label that 4 tracks only had 2. Other than those differences, the 2 formats were basically the same, using an endless loop for the recorded tape. Stereo cassette tapes also use 4 tracks, 2 for stereo audio on side A, and 2 tracks for side B. There must be something missing from this player, as the cartridge opening is much too big to hold the cartridge in place. If anyone can enlighten me about this I would appreciate it. It has an unusual switch for track change. Instead of the common push button it uses a rocker switch.

 

[Mike Szadaj]

Switching gears from the 8 tracks, here are a couple radios from my collection. The blue Crosley is one of a few models that are nicknamed Dashboard Radios for their resemblance to 50's and 60's dashboards. This radio, as with many other clock radios, has an outlet on the side so you could set the clock to turn on a coffee pot, or any appliance, before you woke up. The portable is a "boy's radio". In the era these were made, any radio with less than 3 transistors was designated a toy instead of a radio for import tax and tariff purposes. These levies were much lower for toys versus radios, allowing them to be sold in the US at reduced prices. However because of the 2 transistor circuitry, reception was poor, hence the telescoping antenna on an AM only radio.

 

[Photon440]

Still got my Pioneer KP-500. I bought it in 1977, thought I'd skip the 8-tracks everyone else had.

The dial looks nice at night...

 

[Xp29h]

Still got my Pioneer KP-500. I bought it in 1977, thought I'd skip the 8-tracks everyone else had.

I used to have that some model in my 73 Charger SE!

It Was awesome!

 

[YY1]

Don't make me break out my nixie tube frequency counter......

Oh, wait. I donated that to the local tech school since I was running out of space to store all my crap.
I should see if they'll grant me a visitation.

I still have the analog freq generator that I got at the same time.

 

[Billccm]

I have almost all of the zenith Transoceanic series. Don't have the first or last, but all in between. This one is my favorite both in looks and performance.

 

[JimCoronette]

Switching gears from the 8 tracks, here are a couple radios from my collection. The blue Crosley is one of a few models that are nicknamed Dashboard Radios for their resemblance to 50's and 60's dashboards. This radio, as with many other clock radios, has an outlet on the side so you could set the clock to turn on a coffee pot, or any appliance, before you woke up. The portable is a "boy's radio". In the era these were made, any radio with less than 3 transistors was designated a toy instead of a radio for import tax and tariff purposes. These levies were much lower for toys versus radios, allowing them to be sold in the US at reduced prices. However because of the 2 transistor circuitry, reception was poor, hence the telescoping antenna on an AM only radio.

View attachment 944898 View attachment 944899

Alone with UTG YouTube vids, I'm hooked on Mr. Carlson's lab, essentially the UT of electronics.
I'm trying to amass a small electronics lab to restore tube radios.
Curently, I'm jonesin' a vintage Arvin.

 

[wahya]

Anybody use cb radios anymore.

 

[YY1]

Occasionally.

I have a 1977 40 CH Midland I used to use regularly until the mid 1990's

...and an early 70's 23 CH RCA that came in my Satellite.


Plus a Midland base station that I couldn't pass up for $5 at a thrift shop.

 

[Mike Szadaj]

Don't make me break out my nixie tube frequency counter......

That I would like to see.

I have almost all of the zenith Transoceanic series.

The Transoceanic, or TO, radios were a mainstay of the Zenith radio line from 1942 till 1981. The early models were tube operated, then in 1957 the first transistorized TOs came out. The battery for some models is shown. It provided separate 90 volt and 9 volt supplies. Also shown is the integrated instructions, short wave station list, and log book. The first picture shows the "Wavemagnet" detachable antenna. When separated from the radio it could be situated for best reception. It came with suction cups to stick it on a window or wall. This ability to position the antenna was very important for good shortwave reception. Shown are 2 others, the box antenna from a wood floor console, and the other from a portable. I have always been a fan of the various Zenith Wavemagnet graphics.

 

[YY1]

All of the CRT TVs I ever bought in my life except the very last one I bought for my mom (an early Samsung) were Zeniths.