Best radio for a 49 Merc dash?

I want to update my radio in my Merc. I have a 49 Merc dash. What's a good one to look into?

 

I'd keep my stock radio and put a new one in the glove box or under the dash. I think new stereos ruin the looks of an old car...DON'T DO IT!!!

 

You are right, accept, I don't have an original 49 radio.

 

HA HA! Neither do I,LOL....I've been looking for a nice one,just to fill the hole. I actually plan on putting mine behind the speaker grill,so you can't see it. I saw a really nice one on E-bay,but couldn't see paying $250 for a radio that doesn't work! DUMBASS...should have bought it,HA HA!

 

i would have to agree.. nothing fills the stock hole like the original..

 

My buddy had his stock 49 Merc radio converted to 12 volt AM/FM, then hid a remote 6 disc CD player.
Jack

 

These guys don't list one for a 49-51, but it might be worth a call.

http://www.casmfg.com/Lincoln_Mercury.htm

 

Most guys are skipping the radio all together and running an iPOD(or other player) directly to an amp and speakers.

 

I found a guy who restored my stock tube radio, but added a very unobtrusive jack, so I can plug my ipod into the radio. Maintains stock dash look, and that old tube sound, but I don't have to be limited to what I can find on AM. I love it.

 

IMO I can't see settling for cutting up a dash for lack of stock radio. Its gonna ruin the whole appeal of a 49 Merc dash. Spend the cash you woulda spent on a CD player on a non working Merc one and I'll give you a CD player, haha.

 

Thanks guys. I think you all talked me into finding an original 49 radio and hiding a cd player under the dash. Appreciate it.

 

Ebay vintage. Reverb man!

 

Hey if you want to PM me, I can hook you up with someone who has a 49 (or did last week) radio converted to higher 4 speaker power with auxillary in (ipod or whatnot) and am/fm, but I think it was around the $6xx mark.

 

Mine has a radio delete option (option? or lack there of? who knows). A couple of cheap plastic plugs over the dial holes. Pretty cool when you could get a car any way you wanted it back then

 

did Mercs come with factory installed radios or did they do it at the dealer?

Chevys came without and radios were dealer installed for 49-50. I came across 70 radio delete plates from an old chevy dealer a while back. they just tossed the deletes in a box when they put the radio in and kept them for 50 years.

 

Not sure. I am new to Mercs, and hardly a historian . I'm sure there's someone that can answer that.

 

I bought a radio delete plate from Ebay for the DeSoto and put AM/FM/CD in a floor console I made. Console also has gauges and Siruis Radio.
Jack