hey guys, i need a little help please....my mother in law has a original 51 chieftain...it has the original radio in the dash with the one speaker grill in the middle of the dash....BUT it doesnt work. me and my wife are wanting to get her xm or a ipod dock type setup for her to listen to some tunes while driving the car. she wants to leave it original.....is there anything out there that we can use that doesnt require changing out the original radio? we dont mind changing out the speaker behind the grill...but want to retain the radio in the dash...any help would be greatly appreciated!!!! thanks in advance
Put an amplifier under the seat, with a cable running up to plug the ipod into. Put speakers somewhere you can't see them....under the seat might work if there's room. Leave the original stuff alone, it is now "art"
does the amp supply the power then, is that what your saying? like a radio would do? and yes, i am planning on putting a newer style speaker, 6 x 9 or 8 behind the grill where the original speaker is now....
The amp amplifies the signal, so you can get "real" sound out of it. There really is no need to put speaker in the original speaker grille. You can if you want...but it's a hassle. And there's only one, so you might need to bridge the amp.
You need a tuner (radio) for xm radio. And it will be in stereo, so at least two speakers are required. You can hide everything and control it remotely.
You may want to check out Custom AutoSound Secret Audio SST Radio System: http://shop.corvettemikemidwest.com/custom-autosound-secret-audio-sst-radio-system/ "Hideaway 200 Watt AM/FM CD controller with USB MP3/WMA Flash Drive, iPod interface and more. Featuring “RF” (radio frequency) remote control. Ideal for Streetrods, Classics, Customs or any Vehicle!"
I remember Ryan doing a trick install that I did in my poncho. Amp under seat, cable to glove box for ipod, and volume knob is one of my old knobs on dash. Do a search Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Hi my son built me a low buck system, he took all the internals out of my original radio that didnt work and installed a mini amp (available on ebay for less than $10 item no 200932326781 or simular ), used the old radio on/off switch to power it up , all this was then wired to a booster amp in the trunk which powers 4x hidden speakers Also he wired in a point to a docking station hidden in the ashtray that I just push my ipod into, all this is controlled by a tiny remote control that I stick on a magnet hidden on the underside of the dash. All the components used cost very little and were sourced from ebay or good electrical store, it all works great and because its all hidden away from theiving eyes it looks like you have Jack shit to steal (providing you take your ipod out ) Cheers Dave
Amp and and two speakers anywhere you can hide them 3.5mm to RCA adapter and hook your mp3 or smart phone to it. Or one of these I have put two of these in now. Dont believe the wattage but will run a pair of 6 inch speakers fine. The remote is line of sight and the radio sucks but the sd/usb and mp3 work great.
the ipod choice would be the way to go if you don't want to add an FM radio somewhere in the car because the satellite radio "head" (thinking here something like the sportster 4 model (sirius) transmits to an FM level frequency. personally, i used the hidden audio stuff on a 72 el camino several years ago. i hid the main unit behind the seat back (you can certainly put it under the seat, up under the dash or in the trunk, etc) and the "head" unit in the glove box. they are flexible enough with their configurations to to use either a satellite radio module or ipod type device connections. there are quite a few companies out there that will take your original radio and put modern electronics in the case using the original dial face, knobs etc to retain the OEM look, but give you modern radio technology. remember that regardless of what direction you go in you need to be conscious of the fact that your 51 has a 6 volt electrical system (unless it has been upgraded over the years). unless you are lucky enough to find someone still making 6 volt stuff that will work for your application you will need some type of step up transformer to get the 6 volts up to 12 to power whatever it is you are going to use.
good call on the 6 volt thing....it is original not converted...i didnt think about that...thanks!!!!
If you are still thinking about adding XM, go to daBay and get one of the older units. The FCC made them cut the power on the FM transmitter, and the new ones won't overcome a medium strength radio station, must less a strong one. The newer ones come with a goofy wire that you have to put on your AM/FM antenna to make the radio even pick up the signal. I've had XM since about a year after they came out, and have went through several radios in the truck. The older Delphi units are probably the best, with the Audiovox a close second. Last one I bought was a Delphi Roady XT, it's a POS compared to the older models. I constantly have to change the FM station because the signal keeps getting drowned out. I will be looking for me a Delphi SkiFi for my next one. You can still find them new sometimes.
This outfit has dealers that do conversions of original radios nationwide. http://www.radiosforoldcars.com/dealerslookupF.htm The original radio in my wifes 50 Chevy has been done. You would need a separate satellite tuner and a converter to run the radio 12Volts if you want full power from it but it would be the original radio with AM/FM stero with IPod input.
Not all XM units use an FM transmitter. I have an Onyx. It has a transmitter but can also use an auxiliary input. It does require a small dock though. But the nice thing is the unit can go anywhere. I have a dock at home all my cars the shop and work. Sent via Illinois Bell Telephone Company's Car Radiotelephone
I'll add one more thing.... Satellite radio isn't particularly cheap. You used to be able to buy a 'lifetime' subscription, but not anymore. They also suffer from 'tree fade' and some weather conditions will disrupt reception. I've got one in my new car, and I wasn't impressed; I didn't continue when my 'free trial' ran out. Plus I thought their programming really sucked (music). But I'm in an area with lots of choices (Seattle/Tacoma), if you're somewhere with little radio choice it may be an improvement.
^^^Tell them you want the best deal possible. They will come back with a bs number. Ask them about the $25 a year subscription offers you receive. Then you'll get the $25 a year price they are not authorized to offer that price but have to give it when requested. I found this out when I was going to cancel last year if I couldn't get it cheaper. I've had it for six years. Sent via Illinois Bell Telephone Company's Car Radiotelephone
I like my Sirius radio quite a bit... Listen to it everyday (I really hate ads!). My summer truck is slightly off topic, it's a '69 Chevy 1 ton pickup. It still has the stock AM radio... What I did was to hook up an old 70's FM converter to pickup the XM signal. Then I mounted the XM unit down underneath the dash, where it's not visible... I just use a remote to change the channels. Of course, this doesn't really work for you if the radio doesn't work... Have you tried hooking it to another speaker? Putting in an amp and everything else works I guess... But I like to be able to reach over and turn the volume up and down using the original radio still. Plus, everything I did can be reversed in a few minutes.
Here's Ryan's thread on putting an ipod and an amp in his '39. If you used an iphone instead of an ipod you could get radio too. When I first saw this I thought it was brilliant... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=11082
Shhhhhhhh.................................................. I don't think iPods and MP3s are Traditional. Probably should resign your mom and others to AM stations and tube type radios. Single rear speaker with optional fader and/or reverb unit acceptable................................................. Oh, it's Okay!!!! Ryan likes it! Just kidding Ryan. Just strikes me as amusing that we all have our 'acceptable exceptions'.
One cool thing about XM is they have a channel called "Radio Classics". It's the radio programs everybody listened to before TV took over, comedys, dramas, variety programs, things people listened to at home and in their cars [if they had a car radio]. Nothing more traditional than listening to a 1930's through 1950's episode of "The Shadow" or "Fibber Mcgee and Molly" in your traditional ride!
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