The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay The Radio Bench *49 Pickup Radio*

When I bought my 49 it did not have a radio. I don't think my wife or I would ever use one much but I do need something to put in the hole. Couldn't find any old used radio's on eBay as I assume they are all snagged up for rebuild to get that high dollar. Just can't bring myself to pay $500+ for a repo or rebuilt one that will rarely get used. Don't want the delete. What are my other options?

"Don't want the delete."

"Don't want the "delete"?
What needs to be deleted, the dash cover plate?
That was not a delete.
That was the standard equipment, probably found in the vast majority of A0 trucks?

Modern options: buy the block-out/cover-plate and use a Cell-Phone/Satellite radio.

They sell a nice modern radio that fits nicely in the space. It comes with AM/FM and line input. The upgraded models have more features. It doesn't look like the original but is nicely styled. I think the model that I have seen advertised is called the USA 230.

Good/logical advice, as usual, truckernix.

Place a Radio Wanted Ad in the Swap Meet Forum.

I've seen people that have rigged up a stock face plate over a modern radio.

They were called a radio delete plate. I guess for the fellows that didn't want the radio. I don't want to use one of these.

It is/was called a radio control cover plate. A labelled illustration is in that Parts Manual.

That cover was standard equipment - the radio was an RPO or an Accessory.

I like the prices ☺

Now the wife says she wants a working radio. Go figure???

I'm at 12-volts and put my radio in the glove box. I considered hanging it out of sight back by the firewall and using the remote that came with the radio but that might have led to distracted driving trying to aim the remote.

I"m looking at this radio for my 49. Anyone have this one that could tell me about the quality? Thanks.

https://www.amazon.com/RetroSound-L...---&vehicleName=1949+Chevrolet+Truck

I bought the radio from the link I gave above. I guess I haven't bought a radio in so long I was expecting what I was use to seeing 40+ years ago. It's very small and cheaply made with all plastic knobs. It's like the old heath kits, you have to put some of it together. I stopped on this project to work on the new bucket seats I just bought. Trying to get the drivers side electric seat wired up.

I got mine for my 54 from Mongo's garage a member here, looks like an original but digital. my was 12volt so you would have to check on that and yes it around $500.00 but you can get a thing to play music from a memory stick. Or maybe one of these.

I purchased one of the units described in the link that We b Old provided. So far I am quite happy with it.

Ok....got my radio installed. After a dozen trial fits I finally got it the way I wanted. I got the knobs tight but there is a gap on the bottom side which I don't like but I saw no other way to get it to work.

That looks pretty good to me.

Nice work

Thanks

Ok guys.....need a little help. Keep in mind I know very little on the electrical side. Finally got around to wiring my radio up. I followed the instruction and it won't come on. Per the instructions I have the yellow wire coming from the radio going to a constant 12 volts on the fuse block acc 12 volts. I have the red wire coming from the radio going to ign on the fuse block. I tested the acc with a test light and it is always hot. I tested the ign on the fuse block and it's only hot when the key is on. There is a fuse on the radio and it's good. I took the yellow wire that is a constant 12 volts and ran it straight to the battery to make sure I was getting the proper voltage. I got nothing. I don't have the speakers or the antenna yet but didn't think I needed them just to see the radio light up. I'm I wrong about that? Either I'm not doing it right or the radio is bad.

It sounds like you have it all hooked up correctly. I would be careful testing it without a load on the speaker outputs. Did you get instructions with a contact to call?

I even replaced the fuse that came on the radio even though it wasn't blown. Guess I'll need to contact them on Monday. I'd hate to have to pull it all back out and send it back.

If your dash is finished out and painted then ignore the following. If not then we recess or "French" a modern radio into the dash because the after market kits all have the radio sticking out and give a knobby look. Photo is of a 49 3100.

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/Yh822bG8/dan-s-49-010.jpg[/img]

Mine is on a 49 3100 as well.

I just pulled the wiring harness off the back of the radio to check all the connections I made. They all looked good but I pulled it back apart and re-installed new butt connectors. I connected the ground wire directly to the battery and I've still got nothing. The only thing I can think of is the antenna may need to be connected. I don't think the speakers need to be connected just to get it to power up. I note to think about pulling this all back out of the truck.

The lack of speakers would not prevent a powerup. The instructions with the radio I bought say to make sure that if not all four speaker outputs are going to be used, make sure the unused ones are protected from shorting. For many years with solid state electronic amplifiers, it could be fatal to the electronics if it was powered up without loads on the speaker outputs. This doesn't seem to be the case with my unit.

Do you have a dedicated ground wire for the radio? is it connected?

Yup. Also tried running the ground straight to the negative battery post.

Got my problem resolved. It's what we call in the trade "Operator Error". After calling RetroSound support they said to send it back and they could check it out. I pulled the radio out of the truck and started checking things. The only thing left was the front face of the radio and that's where the issue was. I remember back in January when I put the radio together the front face was very tight when I did a dry run. I guess I never took it back apart to connect the ribbon. That was the issue so lesson learned. Up and running.

Now that I have my new radio up and running I'm wanting to put a set of the in-dash speakers in the original location. I know they are not the greatest but my wife and I probably won't lesson to the radio that much anyway. I just want it to be a working unit and not just for show. Anyone use these speakers before and did they fit in the original location behind the speaker grill? Looks like they fit in-between the radio and the dash and no support at the bottom. The one I'm showing comes from https://www.classiccarstereos.com/k...-bracketed-dual-dash-mount-speaker.html.

They look pretty good to me. The Kenwood name used to be a top brand . Thanks for doing the research. I might get them too! I wouldn't think you would experience much of the stereo affect but that doesn't really matter.

I ordered the Kenwood in dash speaker. I only want to pull the radio one more time so I wanted to wait on this until I ordered the new glove box door and speaker grille which are now on order as well.

I received my Kenwood speakers today. Something came in early finally. My last order was like 30 days from Amazon. The speakers looked to be of good quality. My new speaker grille and glove box door are due in on Thursday so everything will be installed then.

Got everything in today and installed. Still need to get an antenna, just not sure what I'm going to do yet.

I found a short rubber antenna locally today. I mounted it under the truck to one of the seat bolts. Ran the cable up through the floor, under the passengers seat, then under the carpet up to the firewall to the radio. Worked out great and the radio sound good.

I've had a few PM's about the radio and speakers I purchased and the install. I just wanted to let everyone know that is following this thread that my radio does work as it should with no issues but I don't want anyone to think this is a great radio system for these old trucks. So.....if you are a music lover and listen to your radio in your truck a lot this may not be the best choice. While driving the sound quality is not all that great. The in dash speakers are plenty loud enough it's just not your high end sound one might be looking for. Like I said previously.....my wife and I very rarely listen to the radio while we are out for a drive or headed to a cruise-in. I just wanted the radio to work and not just be a show piece stuck in the dash.

Thanks for sharing all the details. This is great information for all of us to have.

A couple of aesthetic things.
You may be able to resolve the gaps from the ill-fitting knob bezels by getting some stock ones.
You can hide the speakers from showing through the speaker grill by installing metal window screen, painted black, to the back side of the grill slots. That is what was done with original radios.

52Carl,
Thanks man. Never really think about the knobs anymore and nobody has noticed it. Using window screen is a good idea. The wife and I kinda like the looks of the speakers showing through. I guess everyone's preference is different.

I have an antenna mounted under the dash does well on local stations but I only use it to pick up an unused signal for my sd card player.This is one.. Mine is mounted on the a/c controls and vents
under the dash.