Yes speaker sizes have been standardized since before the old tube truck radios A 6x9 is what the radios use in the old trucks The ford speakers are identical The radio manufactures don’t make speakers You buy a speaker and stamp “gm original parts” or fomoco onto it to make it your own lol However if you want the oem style speaker and you have a broken rotten one they can be rebuilt to perfect original specs to keep it authentic I have some photos in other posts about some of that kind of work -s
I have not been able to find a source for new 6x9 speakers that fit those radios. Generally I find that the new ones have a steeper angle on the frame holding the magnet and the magnet has a large diameter. The result is that the speaker interferes with the chassis. I have used a smaller speaker, I think they were 6x8, that were used in later Fords. Some years ago the truck parts vendors were selling 6x9 speakers that fit.
Yeah that’s a good point modern speakers have large magnets that could be a fit issue Then pick up an old one on eBay or a junk yard and fix it up best you can or ask someone to help you out to rebuild one that fits The speaker exchange website people usually can source any parts you need even if not listed in their website. -s
I read your posts of the amazing rebuild on your radio including the speaker. I admire what you did there. I just bought a radio and opened it up. A previous owner had installed a 6x9. The magnet actually touches the chassis and the back structure behind the cone had been cut out in order to clear. Quite a rigged up deal.
Cutting the speaker frame a little isn't a bad thing if it can be done without causing distortion of the cone or suspension. The two styles of radios that served the trucks from 1947 to 1953 have diferent chassis designs and the clearance challenges with the speaker are slightly different.
Most of the capacitors have been replaced too. It just might work after I have an antenna and power it up. It’s a 986067 so I need to disassemble it to paint the escutcheon and replace the dial plate with a GMC. That would be a good time to install a different speaker. I wish I had an original. It would be a nice project to rebuild one.
One of our members had a speaker reconed last year. He found someone who actually still does that. It is sort of a lost art and requires special supplies to do the job.
You can test your radio without an antenna, just by using a piece of hook up wire Just take a length of about six feet, bare about 1/4" and insert it into the center of the antenna jack.
Unfortunately yes The tuning assembly must be pulled out from inside the radio housing to get to those dial face parts But if you are careful it doesn’t not require disconnecting anything soldered im fairly sure but I maybe mistake. -s
I don't believe that you need to pull the radio apart to trmove the bezel. You should be able to see and access the screws holding it in place from the front. The replacement dial has a transfer on the inside of the plastic. It takes the patience to disassemble and reassemble those parts. The escutcheons are the little teardrop peices that go on the front of the dash, To remove them, pull the knobs off.
I’ve been using the word incorrectly. It looks like the bezel will come off without tuner removal if there are no nuts that would drop off when the screws are removed.
Unless I’m misunderstanding the question The red plastic part that holds the dial face will not fit through the hole in the chassis It has wings where the screws hold it into the tuner assembly You must remove the knobs Remove the nuts behind the knobs and push the whole assembly out the rear Then you can access the screws on each side of the dial face plastic
Photos of the screw area and where the housing Infront and no space to pull it out -s
ToomanyTrucks, is that the slant back model? I have the later model here and definitely you can remove the bezel without opening the case.
The screws that hold the bezel are mounted in tapped holes, no nuts involved.
One thing I would like to mention. The new dial that I have purchased has the thin plastic film on the lense and the end continues over one end. I think there is an identifying mark on the extra. The first time I saw this I thought it was a protective cover. As I proceeded to pull it off I found out that it was the dial!
Oh yeah if you have the later radio that is not the slant one that dial face may be able to come out That would be an improvement But OP said they have the slant back style radio like in my photos so they will have to pull it apart 986067 Model
There are no nuts behind the tiny screws They thread into the metal behind the dial face plastic -s
This one is a 986967 with slant back. The chassis has cut outs on either side for the Bezel wing screws. You can also see a large screw head and a small screw head on each end of the bezel. There are also two small screw heads visible on the bottom of the bezel.
The two large screws are what hold the bezel in place. The tiny screws hold the dial components together. Sometimes some of the tiny screws hang up on the metal structure inside. I think it is the side ones that I am thinking about. I have distorted the bezel slightly to free it or even removed them to free the bezel.
With regards to the static, if the station signals are weak, the radio gain automatically cranks up and you then hear the background noise as static. With strong signals there is a marked difference. Of course there are other things that can create static.
Thanks guys. I removed all eight visible screws and removed the bezel. I can see what the tiny screws were for now. If the light bulb is good I shouldn’t have to remove the tuner.
Well that’s new to me Today I learned not all first gen radios are identical The notch on the front to allow the dial face removal is definitely not there on the few units I have like in my photos Neat
The bottom spacers for mounting can be purchased as reproductions, but those are the easy ones to make I’m not near them now to measure but if I recall they are about 1/2 thick, you could start at 1/2 and add washers until you like the fit Then make a new one that is the length you desire
I am going to guess that there is a way of replacing the bulb without removing the tuner. I think you will find that the socket is on some kind of slide on clip.
Those definitely are not the correct knobs. I have found that the reproduction knobs sometimes have faulty or missing clips inside. I have made new ones from the spring steel of carburetor clips. The smaller spacers go between the radio and the dash and the teardrops goon the outside.
Original set screw knobs in Decent condition are super rare I have like 4-5 only and it took me about 12 years to collect that many without shelling out eBay prices for a whole radio just for knobs
I have a friend who made 3D printed replacements using originals as an example He made them accept a brass insert that contains the set screw and the tone knob had a laser cut stainless insert to grab the control shaft I regret only having a few printed, next time I’ll pay him to make so so many for all of us bolters. -s
That is an example of the amazing creations that can be done with modern technology. I saw an article where they made knobs for the dash of a very rare 50s car.
The original speaker for my 50 - 53 Chevy Truck radio was torn and dry rotted, I purchased an aftermarket 6x9 speaker off Ebay, speaker was the right size but was too thick. The radio cabinet lid would not close no matter what. I then decided to look online for a vender that could rebuild and recone my original. Found a guy on Ebay that provides this service, the sellers username is utrecone. Contact him, he did a fantastic job and his fee was very reasonable. He charged me approx 65.00 plus shipping I believe. That was about a year ago.
