The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk stereo ideas out there?

Any cool ideas out there for sounds? I went with a smooth dash in my '53, so restoration type in-dash units are out. I like the idea of the "Secret Audio" system, with the small control head you could mount in the dash, and the main unit maybe under the bench seat. But frankly it looks a little out-of-date now, what with MP3, iPod, satellite radio and all that other stuff integrated into car audio in modern in-dash units. Interested to hear about what some of you have done.

mine is installed in the dash grill, had to cut it but then these grills are not that expensive to replace if I want to later on. some mount them inside the glove box, under the dash, a lot of places,, good luck with yours...you might clink on my site and view the 9th pix under redryder photos..Fred

i will be mounting mine under the dash, a newer head unit just doesn't look right in the middle of that dash. for speakers: a set of 6.5" component speakers in the kick panels and a 10" subwoofer behind the seat where the gas tank used to be. rear speakers are not necessary when there is no back seat.

An installation that is getting more common now is on the upper (inside) of the drivers side sun visor. That way it's invisible until you flip the visor down.

Brian

now that is clever,,,,as long as I have sound that is all that matters, have one of those old fashion ones where you can just detach and bring the deal in the house...looks pretty at night with it all lit up........just play something country and bring in on...........makes no matter to me where you put it.Fred

On my brother in laws Falcon - he set up a CD/MP3 in the glove box and used a "signal repeater" with the remote to operate it. Most of the stereo remotes will not work through a steel glovebox door, so the repeater mounts under the dash, its a small little "eye" and you point your remote at that. The repeater has a transmitter that flashes the infrared signal at the stereo which is wired in to mount inside the glove box. You would never know the system was installed and it only cost about $20 to wire it in.

There is nothing but an original vintage radio.
My 41 had the original radio in it and was working
...well on AM and the stations don`t realy deliver the kind of music (Western-Swing/Bluegrass) I want to hear.

So how to get Bob Wills and the Cox Family in the vintage Radio?

The solution was a I-Pod (or any similar device like cd player) and a mini AM short range radio transmitter. Everything is in the glove box. I recive the music from the I-Pod over the mini radio transmitter and my original antenna in the original radio. So I have my own mobile radio station.

If the guy next to me at the traffic light is lucky he also get`s some fine Joe Maphis songs

Frank

Great thread! I've been going back and forth on what to do about a radio which must fit in the original oval hole. I’d prefer just AM/FM stereo… cassette technology is going away and I'm not a big CD person... besides my sons tell me I can just use an ipod or something anyways.

On the one hand I really like the look of an old radio that's been updated for my must-have FM. But from what I've seen/heard they can't be programmed so you have to turn the dial from station to station...a real pain when you're trying to keep the old bolt on the road!

But then again, I haven't heard too many folks that are satisfied with the new radios out there... and it seems that everyone sells the same radios, i.e., Custom AutoSound.

I’ve already wired the cab for rear speakers... I'm not sure about the kickpanel speakers I've seen out there.

Just got this reply to my inquiry at Tayman...

Mark,

After receiving your message, along with numerous other inquiries within the last few days, I’ve decided to go to stovebolt.com and see what’s being said!

Since there have indeed been a large number of inquiries, it might be of interest to the group if I posted a message explaining what’s available. However I’m not registered, so possibly you can forward the text:

It appears there has been a lot of discussion about radios recently for these trucks, as I’ve been receiving plenty of inquiries lately. For this reason I thought I’d share some information about what’s out there. Bear in mind that, although I’m a dealer, this isn’t meant to be an ad – my name has already been brought up. I simply want to explain what’s available, and you’re free to take it from there.

Basically the trucks fall into three categories when it comes to radios. The first is the 47-53 series. The Chevy and GMC radios are identical to each other, except for the model number and the logo on the dial. Yes, one is positive ground and the other negative, but the radio is designed to work either way. These radios are fairly rare and expensive to come by, simply because only a small percentage of these trucks have them. From 47 through 49, the trucks were not offered with radios, but starting in 1950, you could go to your Chevy/GMC dealer and have one installed in your 47-49 vehicle. Even after 1950, trucks were considered work vehicles and most did not have radios.

Because of the rarity, radios in good condition go for a premium price. I receive a lot of radios, along with new knobs, bezels, speaker gaskets, etc., with instructions to clean it up and convert it to stereo. When all is said and done you may have paid well over $1,000 – but the end result is a really neat radio. I’ve seen all sorts of substitutes, but in these trucks nothing compares to that ivory/maroon finish! I’m not normally a fan of plastic, but I’ll admit these are some of my favorite radios.

AAR has recently begun building new AM/FM stereos that look like the original. The price is $550 which at first seems a bit steep, but compared to purchasing and converting a radio, is far less expensive. If you already have a radio, the conversion may be the better alternative.

Custom Autosound makes new stereos that fit these trucks, but in my opinion that chrome radio simply doesn’t fit the décor! I want to see that ivory and maroon finish! When I became a CAS dealer years ago, I wasn’t crazy about the stereos – but I LOVED the DVC speakers.(more on that in a minute). The good news is that CAS has vastly improved their product line, with better quality stereos and more reliable construction. I’ll sell them now – I wouldn’t before. However although they’re greatly improved, they still don’t measure up to the performance of the AAR conversion or stereo radios. Still, if you’re a bit tight on your budget and don’t exactly have $550 jingling in your pocket, it’s an alternative.

Regarding speakers: by far the best product CAS has ever come up with is their dual voice coil speaker. This is not the dual 3” speakers; it is a full size woofer with two tweeters. When installed in a conversion or mounted separately on a bracket, it makes for a very nice sounding radio. Remember those early 50’s Buicks? This speaker has the same heavy tone and feel.

Now for the 54-55 (early) trucks. The radios no longer have pushbuttons. Why? Remember these are work vehicles, which get dirty in the mud and are heavily exposed to the elements. The opening for pushbuttons allowed for dirt and corrosion to get inside the radio, and it was decided that sealed manual versions were more reliable. Kinda sucks today, but that’s how it is. New radios are available for these trucks, with a little better price -- $499.95. Of course an original radio can be converted. For speakers there’s good and bad news – a 6x9 DVC won’t fit with an original radio. I’m not sure if it will using a new radio. However the new radios have speaker arrays available, with two 4x6 speakers. It seems with such a small opening, a Custom Autosound might look good in there – but guess what? CAS stereos aren’t available for these.

For the later trucks, new radios are available and originals can be converted. CAS stereos are also available. Once again, I’m not certain if DVC speakers will fit with the original radios, but if you have one of these trucks, and are interested, take a look behind the dash. Imagine a speaker the same size as the original, but with a much larger magnet on the back. If there’s room, it will fit.

I hope this clarifies everyone’s questions. If anyone wants to know more, I’ll be happy to answer any further questions you may have. My e-mail is gtayman@gate.net.

Gary Tayman/Tayman Electrical
Sound Solutions For Classic Cars
http://taymanelectrical.com

Thanks for sharing Gary's email Mark! I was one of the inquires to Gary and he's been very responsive and willing to share info. I especially liked his comment here that Custom Autosounds quality has improved. I'll have to take another looksee at them.

Thanks for sharing Gary's email Mark! I was one of the inquires to Gary and he's been very responsive and willing to share info. I especially liked his comment here that Custom Autosounds quality has improved. I'll have to take another looksee at them.

This is what I'm doing in the '53:
[img]http://www.whizzerick.com/mp3_setup.jpg[/img]

The Ipod fits very well in the ashtray.
It looks like it was designed to hold an MP3 player

Thanks Mark/Gary -- Sounds like a good Tech Tip to me

Regards,
John

Wow.
I never thought I'd bring my knowledge of this subject to these forums...

I'm currently working on another project: a full-fledged computer in my Toyota Tacoma. I'm part of a forum that caters specifically to these sorts of installations.

If you're going to do an iPod-to-stereo type of connection, there are a couple alternatives:

• iRiver (and similar) are FM transmitters. Basically you tune your FM radio and receive a signal from the iPod (or other mp3 player). These are notoriously lousy. There are two types of Fm modulator: wired and unwired. The wired modulator plug in-line with the antenna. The sound quality is better, but it's still not the ideal solution.
• Casette adapters. Remember the ones that would allow your portable CD player to play in your car? They can be used for an MP3 player. This is currently what I use in my Toyota. The sound is as good as cassette can reproduce. There are also hacks that can be made to the cassette player to improve sound quality and hiding wires, but this is only if you'll never use the cassette player for anything else.
• Stereo with AUX inputs. A lot of aftermarket stereos have the capability to add an external audio source. They are typically used for DVD players or console games or mp3 players. This is going to offer the best sound quality. It's also pretty simple to hook up. If you find the right headunit, you can even rename the AUX input to iPod or MP3s or something else. Usinig some stealthy wiring, putting the charger device in the ashtray is a very viable option.
• Music Keg, aka Kenwood KHD-C710. It's basically a hard drive that holds MP3s and works like a CD changer to many Kenwood models.

If you're completely geeky, like me, you can just install a computer in your truck and go without any sort fo traditional headunit...
If anyone has any curiosity at all about doing the digital thang, I'd recommend two resources:


O\'Reilly\'s Car PC Hacks is an awesome volume that gives examples of what can be done using a computer in a vehicle. There's a section devoted to music players and outlines what some of you would like to accomplish.

mp3car.com is a website devoted to car PC enthusiasts (such as myself). There's a wealth of information in the forums if you have patience and the ability to filter out the B.S.

Oddly enough, our plan for our '54 is to make it the un-wired vehicle.

Lots of good stuff! With my '55 1st. I kinda like the radio delete look and don't want to cut into the dsah,. What I want to do is use my Sirius sat radio, I can transmit via a run of the mill little battery operated radio which I just keep in the glove compartment when I'm not using it. What I would like to do is get an accessory plus wired up to my 12 volt system so I'll have power for the sat radio, which I don't know how to do. Sat radio is well worth the 11 bucks a month, I got it so I could listen to the Packers play on the radio but enjoy it at home and in my other cars it has whatever you want hear and then some!
Take care,
pjdee

Man, oh, man, my heads hurtin'! All I'm wanting is a nice stereo radio! You guys are way over the top! WOW!

I recently put a CustomAutosound (dimensions for AD's in my truck and what a pile of crap. Not only does the plug at the back of the unit come loose all the time causing the speakers to short out, but a couple days ago I lost all my preprogrammed stations (as if I pulled the constant power wire).

Nevertheless, I've had these frickin' speaker holes in my doors for the past 15 years and finally decided to put them to good use.

Though I am so use to not having music in my truck, it's nice to have when I'm in one of those moods.

IPod in the ashtray? Now that's COOL.
Or maybe I'm a geek too.
But I don't smoke, so why not?

mark.

I'm thinking of wiring up my '53 with toys. Or not. I could go either way at this point. I've been tracking the elusive car/computer mix for years.

Chevy3100: IR signal repeater. Great idea. That's just what I need! Thanks.

What I was kind of thinking about doing in my truck was to build a Tube amp and mount it somewhere in the cab, and plug my iPod into it.

I may purchase an old head unit (alpine or something) for a radio, and mount it in the glovebox.

I haven't completely decided yet, and i'm a long way from doing anything along these lines, anyway.

Somebody chewed a hole in the dash of my '46 1/2 ton to use an old school "remote head".. instead of using wires to connect it to the radio it used SPEEDOMETER CABLES..

The left over hole is jagged and nasty.. it's either replace the entire dash, or do something different..

I'm thinking i'll put a 6x6 TFT touch sensitive screen in the hole, tied to a laptop computer mainboard.. that way I can run MP3, Video, GPS, monitor fuel, oil pressure, engine temp, RPM's outside air temp, the whole ball of wax from that screen.

While i'm at it I could tie in the heater controls in the unit, too.

Then i'd have to make a "screen saver" that blended in with the dash "ribs".

It beats havin' that jagged hole in the dash.

Now that I have some higher gears in my 48, I could actually hear a nice radio. I am going to by a radio box and install it behind my speaker grill. I will make it hinge down like the glove box. I think that a cd player will operate remotely through the speaker grill without having to open it to change functions. I havent thought about where to place my speakers, but probably behind my seat. I cant remember who makes those sterio boxes, but I saw their add in Street Rodder and Custom Classic Trucks. I am going for an invisible system to keep it looking original.
Ralph

I'll let you know what I have done but not completed yet. The 51 is in the rod shop getting a whole new drive train, brakes, and more.
On the radio front I hand made from 1/4'' birchwood a shelf that fits above the window rim (which helps hold the wood frame in situ). It is held on the sides by the wood frame and above the headliner and in the middle I brazed two threaded 10x32 screws tapped the smaller hole in the roof then brazed the threaded cab roof to hold them in place. These fasten to two L brackets on the wood frame where the pockets are w/ locknuts. This shelf has two pockets on either side to contour the cab's roof for tapes, glasses, CD's, maps etc... In the center I have cut out a rectangle the size of the newer radios on the market, approx. 2 - 2 1/4'' high by I think 7'' long. It is centered; just below that I built into the wood frame two aux curtiosy/ map lights from a mid 70's volvo . Each one of those has their own swtich and are about 1 1/4'' x 2'' facing down. The Harmon Kardon speakers are from a SUV Rover and have a nice mounting where a ring unscrews and these can fit thru a simple 3'' hole and get tightened. I thought I'd place these in the door kick 'removable' panel. I have removed the in cab gas tank and may place two speakers there or simply buy the stereo speakers that can fit where the old speaker was. I had to remove the headliner anyway so I have also added shoulder belts along w/ 'Dynamat" sound deadening material to help kill the road noise and tinny sound from the sheet metal panels, ie roof, doors, back panels. I also added two sided jute material for quiet, insulation and noise in all those areas. The new headliner should be able to fit the back section and the front will get cut short and fit just above the radio (whatever type radio we buy). I also cut out two sections of the seat kick panel just below the driver/ passenger legs so full access can be gained to store / grab whatever is placed there w/out removing the bottom seat cushion. This has been padded and carpeted. Another curtiosy light is fitted to the center 8'' wide section of the seats kick panel center section so when Caroline opens the door the floor and two underneth of the dash, lamps will light up using a door jam switch.
The old stock mirror still fits where it should but I will probably ebay buy an auto dimming mirror e/ compass and temp. The visors will probably be ford explorer because the visor once down, have a second flap that helps w/ the sun in your eyes.

Great topic! I've been wondering what to do with my '66. I have the orignal am stereo and dash in good condition and I have no desire to change that. I liked the idea of hiding the system in the govebox, but then decided I'd like to have that for storage(junk door). The I-Pod in the ashtray is my new fav., since I dont smoke and won't let anyone else smoke in my truck . For speakers I was thinking of getting the deluxe kickpanel & stock setup out of the CD catalog, but in the meantime I guess I'll just be whistling Skynard or listening to the static of the am.

Nolan

P.S.
where are you guys moving your gas tanks too?

Wow! Lots of great ideas. Thanls everyone!

i'm not 100% positive of which site i seen it at but there's this "stock" looking radio for a 54-59 it's an am/fm mp3 player. it has the remote & non-functional knobs like tha ol'outdated am/fm cassetes but better in my opinion. price wasn't TOO bad 180$ but not a name brand.

I'm goin' new school with jus' a flip down pioneer cd, cd-r, cd-rw, mp3 head unit, 100watt amp, & a set of 2 behind the seat 150 pioner speakers (originally designed for an s10. I'm 21 sooo i prefer what i think works best for me on my 58 Apache 3100 swb stepside.