The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay The Radio Bench Looking for vintage Police car Radio...

Hi Everyone

I would like to ask you all, since we're talking about radios, if anyone knows where I can get a vintage Police car radio?

I'm building a replica Police "Paddy Wagon" from my 49 Chevy Panel truck - and a vintage Police car radio would really ad to the overall theme & authenticity...Thanks in advance

P.S. Great site there Denny - I've just come from there posting a similar request for a police car radio...Tom (49 Panel)

Toms49Panel,
that would be a difficult item to find, I would think. I think that there would have been different types of radios depending on the location. I know that Motorola was a big player in the radio industry, especially after WWII. I wouldn't be surprised if they made police radios back then. You might try asking this question on the VCCA site. Actually there is an expert on Chevy radios who can be found on the VCCA site and his name is Ray Holland. Another source of information might be a site dedicated to the ham radio interests. They usually know a lot about what is happening in the various bands and possibly the history of equipment.

Fred

Thanks truckernix!

Your help is very much appreciated

If you DO happen to stumble upon something though - keep me in mind...

Tom (49 Panel)

Also check your local swap meets, I have even seen old Army radios for sale here at the meets. Brian

Thanks 64fleetside

Dear Tom;

Find the Motorola website.

They were the pioneers of Police radios and will know where to find a 'control head/mike' which is all you'll need to look realistic.

Good luck.

Hi John!

Thanks for the info

I'll give the website a try...

Thanks!

The website was very informative, but they don't actually sell the actual radios themselves, so I guess I'm back to square-one...trying to find one

Tom

Did you get an idea of what you are looking for?

Fred

I think that I can get you what you're looking for.... A motorola 43GGV T-strip series was fairly common back in the 50's/60's.... do you want the whole radio?? or just the control head/mic??? As these radios were multi componant.... with the radio normally trunk mounted...and the control head mounted up front.

As these went out of police/fire service in the 70's... alot were bought up surplus and re-tuned for Amature radio use in the 146mhz band.....

Give me a call Tom..and lets see about satisfying your want...lol number here is 509-258-9383

For that matter??? it's not hard to get your VHF "HAM" radio license...with that? you could not just have the radio for show...but have it working and use it as well...hummm just a thought...

Michael
K7SSC

Hi Truckernix

Yes, I got several model #'s from them, but they were sorry they could not produce any pics of anything...

Hi Graflexmaster

I wish I could see some pics of what you described - ("A motorola 43GGV T-strip series was fairly common back in the 50's/60's.... do you want the whole radio?? or just the control head/mic???")

I would really need to see some pics because I am looking for a vintage look - and I'll know it when I see it (if you know what I mean...)

I will give you a call though...Thanks!

Hi Graflexmaster

I talked with ya yesterday on the phone and really enjoyed our conversation!

I metioned a microphone (chrome) that I saw on ebay. Here's the item # - 290100834097 - if you do an "advanced search" and put in this item #, it will take you to the mic ad!

I really want to BUY this mic and somehow have it spliced onto a mic cord that will run to the Police radio control head! Do you think that is possible?

Write back soon, Tom (49 Panel).

ttt

ttt

Hi Mike (Graflexmaster),
I was wondering how you were doing, so I tried to call you at both of your phone numbers (house & cell I presume). Both numbers give a recording that the number is no longer in service!?

I was wondering if you have had a chance to see about that police radio we were talking about??

Write me or call me (214-236-4559 or 215-887-8679) about it if you can...
I hope all is well! Take care
Tom (49 Panel - in Pennsylvania)

ttt

It should be easy to find if you look in the right places. Try the links below. They will be able to help you find a police/fire emergency radio. They will know where to find one.

http://www.odhfs.org/

http://www.spaamfaa.com/adlist.htm

Thanks Virginiafiretruck,
I'll give them a try right now...

Tom
Toms49Panel

Hi Virginiafiretruck,
Great links! Great sites!! I just got done looking thru them. I noticed there is NOTHING about their radios!! None in the classifieds, no pictures of any in the cabs - zillch! That 49 chevy you were looking for the owner so you could buy - nadda!

If only there were links as good as these for Police - instead of fire men...?
thanks anyway

Tom
Toms49Panel

Tom -
this e-bay one too new for ya?

this guy might have some info

Bill

Tom: send some of them an email and ASK about radios. I've found many parts without seeing an ad.

Hi red58,
Thanks a lot for replying - I definately appreciate it very much!

The ebay radio was too new for me - it looks maybe from the 60's - but thanks for trying!!

I did get some great info from that guy link you gave me - that was super:)

By the way - I loved your rust a holics page - there's some nice things in there!

Thanks again!

Tom

Hi Virginiafiretruck,

I'd love to send SOME of them an email - can you narrow it down for me?????

Do a google search for a "Mocom 70" and you will find radio information. The Mocom 70 is the 1950 moble radio version you will need.

Thanks Virginiafiretruck!

I'll get right on that!!

Tom

Check this link. Should fit your needs perfectly.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Motorola-2-Way-...395QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

That would be the one your looking for. I have the same one in the old firetruck that would work "if" there was somebody who had the same freq. Since all the local folks have switched over to 800mhz, I haven't wired it to the power source. Maybe someday after I get the truck 99% done and drivable AND I'm really bored then I'll wire it to power... :-)

That day will not arrive anytime soon!

Here are some pictures of the Mocom 70 installed in the firetruck. Pictures: http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2334795700080243953PQJVog

That Mocom 70 is from the mid to late 60's.

Here are a few links to police radios that are more era correct for the 1949 panel.

HELLO MOTO

http://users.snowcrest.net/marnells/1949lapd.htm

http://shutter15.pictures.aol.com/d...rFFdmsfgk8RypFcng9konncUp0JQOkHd01C2.jpg


http://shutter11.pictures.aol.com/d...+VbKSZxf7QTI4CPAz94BWjFa2ympVSHL026B.jpg

http://harrymarnell.com/kma367.htm

Although all the bands & frequencies that these vintage radios operate on are now obsolete, it would be cool to have a vintage radio installed on the dash & use a compact modern hand held scanner to maintain the radio "chatter" from your local PD inside the truck.

Most public service agencies these days are switching to the Apco-25 Digital system & a good number are on 800 MHz. "trunked" systems which are tricky for the novice to monitor. Some jurisdictions even use encryped transmissions that are virtually impossible to monitor.

http://www.scannermaster.com/

http://www.policescannerweb.com/

Thanks. Now I've gotta go find one of those!

Try the this link you might find a site that could help you..

http://www.ddy.com/oldradios.html

This link includes information about 1940-50 police/fire radios and has a picture of a vehicle radio on it: http://www.mbay.net/~wb6nvh/Motadata.htm

Hi Everybody

Wow, thanks to you all for all of your replies! I looked up the Mocom 70 Virgionafiretruck, but unfortunately it is not old enough (Thanks though).

ddalesr3 - Thanks for replying, but yours wasn't old enough either.

TruckMaster5150 - Your exactly on the right track as far as the correct age of the radios that I'm looking for for my 1949 Chevy Police Paddy Wagon restoration...

Virgiafiretruck - Oldradios.html was very good and your last entry (above) was also great for info!

Thanks plenty to each and every one of you who has tried to help me!

I hope I can actually BUY one of these radios some day!

Tom (49 Panel)

here's an older one currently on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Fire...741QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I placed a bid on that radio.

Thanks guys Looks good!
I would only need the little control head (on the right side) in the picture. The big box in the middle and the speaker on the left can be yours...

I just bought This one for my 53 Chevy 2 Ton Tow & Recovery truck. I just didn't feel right putting "Radio Dispached" on it till I had a radio in the cab.
It's a little large but I'm going to mount it under the glovebox on the passenger side. It will get rewired so that it lights up and I might hook the speaker up to something (Maybe a cheap little MP3 Player) to play random calls from the "Garage" as well as maybe some traffic from the other trucks in the fleet.
It didn't come with a handset or mike so I think I'm going to pick up one of these
and run the wire through the radio and up to my Cell phone in the glove box so I can actually take calls on it.

MONGO

Now I just need to find a big Army Surplus 10 foot whip antenna to mount on the back.
Mongo

Tom: Are you going to bid on that ebay radio? I placed a bid just to keep "us" stovebolters in the loop. How much are you willing to bid for it and do you want to out bid me? I'll wait for the next one as I already have the mocom 70 in my truck? If you do not want it, I'll take it but this thread is about getting "you" a police/fire radio.

Let me know as it ends in the next day or so.

Bill