The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay The Radio Bench Canadian Radio for AD Truck

The Canadian radio used in the AD trucks was the GM "Auto Radio Model 510". It was also used in some sedans including the Olds and the Pontiac. Here is a photo of it in a truck:
http://www.guildclassiccars.com/1948_chevrolet_truck_850/850_008.html
Now the dial glass is the correct one for the sedans as the radio was mounted in them with the dial at the bottom, or upside down as compared to the truck.

Here is a photo of a modern lookalike radio in the truck. Notice that the dial and knobs are the US style but the bezel is the Canadian version. This is an interesting combination.
http://www.guildclassiccars.com/1948_chevrolet_truck_850/850_110.html

This shop does immaculate restorations including some very high end classics.

Hi Fred, looked at the pics of that "restoration"? Were the Canadian Chevy AD paint schemes different than those in the US?
Or did they just choose what the interior designer deemed to be color coordinated shades???
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Denny,
none of the colors on that truck are orginal. I think the Canadian trucks were probably very close to the US ones in color. My truck for instance, was commercial blue with two tones of blue inside the cab. When stripping down the cab I noticed that the firewall was that muted copper color just like I have seen on many of these.

Did you notice that the routing of the vacuum line didn't appear to be stock? I think this truck is probably modified a bit.

Fred

Yeah I was being kind of a smart [censored] there Fred. With all that work that they put into that truck and they did do one bang up job on it. If it were mine though, I would have put a 216 back in it, stock wheels the right colors in and out, the right upholstery and looked for a Chevy fresh air heater. Other than that they stayed pretty much stock.
I posted another thread about the engine. I'd never seen the breather located in the middle of the VC and I wasn't sure what year the dump tube was kicked back like that. Tim L seems to think it was late 50's early 60's. Good engines, I had a '60 Byscane back when I was about twenty and kept it with me all through the four years in the USAF.
I really enjoyed the album of the Guilds restoration. I sure wish I could have gotten to mine this winter, now I'm gonna have to wait till next winter cuz I want to drive it some this coming summer.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

That bezel around the radio is "original"? To a Canadian truck?
Theres one in a wrecking yard here in Ca.that has that setup.
I thought it was something that someone kinda hacked in there to cover a butchered hole.
Its in their boom truck,"NO PARTS OFF THAT BOOM TRUCK!!!!"
I hear that every time i go in there.

I think if you look at the photo, there are two chrome pieces on the front. The rectangular bezel is original to the radio. The flat plate may be for the truck or for a car. The nice feature about the original radio is the angle of the face is adjustable and the separation between the controls is adjustable. It also puts out twice the undistorted power as the standard AD radio that is so familiar. It has a dual tube, push pull output.

Hey Fred, is that radio listed in Sam's? I would like to see the inside of it. I know there isn't a speaker in it but it sure looks awfull compact for a tube radio of that era.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Denny,
if you look at the original photos of the truck, you will see the dial and face of the original radio. The radio that you are referring to on the bench is the modern look-a-like replacement for the US style AD radio. It is 12v, AM/FM but the front looks almost identical. As for the original radio, I believe it is listed in the Chevy on line manuals collection.

Good, that's what the backside of the cabinet looked like in the picture, they didn't show the original radio out of the dash. I just went back and reread your original post, gets kind of confusing when your trying to keep up with three different forums and a dozen or so different threads.
So are you saying that the GM “Auto Radio Model 510” is the same as the 986443 Delco (United Motors) radios just with a different bezel??? The 443 was the only one I remember seeing at Keith’s site.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Denny,
the radio on the old chevy manual site is listed as "1951 GM auto radio" but the link isn't working. I will send you the information by Email.

The radio is different from the standard AD radio that we usually think of. The radio has a lot in common with most of the other GM radios of the time. If you look at the chassis of the AD radio for 1951 to 1953 you will see an extra punchout that is empty. That is probably for the second output tube.

Fred

Got it tks, was wondering about those extra holes in the chassis.
Denny Graham
Sandwich,IL

Keith,
thank you for that awesome site that you have. It is really an amazing resource.

Fred

Yeah Keith, thanks.
Your ship must be in, right?
Which reminds me, I need to cough up with a little somethin for 2008.
Thanks again for hosting the absolute best archive on the internet.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL