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Mod | | | Forums66 Topics128,095 Posts1,056,480 Members48,444 | | Most Online14,466 Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment (and references) for you!
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For helping keep this great
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on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down with Ads! Again, thanks! | | | | Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 164 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 164 | Can you identify this Radio? Can you identify this Radio? It is a Model 48 Canadian radio I bought on EBay that I was told would fit in my 53 Chevy AD truck. I had the radio rebuilt and bought all new knobs and a new Chevy station plate, but now I find out it actually is not an AD radio. Can you identify it so I can repost it on EBay TRUTHFULLY this time to see if anyone wants it? I will then buy another radio that is proper this time. I have exchanged a few emails with Bill that rebuilds them for Jim Carter and we have concluded it can't be converted in spite of the outside box looking the same as an AD radio. Once I made the mistake I tried to fix it by buying parts to convert it but to no avail. Actually the new buttons fit, the new knobs fit, the new station plate fits, but the maroon radio face housing that fits in the dash doesn’t line up or fit. If anyone has just the skeleton of an old AD radio maybe I can take the guts out of this one and put them into a box that fits the dash since they basically look the same but the mounting is different. I have posted some pictures on Flicker. Use the "Can you identify this radio link" and you should be able to see it if I have uploaded them correctly. I have done a Google search and can’t find any info on the original application of this radio. Thanks for any help John | | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 | I guess what you are calling an AD radio is the US made model for the 1947 to 1953 GM truck. Your Model 48 is a Canadian radio made for the Chevrolet passenger car 1942-6-7-8, Pontiac 1946-7-8, Oldsmobile 1946-7 and 48, 1947-8 Chevrolet truck, Maple leaf truck and GMC truck. It has adjustable controls that move for both spacing and angle. It uses a different dial glass when mounted upside down in some of the cars. The radio has a dual audio output design and gives twice the output power of the US AD radio. It will also fit all 1947 to 1953 GMC and Chev trucks.
I have the manual with all the various mounting details if you need information. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 164 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 164 | | | | | | Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,388 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,388 | John, thats a smart looking truck you have there.
I would imagine that the trouble you are having, is that the space between knobs on the radio, is different than your dash right? I can't remember which is bigger right now. I have a GM 510 radio in my truck. What I did, was file the knob openings in the dash of the truck, to make it fit. The big chrome bezel fits on the outside, and covers this up. I have a GM radio just like the one you have there, for my Pontiac, just have to mount it, I've had it done for nearly a year! Boy, am I behind on projects! The big chrome surrounds I have for my two radios, do not have those sweet lines on them. I like yours!!
Now, I could have moved the knobs on the radio, as Truckernix says, but then the big outside bezel wouldn't fit. That's why I filed the dash. All the fitments are in the thing Fred will send you.
The GM 48 uses a double point vibrator, instead of a rectifier tube right? Did your original vibrator work yet? I found a NOS one I think will work for mine, didn't get it back on the bench before I started building my garagemahal, once thats done hopefully I can get caught back up on fun stuff!!
The two tube output is great. I wired the speaker in the dash, and a 12" in a big box behind the truck seat. The big speaker is full range, and came out of a defunct console radio, from the 50's. Man, what big sound when Perry Como sings in my truck! When its big band Jump time, it really is!
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 | I just had another look at the photos. That is a good looking truck! The radio is in really nice condition as there is no rust and look at the layout sticker inside!
John, I think that you mentioned that you had it rebuilt. You might want to see if they have another vibrator that you can get as a spare. The vibrator design is a bit unusual. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 | A number of years ago, we had a member that went by the name of "Fatfenders" or something similar. I believe he might have been located in BC. He posted some photos at the time of a bezel that he made from the radio delete panel, for his Canadian radio. As I mentioned in my Email, the original bezel looks very similar to the delete plate. | | | | | Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 1,321 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 1,321 | 53John, I like your color combination! In your post you said "I have exchanged a few emails with Bill that rebuilds them for Jim Carter". Will you send me Bill's email address? I need to ask a question about my 46 Radio. Thanks for your help. Harold [email protected]
Harold Is a restoration ever finished? | | |
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