The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay The Radio Bench Chevy radio in a GMC?

Hey guys!

I've got a '49 GMC I'm tinkering with and fixing up. Over the past or so I've been collecting parts and working towards getting it on the road.

My question is, I would really like a radio. But, I have yet to find a GMC radio, and I can't afford the Jim Carter price. I'd like to find something I can fix up (used to work in a electronics shop).

Can a Chev radio be switched over to a positive ground circuit? Simple? Difficult? Impossible, or even worth it?

I ask because I've seen a couple at swap meets and on ebay, and I'll do the work if I can save a few bucks.

Thanks!

78Chev,
the radio for the GMC and the Chev are basically the same radio with a different dial display. You can buy a new dial glass to change it to GMC. The original radios had a mechanical vibrator in the power supply and the radio would run either with positive ground or negative ground. Now days you can buy a solid state replacement for the vibrator and you would need to make sure it was for the correct polarity that you want.

There were two different designs that were made, one from 1948 to 50 and another from 51 to 53. They are interchangeable in application. The older one has the back cut on an angle (slant back) and the newer one has the straight cut back. The dials are different so it is good to get the correct dial glass to have the stations align properly.

If you get to restoring one, we can help you out with answering all your questions.

I swap Chevy/GMC radios all the type for Jim Carter , I you really want to get close I can get you a GMC model/serial # plate for 47-49, BILL

Thanks guys! I've been looking at one on ebay for about 300 bucks, seems like a good price, but a little steep for me right now. At least I know I can look for either.