The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay The Radio Bench Radio - AD pickup 1952/1953

I have an original radio from a 52 or 53 chevy pickup. I had already done a 12 volt conversion and was told that would be a problem. I'm thinking of getting a reproduction instead but they are very pricey. Does anyone know how much an original radio is worth?
Thanks!

A lot depends on the condition of the radio. Buying a used radio can be a crap shoot for
the buyer. The on/off/tone/volume controls are often bad and there are no replacement
available anywhere unless you find a donor radio. The transformers and tuners are often
bad and the same thing applies, the only replacement is a donor and labor to replace these
parts is out of this world. A must before one of these 60 year old radios can actually be
used is to replace all of the capacitors and more than likely the carbon resistors have
drifted up in value and need to be replaced. The vibrator will have to be replaced in 95%
of the cases. The dial scale, knobs, escutcheons are usually bleach out and distorted
because the plastic has dried out. The speaker again, in almost all the cases will need to
be replaced as will the speaker gasket. Surprisingly the tubes will have faired much better
than most of the other parts and are usually good enough. These are the parts that usually
need to be replace in a high quality restoration, then you can add in the labor to do all of
this work.
So, the question, how much is my radio worth? From $100 to $500 depending on whether
you find the right person who is hungry for an original radio and is unaware of what it
will cost to restore it.
The vendors get over $500 for a restored AD radio but you can bet that all the work that I
mentioned is not done for that kind of money. It is possible to get them working without
replacing a lot of the parts that I mentioned but it will not be a total restoration and often
gives you trouble down the line if you use it all the time.

Now, as to the question, are you better off with a SS Reproduction radio? Yep, it is as I
said, Solid State, it will have AM/FM/ stereo reception, most have CD or XM capability,
it will have 45 watts of power, it will be in a case that is a little over 3“ square, which is
¼ the size the stock AD radio. Cost will be about the same as a restored AM only radio.

Here are a few pictures of a complete 1954 restoration which is a little easer than the
easier AD radio: http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/986771_radio_truck&page=all
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

This discussion came up a while ago. One of the suggestions was to contact Jim Carter and try to work a deal on a new radio with your original as a trade in.

I restore the radios for JIM CARTER, give them a call I've been working with them for over 15 years and found them to be good people to work with.
In 1984 I got a 1954 Plymouth, I needed a "MODERN" car that my whole family could ride in at one time ,I restored the radio in it ,since then I've driven this car 100,000 miles and played the radio 28 years later everything still works good,My 57 Chevy 3200 I also restored that radio , it was my everyday driver for 10 years samething. I have over 500 pre WWII house radios ,many I use everyday ,have a 1939 Zenith I restore some years back[the story of this radio can be found on line, search Hulbert 6D311]I play this radio all night hearing "COAST TO COAST" I can go on about other things I use,engines farm tractors all older then I am !It is amazing how well this stuff can work

Bill,
do you operate any tuned RF radios? I would be interested in knowing what they are like to use.

Fred

I have two reproduction radios one in my 50 canopy express and I have one for my 54 truck . I decided to go with the reproduction radio because it has the ipod hook up . Im very happy with the radios. The only thing with the reproduction radios you need to have a good ground, and the speakers that come with the radio are not that great . I will post a videos of my radios in action.

Thanks very much for info and advice!

The TRF's like the AK 55, are very nice radios the early one you tuned in stages they are fun but the Regenatives are a real ball they oscilate as you tune in your signal and make other radios around oscilate they are more work to tune but will be more sensitve and than the TRF's
I've got TRF's by the dozen, I restored a Atwater Kent 20 a couple of years ago, 2004 ,when I got it going I tuned in a new broadcast tell of old George Bushes 80th birthday ,the radio and him where the same age,
For Atwater Kent TRF's also have models 33,35,40,42,55's[several]and 60, I'd love to get a bread board someday
I have others Radiola 20,Lyric JR,Philco 20,Freashmen Masterpiece,Splidoff,King,Stromburgh Carlson,and some more I've forgotten about, I also have a TRF automobile radio! It's a 1930 Transitone built by AUTOMOBILE RADIO CORP. witch sold out to Philco,It's OME for Chrysler Automobiles,and others uses 01A's for RF and detector and 71A for output
What I really like is the Regenerative sets I have a 1921 CR8 Grebe, 1922 RC Westinghouse,1923ACE,1923 Crosley 50 and 51, and a 1925 RADIOLA III
The TRF

Bill,

wow, that is amazing. I am getting an education here. I guess those really early auto sets used a dynamo or whatever it is called for the high voltage, or did they use batteries?

Fred

I too, would be interested in hearing about the early auto-sets! Perhaps you could start a new thread Bill?

Bill,
if you ever feel like taking up Christopher's suggestion, that would be of great interest.

Fred

Auto radio's like my Transitone had "B" battery's only,before 1932, I also have a Transitone 3 from 1931, The RCA M32, that I have, has a motor generator for B voltage ,but it could have used battery's also, The 1932 Ford radio built by Magestic also used a motor-generator, Late 1932 Mallory came out with a vibrator power supply B eliminator. Now if you see old movies with air planes from the early 1930's you may notice a small porpeller under the wing ,this is the generator for the B voltage for the planes radio!

Bill,
thanks for posting about the early days of radio. I don't get to see this kind of history much at all.

I tell people that with the radio in my 38 Chev sedan, there will be no need for a heater!

Fred