REMOVE AND FIT NEW RADIO.

[Rabbit]

Can anyone enlighten me as to removing the existing LW/MW radio from my 96 Triumph 1500 TC. I want to replace it with a more modern CD player. Joking apart it appears to be welded in! Help appreciated.

[Rabbit]

WHOOPS,  obviously should read 76!

[Pete Lewis]

A pic of the radio front may aid clues about its method of retention 

This  is a  fwd 1500c ??

Pete

[dougbgt6]

Rabbit,

There is a magic option on your post called edit. I use it all the time, to amend spelling mistakes, punctuation and abusive messages.

You may need not this, but something like it to get the radio out.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Focus-Car-CD-Radio-Removal-Release-Keys-Stereo-Extraction-Tools-Pins-Pair/260868137835?hash=item3cbcf3e36b:g:QUwAAOSw-zxWoKqY:rk:7:pf:0

Sadly CDs are now old hat, memory sticks and Bluetooth are the thing.

Doug

[dave.vitesse]

If it's a standard set-up you have to remove the black mounting box complete with radio. There should be screws on each side of the mounting box.

Other than that there are screws under the parcel shelf holding a bracket which is screwed to the mounting box. Remove these screws then the bracket, mounting box and radio will all come out.

Dave

[Colin Lindsay]

12 hours ago, dougbgt6 said:

Sadly CDs are now old hat, memory sticks and Bluetooth are the thing.

Doug

Amazing, isn't it? I have over 100 CDs on a USB stick in my car (still like to buy the actual physical CD though due to too many restrictions on downloads)

The biggest decision these days is which head unit to buy to match the car.

Rabbit - can you post a photo of your original radio and we can try to find a close modern match?

[dougbgt6]

Colin,

I bought a radio to match it's facia light to my gauges lights, in fact I think you recommended it, so it's your fault!  It's a good radio/CD player, BUT I can not find how to make it remember radio stations, the manual is USLESS! 

I'm with you on CDs, I've just replaced my stereo amp and CD player, amp is very good but CD player has been returned and replaced 3 times! they cost a fortune but can't manage CDs that the car radios have no problem with. 

Doug

[Colin Lindsay]

Tune in, press and hold the relevant station preset number, and it'll bleep to say that station is now stored. If it's forgetting them every time it's turned off, you haven't connected the yellow lead to a permanent live feed so that the memory stays powered and remembers the stations. I've now had mine for years and have no intention of changing, it's still one of the best I've ever owned.

I've put a really cheap Chinese version (£11 off eBay) into the TR7 as a stop-gap as it's a small bodied version, no CD player to bulk it out so half the depth of a full-sized CD unit, but until I get the car running again I can't say how well it sounds.

[dougbgt6]

Yes, my wires are right. Interestingly even with a total disconnect, all 3 power wires,  it remembers the last station I was on, a capacitor holding charge I presume. But as I only ever listen to Radio 4 it's not a problem really. However, I can't get it to lock onto preset numbers, it keeps randomly disappearing into reset or setup or change colour mode.

I used to be a member of the Institute of Electronic and Radio Engineers and I can't make it work! Infuriating! How the mighty are fallen. 

Doug

[Paul H]

1 hour ago, Colin Lindsay said:

Tune in, press and hold the relevant station preset number, and it'll bleep to say that station is now stored. If it's forgetting them every time it's turned off, you haven't connected the yellow lead to a permanent live feed so that the memory stays powered and remembers the stations. I've now had mine for years and have no intention of changing, it's still one of the best I've ever owned.

I've put a really cheap Chinese version (£11 off eBay) into the TR7 as a stop-gap as it's a small bodied version, no CD player to bulk it out so half the depth of a full-sized CD unit, but until I get the car running again I can't say how well it sounds.

Hi Colin, I’ve added a cheapie radio about £16. Quality is ok . As u say it’s very light. 

Paul

[Colin Lindsay]

That's nice!! Just a radio, or USB / aux input too?

Where did you get that one from?

 

[Paul H]

2 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

That's nice!! Just a radio, or USB / aux input too?

Where did you get that one from?

 

£15 delivered 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Car-Bluetooth-Radio-Stereo-MP3-Player-Classic-Style-MP3-USB-SD-AUX-FM/142966314708?hash=item214974d6d4:g:0CgAAOSwV45bueP1

Paul 

[dave.vitesse]

Paul, Your radio fits in well.

Dave

[Colin Lindsay]

19 hours ago, Paul H said:

£15 delivered 

Not to me, it isn't. I'm starting to feel discriminated against....

 

[SpitFire6]

Hi,

 I think I would spend more so I could hear it with the roof down on the motorway. Does it have RCA's out for an amp?

Cheers,

Iain.

Edited January 15, 2019 by Spitfire6
Edit. I see it has 4 RCA outputs. Add an amp! Charge your phone as well.

[Adrian]

I've always avoided Chinese imports. It looks good and has the functionality for modern devices. Years ago I bought a 'nintendo' for one of my girls (she wanted that specific colour). Turned out to be a Chinese import and broke within a year. This also at the time when fires were rife from overheating and exploding chargers. To be honest can't hear much in the GT6 anyway so not really thought about sound. 

[dougbgt6]

They're ALL Chinese imports! The radio Colin and I were talking about is a Pioneer, a reputable brand, but now, made in China. My new Shark vacuum cleaner, the ads make out it's British but the company is now based in the USA and the vacuum cleaner, made in China. My new Denon stereo, made in China, well Vietnam actually, but that's almost China.

Doug

[Colin Lindsay]

True, but remember the old joke about the astronaut who was asked how he felt just before lift-off, and replied: "How would you feel, sitting on top of the end results of 1000 low-bidders?"

There's (hopefully!!) a world of difference between £10 Chinese technology and £100 Chinese technology, and I'd like to think it's not just the brand name and the packaging. 

Remember the film "Armageddon" with Bruce Willis, where the Russian cosmonaut tells him: "American components, Russian components, all made in Taiwan!"

It all comes down to what you really require, and all I want is a head unit that will fit the available aperture and play music at a good volume, in this case 60w per channel, plus it has the rear connectors for an amp if ever I needed one. I don't need it to connect to the steering wheel, turn the sound down every time the phone rings, or automatically interrupt songs to tell me the local traffic when I'm stuck nose to tail in it, so I'd like to think the price I paid gives me just the basics. It's a bit like my mobile phone; I've just binned my last one as it was too smart for its' own good and drove me demented by thinking it knew better than I what I really wanted, and have gone back to an older version that just makes calls.

[SpitFire6]

That “radio” is not 60 watt a channel. Lol

[Ian Faulds]

1 hour ago, Colin Lindsay said:

True, but remember the old joke about the astronaut who was asked how he felt just before lift-off, and replied: "How would you feel, sitting on top of the end results of 1000 low-bidders?"

There's (hopefully!!) a world of difference between £10 Chinese technology and £100 Chinese technology, and I'd like to think it's not just the brand name and the packaging. 

Remember the film "Armageddon" with Bruce Willis, where the Russian cosmonaut tells him: "American components, Russian components, all made in Taiwan!"

It all comes down to what you really require, and all I want is a head unit that will fit the available aperture and play music at a good volume, in this case 60w per channel, plus it has the rear connectors for an amp if ever I needed one. I don't need it to connect to the steering wheel, turn the sound down every time the phone rings, or automatically interrupt songs to tell me the local traffic when I'm stuck nose to tail in it, so I'd like to think the price I paid gives me just the basics. It's a bit like my mobile phone; I've just binned my last one as it was too smart for its' own good and drove me demented by thinking it knew better than I what I really wanted, and have gone back to an older version that just makes calls.

I am with you colin, I have an old Datsun radio am/fm live , earth, two speakers, does me fine, all this amp stuff and mobile chargers ill never need.

[Adrian]

I take your point Doug but Colin has hit it on the head. Putting the 'smartness or possibly wilfulness' of the item aside it's the cheap imports I try to avoid, a world of difference inside the box between a licenced Chinese item than an unlicensed one. I remember buying a Jessups battery for my Cannon Camera to save £15, biggest waste of money! Like buying a cheap torque wrench that clicks....but does it click at the right setting!

[Colin Lindsay]

1 hour ago, Spitfire6 said:

That “radio” is not 60 watt a channel. Lol

That' s from eBay, Amazon has the same description.

No idea how to check output electronically but if you turn it up, the speakers get louder until they start to distort. And it hasn't gone on fire yet.

It's only a stop-gap until I find the spare cash to get a better half-din sized version, if I even bother.

[dave.vitesse]

1 hour ago, Spitfire6 said:

That “radio” is not 60 watt a channel. Lol

I agree as it's already been said to have little weight. So I guess no weight, no large heat sink, no large power. 60w maybe the so called music power, but not RMS. The radio is FM only and probably without any RDS. This means you have to re-tune if you travel any distance away from your local transmitter.

Still for £15 it maybe worth a punt if you just want a basic box with MP3.

Dave

[Badwolf]

I think we should get back to basics on this. Classic cars, classic radios. If you want the all singing/dancing/talking/phoning radio get a modern. If you want the true 'classic' experience, leave the phone in the boot (emergencies only) and tune the vintage radio, if you really can't live without the extra noise in your classic, to an oldies station, and drive. With (in my case) the top down, why would I want to inflict my choice of music on everyone else? The car makes enough noise on it's own.

[SpitFire6]

Hi,

 the "radio" is marked 60 watt X 4. This means 15 watts a channel. 15 watts is an inflated peak value of course. The "radio" is about 5Watts a channel @ best. Impossible to be much higher. One big line as can not press return without screwing things up. Cheers, Iain.