Stock radio, modern tunes...

[kenz240z]

I currently have a Panasonic CD player in my Z. The heater control panel in my Z is broken along the bottom and I've been thinking of replacing it. And if I spend the bucks to get a new HCP I don't want to wreck it to make the CD player fit.:ogre:

So, I've been thinking about putting the stock radio back in, but then I don't have my tunes!:tapemouth I've seen a post or two about using an FM modulator, and I think that might be the way to go. I've seen good things about this unit:

http://www.vr-3.com/vr3_fmmod.html

It plugs into the cigarette lighter and has a USB input and a 3.5 mm stereo plug input. I works with MP3 players, iPods, memory sticks, portable cd players, laptops, etc... The nice thing is that this is portable, and could be used in any car.

I'm concerned how well it would sound, though, especially if the original speaker(s) were used.:paranoid: The PO had put a cheep cassette deck in my Z, and it had some old Pioneer speakers tacked on to the inner rear plastic panel over the access plates for the tail lamp bulbs. Oh, and none of it worked, anyway. My point is that I've never heard what the stock set up sounds like.

I took all of that out, put the Panasonic CD player in, ran a pair of speaker wires to the rear of the car and put in a pair of new Pioneer 6X9's. Each speaker is mounted in its own little carpet covered box (got them at a local car audio shop). I'll have to modify the speaker wiring if I go back to the stock stereo, as the speakers share a common ground, IIRC.

I figure this setup might be good if you plan to show your car as original. You'd have the original stereo in place, and if you used speakers in separate enclosures they can easily be removed. The speaker wires could then be tucked under the carped out of view.

What are your thoughts? :cross-eye

[mlc240z]

probably a good compromise.

i installed a passenger side speaker for stereo but it's only apparent if you are lying down in the back with your head between them.

one thing i would recommend would be to find a way to secure your standalone speaker boxes. in case of an accident, they could become dangerous projectiles. an accident is bad enough without getting smashed in the head by your sound system.

[zhead240]

i've got a mp3 hooked up to my original radio and speakers through my liter. it also has fm radio settings. i fnd i have to set the volume high on both the mp3 and my car radio and the volume is still kind of low. also u have to put your antenna down so as not to pick up radio stations next to the 88.1 transmit station.an amp might fix the volume problem but i'm not sure.

[oldroaddog]

I've restored my '75's stereo to orginal condition and it doesn't sound that great. I don't think the OEM equipment ever did. Those of us who are old enough to remember riding in the cars of the '70's should appreciate the fact that today's cars have OEM stereos that are far superior to what was installed back then. That's the reason everyone repaced or upgraded the standard equipment. Now days I'm just happy to ride in my classic car - listening to classic rock - on a classic crappy radio.

[Arne]

My thought is to find (eBay, probably) some old vintage aftermarket stereo for mine. Something like an original Pioneer Supertuner, old Clarion, or something similarly vintage. I'll mount a pair of modern speakers in the stock locations (not ideal for sound, but so what). Then I may hide a small low power external amp that has aux. input capability for my iPod.

Edit: Here's one, not a name brand, but certainly the proper vintage look. I can get this brand new in the box for cheap.

[26th-Z]

I just ran across an ad in "Old Cars Weekly". "CLASSIC LOOK - MODERN PERFORMANCE" "Convert Your Original Radio to PLL AM/FM Stereo".

www.turnswitch.com

Electro-Tech, Inc.

8836 Xylite Street N.E.

Blaine, MN 55449

(877) 780-2861

Her Majesty the 26th has always been a noisy babe and listening to tunes a-la "touring" is not really her style. At one time, she had a cassette deck in her with twin speakers in the back, but that wasn't anything to brag about. The problem with the early Z console is that there is no room for a big large unit and you are limited with what will fit behind the console plate - like Kenz pointed out. I like the Mp3 idea.

[Arne]

Cool, but since the plan for my car is to look mostly stock but with period correct accessories, and since I don't have the factory radio, Turnswitch's service to add modern FM isn't quite right for me. This is what I actually have in mind...

[26th-Z]

I have a Sony like that. It had an adaptor face to fit on the console face plate and the chassis fit nicely under the heater box. I put a right side speaker mount in 26th for dual speakers. Worked well, but as I said, the queen makes a lot of noise when she's driven and it wasn't anything like tunes in cars today.

I'm with you on the stock-but-modified thing. After two years of searching, I finally found a Hitachi 8-track option. I figure a few 8-tracks to play at car shows will do fine.

[Pir0San]

whatever you do, if you're picky about the quality of audio you listen to, DO NOT buy an FM modulator. I've tried out a couple of them, and all of them gave me poor audio quality. Why not mount the original stereo under the heater box in it's stock location, and custom fab a newer stereo setup somewhere else? I've seen people with old Corvettes and Camaros where they would put a new stereo inside of the glovebox, that way it retains the stock look with modern luxuries? It'd be a pain in the arse if you want to change stations on the fly, but you could always just leave the glovebox open and control the stereo via remote.

[Arne]

whatever you do, if you're picky about the quality of audio you listen to, DO NOT buy an FM modulator.

Too late, I already have one. You're right, even though I don't expect superb sound quality in my cars, the sound quality of the modulator is not all that great. But worse to me is that the modulator (an early iTrip) is not user friendly - rather difficult to use, actually.

[zhead240]

what about the volume, does anyone find it's not very loud even with all the setting on high?

[a7dz]

FM whats that? My Z has a stock AM radio and single speaker. Volume whats that? Poor sound quality? Are there any programs on Am except talk radio?

I do have a newer radio sitting in the shop but, I have not decided to install it yet.