Are AM/FM radios REALLY this expensive?

Imperialist67

Imperialist67

Senior Member
FCBO Gold Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2013
Messages
1,515
Reaction score
1,481
Location
Washington, DC
From time to time I look at AM/FM radios for sale to go with a C-body (for my '67 New Yorker; which despite being L-O-A-D-E-D, only came with AM radio. You don't see them often, and here's one I came across yesterday.

Working AM/FM AM FM Radio 1967 67 1968 68 Chrysler Newport New Yorker 300 | eBay

Anyone else been through this "re-fit" exercise before; or know if this price is realistic?

I have bought from this seller before, and he doesn't pull any tricks, and when he says things are mint/NOS, they really are. Often times radios will need work before they can just go into use. Still, it seems like a WHOLE LOT of $$$ for one of these, but due to rarity, and repairs involved, it MIGHT be in the ballpark?

THANKS.
 
Imperialist67 said:
From time to time I look at AM/FM radios for sale to go with a C-body (for my '67 New Yorker; which despite being L-O-A-D-E-D, only came with AM radio. You don't see them often, and here's one I came across yesterday.

Working AM/FM AM FM Radio 1967 67 1968 68 Chrysler Newport New Yorker 300 | eBay

Anyone else been through this "re-fit" exercise before; or know if this price is realistic?

I have bought from this seller before, and he doesn't pull any tricks, and when he says things are mint/NOS, they really are. Often times radios will need work before they can just go into use. Still, it seems like a WHOLE LOT of $$$ for one of these, but due to rarity, and repairs involved, it MIGHT be in the ballpark?

THANKS.
Click to expand...

With your last paragraph, you may have answered your own question. That is a lot of coin for that and I have no idea how much radios are going for, esp. with thumb wheels.
 
Heck check out what he wants for a NOS pristine mirror!

Not NOS/Mint but Pre-Owned/Used via listing

Internally cleaned / lubricated / tuned

Plugged in and verified working on both AM and FM
Nice clean sound up and down the dial

But.... Because of it's age it is being sold as-is, no warranty

I'd keep looking...
 
Imperialist67 said:
From time to time I look at AM/FM radios for sale to go with a C-body (for my '67 New Yorker; which despite being L-O-A-D-E-D, only came with AM radio. You don't see them often, and here's one I came across yesterday.

Working AM/FM AM FM Radio 1967 67 1968 68 Chrysler Newport New Yorker 300 | eBay

Anyone else been through this "re-fit" exercise before; or know if this price is realistic?

I have bought from this seller before, and he doesn't pull any tricks, and when he says things are mint/NOS, they really are. Often times radios will need work before they can just go into use. Still, it seems like a WHOLE LOT of $$$ for one of these, but due to rarity, and repairs involved, it MIGHT be in the ballpark?

THANKS.
Click to expand...

Yes, they are not cheap as AM/FM was not common at that time.

It's all relative. B body AM/FMs range from $600-900. I'd love to find one at that price.
 
$500 is what 67 -68 am/fm radios go for in good working condition. FYI they are mono, not stereo.
 
After I got my '67 CE23 in 1981, one of the things I wanted for it was an AM/FM radio, but in '67 the only upgrade was to AM/FM mono or search tuner. 1968 was the first year for AM/FM Multiplex. The existing AM radio worked pretty good, but no rear speaker, which is how I left it. In the later 1980s, I was at Mopar Nats and found one laying on a table. I tried to NOT seem overly interested, but did stop and talk to the seller. He had the dash unit, the needed center surround bezel, AND the rear multiplex box w/cable going to it. I had some cash and we made a deal. The "find of the century", I thought.

SO, if you're buying am AM/FM "stereo" radio, unless you have the rear box and cable, all it'll be is AM/FM if it has the "retained plug" in the RCA connector plug on the rear of the radio. That's how Delco did it, so I suspect Delco built these for Chrysler (to Chrysler specs), as Delco built the search tuner radios for Chrysler, too.

On the center surround molding, the outer "veneer" type piece is unique to the trim of the vehicle. Newport, 300, New Yorker, so you'll need to refinish that to match the rest of things. The "cable to the back" is a sheathed multi-wire cable. "The Box" mounts over the rear axle, I believe, so the cable runs down the rocker panel, behind the trim, then behind the seats to the place it's mounted to on the floorpan. And that's JUST the radio chassis and what makes it Multiplex. The speakers come next! The front center 4x10 and the outer surface-mount 3.5" speakers. The rear speakers and fader would be easy, after that, I suspect.

I did dummy it up one night, using some factory install kits I had, to get the speakers and wiring out of, and it did work. So seeing it would take more to get it in there than I wanted to do that night, I put it all back in the box I had it in and it went back onto the shelf.

When we were at Mopar Nats that year, we all exchanged notes on what the others in our North Loop Dodge Performance Team group were looking for. I found what I was looking for and NOT expecting to find. When I was carrying it back to "base camp", I had the radio in one hand, the multiplex box in the other hand, with the cables/wiring dangling. I was accused of having "The innards of a C-body dash in my arms". One of the more memorable moments of the trip! Others were looking for NOS or good used HEMI or 6-Pack stuff. I did manage to get my stuff stuffed into my suitcase.

That was the second year we'd been up there on "shopping trips". Many more took place! A good reason to "Get out of town" and get my "Mopar battery" recharged each year.

Let me get the website for Aurora Designs.

CBODY67
 
There ARE a few things you might consider in trying to upgrade to AM/FM in the '67 C-body cars. From the base AM radio, the only TWO upgrades were the mono AM/FM and the Search Tune AM/FM. Single rear seat speaker was in addition to the radio (or a part of an option package).

The AM/FM Multiplex (later termed "stereo") first happened in the 1968 model year. The faceplate for the AM/FM is a little different size, as the shape of the radio faceplate is a little different from the base AM radio, so you'll need that too or possibly modify what you have . . . finding the radio AND faceplate combination is best. That gets the radio and placed in the instrument panel. That faceplate is a basic two-piece item. The basic chrome bezel, into which a model-specific veneer piece if placed to match the rest of the horizontal dash trim (i.e., Newport, 300, or New Yorker).

In these early years of AM/FM radios, there could be a base chassis AM/FM and a "stereo ready" AM/FM (which existed in the GM-Delco radios of that time. The "stereo ready" radios looked just like the normal radios, but had an RCA plug (retained with a bracket and screw) on the back side of the radio. With the plug installed, a normal AM/FM radio. With what plugged into that plug installed, then AM/FM Multiplex and all speakers.

When our North Loop Performance Team group made out annual pilgrimage to Mopar Nats, circa 1986, I found the "unobtainium" '68 Multiplex radio laying on a table in the swap meet area. My radar went off, but I tried to appear marginally interested, at first. I think the whole combination, less speakers, was about $200.00, so I carried it back to "base camp" in our parking space in the swap meet area. I got accused of buying "The innards of a C-body dash".

The "other equipment" amounts to the RCA cable (about 7 wires in a sheathed cable assembly, with a larger RCA plug-in on one end and the smaller one on the other end) and "The Box" it goes to. The cable runs under the sill plate, behind the rear trim panel, and into the trunk. The box mounts on top of the rear axle hump, near the spare tire. Quite a bit of wire in that cable!

It takes ALL of that. The speaker wiring is extra. The front 3.5" speakers were "surface mount" on the '68s, one on each corner of the metal instrument panel piece, with the 4x10 in the middle. Rears would be the normal 6x9 speakers.

One night, I dug it out and dummied it up in the car, to see if it worked. It did, so seeing it was going to be "a project" just to change the radio, I packaged it all up and put it back on the shelf in the shop . . . where it still is. NOT nearly as easy as when I upgraded my '70 Monaco to the factory AM/FM Stereo 5-speaker radio in '77!

The mentioned link to Aurora Designs looks promising and interesting! Worth checking it outj, especially with what it takes to change that radio!

My experiences . . .
CBODY67
 
Last edited:
I don't know about today's prices, but I bought my AM/FM Stereo 8-track for $25 from a friend who had three.
 
69CoronetRT said:
Yes, they are not cheap as AM/FM was not common at that time.

It's all relative. B body AM/FMs range from $600-900. I'd love to find one at that price.
Click to expand...

Are you serious, they go for that much? :eek: My R/T has the original AM/FM still in the dash, and the bonus is, it works too!
 
Last edited:
I had an AM converted for my Imp and I love it. The foot search tune button even still works.:thumbsup:
 
detmatt said:
I had an AM converted for my Imp and I love it. The foot search tune button even still works.:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

I did that on another B body I have. Also very happy with the conversion, 4 channel stereo, left/right and front/rear. Of course I also installed new high quality speakers all around, they make a YUGE difference along with the upgraded receiver.

Couldn't remember who did the conversion for me, had to look through my records to find it. I used Wards Classic Car Radio. Happy with results.

Ward's Classic Car Radio Repair
 
Last edited:
I don't use I-pods, or digital devices, and am trying to keep it original. This one LOOKS just like the original AM currently in the car. Not concerned if it has stereo or not. My thought was that this one will pretty much fit in, in place of the original without having to touch the dash, which is pristine on mine......
 
I certainly understand the desire for a working am/fm radio. My Monaco is am only and i can’t find a decent music station while out cruising. I’d be happy with an am/fm unit to go with my rear reverb speaker but those radios are even more rare for my car. So i picked up a nonworking donor am radio to have converted to stereo.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

marty mopar
NOT MINE For Sale: 1967 Chrysler New Yorker 2dr Hardtop - $19,900 - Oklahoma City, OK
Replies
4
Views
1K
Bruce Larson
B
marty mopar
NOT MINE 1974 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham - $15,800 (Vista)
Replies
11
Views
3K
1975.Imperial
1975.Imperial
SuperDave
Power antenna conversion
Replies
7
Views
595
FURYGT
FURYGT
C
  • Locked
For Sale AM FM Radio 3501166 Cassette Plug 71 72 73 Works
Replies
0
Views
1K
Cudaize
C
Lycidias
Hello from germany / 440 New Yorker
5 6 7
Replies
127
Views
9K
Lycidias
Lycidias
Back
Top