Dashboard radio

[Dan McKean]

I know this isn’t a motor question but does anyone know where I could buy a vintage dash radio for my 1963 Starcraft aluminum 14ft.? Dark teak dashboard.

[Tubs]

I believe they just used car radios. If you could
find a picture of one with a radio and search
the pictures of car radios from that time you
should discover what brand and year they used.
Once you find out the brand finding one shouldn’t
be difficult. If you find a picture of one in a boat
post it. Some of us here may recognize it from
owning the cars from that time.
Tubs

A "Boathouse Repair" is one thats done without having tools or the skills to do it properly.

[seakaye12]

If you want the retro look but would also like the reliability of modern electronics and the added features like MP3 you could look into some of the “retro-look” radios that are available.
.

Here’s a place to start looking:
.
https://oldnewsclub.com/best-retro-in-dash-stereos-for-your-classic-car/

• This reply was modified 4 years, 2 months ago by seakaye12.

[outbdnut2]

Car radios were used back then, and often aftermarket ones were put in boats, or people went to junkyards. If you go with an old car radio, be sure you get one new enough to have transistors and not vacuum tubes. Tube radios draw more current, are not tolerant of the boat hitting waves, and need frequent repair. There are a lot of new radios that look retro, priced from $26 to as much as you want to pay ($700+). Here is a link to a company that has a variety of them:

https://www.radiosforoldcars.com/

With any radio, you will have to add speakers. Keep in mind that in 1963, 99% of these radios were AM only, not stereo, needing only one speaker. To make your radio work and your boat look correct for 1963, you will need to mount an old-school telescoping antenna on a deck somewhere. You may want to go with a slightly newer antenna that telescopes all the way down into the deck so it’s not in the way of handling a boat cover, fish lines or waterski ropes. These telescoping antennas are commonly used today by street-rodders, and some telescope electrically.

Be ready to add electronic filters to the radio’s 12 volt power line and maybe the antenna to block outboard ignition and generator noise – especially on AM radio. Some radios have this stuff already in them. To get rid of ignition noise on the AM radio, you may also need to put resistor-spark plug wires and resistor spark plugs in your motor, as is done today in cars.

Below is a link to a somewhat retro-looking radio with a lot of modern features, for $27 :
Dave

https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Receiver-Hands-Free-Microphone-Multimedia/dp/B087CJ5L74/ref=sr_1_3?crid=24JTZZAIBE4KO&dchild=1&keywords=retro+car+radio&qid=1635086855&qsid=143-9083215-5898211&sprefix=%27retro+car+radios%27%2Caps%2C269&sr=8-3&sres=B087CJ5L74%2CB07TTDFLWD%2CB07THQTXM4%2CB073VHLRNQ%2CB00VWH48QW%2CB07QR5P1ZD%2CB08D2R48HZ%2CB07S1Y3QYF%2CB071GLPG84%2CB00VI890JA%2CB08L6P6C8B%2CB00VI88X7U%2CB07SNX2D7Z%2CB072N12SVB%2CB00VI891R6%2CB07X5GL5XW&srpt=AV_RECEIVER

• This reply was modified 4 years, 2 months ago by outbdnut2.

[Mumbles]

You can skip using an antenna by wiring the radios antenna wire directly to the windshield frame or bow rail, if your boat has these.

[outbdnut2]

If your windshield frame is screwed down to a deck on an aluminum boat, I doubt you can use it for an antenna, as it would be at “ground” potential, but for wood or fiberglass, yes – that makes sense!
Dave

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