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ColdEspresso · 10-09-2006, 01:37 PM

Yesterday I unscrewed my old Motorola Stereo with 8Track player to see how I might upgrade it with a new receiver because I am not getting any sound in half of my speakers. The wiring appears to be OK but I would like to put a CD player with a port for my iPod and add XM. Has anyone done this upgrade? I don't want to spend a ton of money but would like to know what units hook up easily to the existing wiring. Will I need an amp to power the tuner? Are any of the low end units better than the others? What about antenna hookup? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mario

tlavergne · 10-09-2006, 02:43 PM

I've been wanting to do the same in my 1978 Ambassador. I was thinking of installing a car radio/CD player with an MP3 outlet and tying it into the speaker wires of the A/S. The problem is so many of the new car stereo's are far from easy to use. My kids could figure them out in a few minutes but my 50 year old brain needs something simple. That way it would still be 12 volt for when we are not on shore power.
Tom

juel · 10-09-2006, 04:00 PM

I too have the 78 with an 8 track. I want to hook my speakers up to an LCD TV so I can hear it with the AC running. I just get static out of the 8 track, but I guess that means the speakers work. I'm a little electronically challanged, so I may not ever get this done, but it sounds good just talking about it. I don't know if those wires and speakers will work on 110 or just on 12V.

ColdEspresso · 10-09-2006, 04:49 PM

I am happy to keep it running on 12v. The existing stereo does not pull too much power. The current problem is that the volume and station selector are very scratchy and the speakers have trouble on 1 of the channels. I'm sure I could take it apart and clean the contacts but it is hardly worth it for a 30 year old system. I think that it would be more prictical to replace it.

LI Pets · 10-09-2006, 04:59 PM

How about some recomendations.

For that matter what would your best list of entertainment toys be?

peegreen · 10-09-2006, 05:10 PM

Mine came with a Sony AM/FM/tape that I wanted to upgrade to at least a CD player that would play MP3's. I brought the trailer to Circuit City because they has free installation if you spent something like at least $199. I ended up with a Pioneer unit that also has an XM tuner and 4 speakers. They were in shock when I puuled in with the trailer, but really embraced it and did a great job with the install. The speaker choices are somewhat limited because of the depth available in the walls if you use the original locations. Sometimes it's easier to leave it to the pro's for very little extra $$.

peegreen · 10-09-2006, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lipets

How about some recomendations.

For that matter what would your best list of entertainment toys be?

I would have the player capable of also playing DVD's so it could be hooked up to your LCD TV.

ColdEspresso · 10-09-2006, 05:17 PM

Great tip...I think I can do a $200 upgrade. After all, it is an Airstream! I will keep an eye on the free installation flyers that usually end up in the recycling. Thanks

peegreen · 10-09-2006, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColdEspresso

Great tip...I think I can do a $200 upgrade. After all, it is an Airstream! I will keep an eye on the free installation flyers that usually end up in the recycling. Thanks

Keep a lookout for Circuit City and Best Buy, they always have deals going. The only small problem may be the way the speakers are wired, i.e. negative ground, details of which can always be worked around. May need to replace the speakers which I would recommend anyway - the originals are lousy.

ticki2 · 10-09-2006, 06:09 PM

To those who do up grade to a new stereo , I am looking for an original Motorola AM-FM with 8-track in working condition . If you have one available send me a PM , thanks

SafeHarbor · 10-09-2006, 07:33 PM

Negative ground? In the sense of 12 VDC pos + chassis ground? I don't think so, but I am often wrong. All four of my speakers have lamplike twin-lead zip wire going to them. I guess I should pull the radio (which with the 8-track player still works fine) out and see if one side of the RCA jacks is soldered to ground.

Noisy rotary controls are from scratchy rheostats. You can un-solder the bad ones and use a meter to find their bottom and wide-open resistance. Hums are from dirty DC (ie. sickly Univolt) and worn-out capacitors. Loud hums are completely dried-out old capacitors. Dial lamps dimming as the volume increases are indicative of a tired power supply.

Radio Shack still carries this stuff, and old radios are MUCH more fun to poke around in that the newer stuff. (Hmm... if it LOOKS bad in there, it probably is!)

Lamar, the sometimes singed

ColdEspresso · 10-15-2006, 06:32 AM

Well folks, it is true, the speakers all have a common ground. I have been told that the newer radios will fry if I attempt to hook it up and I have to pull new wires. Is this easily accomplished without tearing out the walls? don't mind replacing the speakers but pulling wires doesn't look easy. Any ideas?

LI Pets · 10-15-2006, 06:44 AM

I don't follow, what kind of wires are you supposed to use?

Silver Threads · 10-15-2006, 07:04 AM

I too have thought of replacing ours. However i was considering a home theater system like you would put in your house. Walmart has many variations of these. They have one that includes 5 or 6 speakers that are wireless and you would not have to run any wires. Most of these have am/fm reciever, cd, dvd, and you can hook your television into them. You would have to cut out a bigger hole, but I think it would work! If you want a car stereo, I just saw a Sony on clearance at walmart yesterday for $69.00.

John

GlenCoombe · 10-15-2006, 07:25 AM

I found a great site when looking for a stereo/monitor to install in the dash of Airstream One. www.millionbuy.com is a NOS closeout site. Great deals and I think free shipping still applies on purchases over $249. I saved over $100 vs. eBay on the Pyle 7" LCD DVD controller. It even came with a backup camera function built in.
My Sirius sat. radio is fed into the aux. channel so I have my music anywhere... no direct ipod connection though but that's something I don't have....yet!

ColdEspresso · 10-15-2006, 02:37 PM

It was explained to me that the negative wires on the front and rear speakers all share a common negative ground. That is the way most older 12v radios were wired and the AS harness is wired that way. Newer systems have a dedicated positive and negative for each channel and speaker. If I hook it up to a new audio system it will fry it very quickly. The only solution is to rewire and replace the speakers. New speakers are not a problem because the original AS speakers are not very good but the wiring can be a challenge. Has anyone done this refit?

ALANSD · 10-15-2006, 07:49 PM

I pulled out my AS SPeakers, and put in new Panasonics. I did not like the look so I went back to the AS originals,for now.It was a basic two wire plug in swap for the 78.
I bought a very nice Panasonic car stereo on closeout at Walmart. 60 bucks. Sounds great and is easy to operate and install. Ten minutes to get it wired up.

SafeHarbor · 10-15-2006, 08:39 PM

Well, my '75 Argosy has appliance twin-conductor cord going from each speaker location all the way up to the front overhead bin left side, which was where the original radio was. I doubt they're grounded anywhere along the length. At one time, I had a home-type Sony stereo receiver hooked up directly to these wires, and it never showed a fault or blew any fuses.

Lamar

jrk247 · 10-19-2006, 09:03 AM

Hello

I put a new radio in a few months ago and it was the greatest investment so far! It was like $79 at walmart, the one great thing that I like about it are all the options it has. It does the normal fm/am/cd, but it will also play mp3's and wma's off the cd. It also has a sd slot, usb port, and an external input. It is all easy to use and easy to install, I had to fabricate a new front panel since the origonal was built into the radio. The wiring was easy and I haven't had any problems with it yet. The only problem with my install is that you can't play cd's when you have it in the verticle position...well you can but i can hear it rub, and when it is the open position it still rubs so I eventually have to make it open about 2" more and it's ok. I use xm anyway which is fine, my model has a built in fm modulator so it makes it easy. Oh it even has a remote! Good Luck,

Jake