84 512 BBI reinstall original pioneer radio.

The Pioneer system for the BBi did not include a separate amplifier. It consisted of a special edition radio and the equaliser unit only. I believe that there is a four way amplifier integrated in the equaliser unit.

Best, Peter

 

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Here is a rough installation diagram for your convenience.

 

And a shot from the equaliser manual confirms that it includes a “powerful” booster
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I can also confirm that my car does not have an amp, only the head / EQ pair (I don't think any had a dedicated amp). The "FEATURES" image below is from the EQ manual; which I also attached. I can also send you the manual for the head unit, but it's 21MB and the upload max is 5MB.

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I can check and confirm tomorrow. If I recall, the EQ mostly mounts to the flimsy surrounding leather shell. There is small hard-to-reach screw on a little hanging bracket that screws directly into the EQ; which helps keep it all in position. Not the most rigid setup.

 

The equalizer is screwed in place from the sides. Very challenged access from the inside. As I remember it helps if you remove the panel below the steering wheel to get access:

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The radio is kept in place from moving out with a metal strap from the backside (Bulkhead to radio back - There is a M5 or M6 bolt preinstalled on the bulkhead as I recall it). Not a very robust or easy to access method. You can clearly see that this is the first factory made radio installation in a Ferrari.

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sure Ferrari did this and not the dealer?

 

Yep, I’m sure.

 

so Ferrari started with the radio with the 512 BBi?
I remember a customer of mine with a 512 BB without radio. or was the radio an option?

 

It came with the BBi.

Best, Peter

 

512 BB has also a factory installed

512 BB had also a factory installed Pioneer Radio. This wasn‘t an option. Radio looks similar to the BBi but there is no equalizer. IMO it’s a great looking radio.

Other Ferraris of the same period (308 GTB/GTS) were delivered without radio, so the dealer had to instal the radio.

 

Good day,

Can you explain why you state that 512BB's had a factory installed Pioneer Radio? I ask, as all of the pictures I saw of the BB's had whatever radio the dealer/customer wished to install (Becker, Blaupunkt, Voxson, etc). My own car (Germany/Swiss) did not have a Pioneer radio, but a generic one.

Cheers,

Sam

 

The radio should fit quite well in the hole if this has not been enlarged and the face plate makes the installation it look nicely completed. So basically no need for any further stabilization than the metal strap. Maybe someone else on the site have other experiences and can chime in.

Best, Peter

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My father owns his 512 BB for a very very long period of time. He is the second owner of the car and he bought the car from the first owner. That was around 35 years ago. The car is still highly original, no accidents, first paint, original interieur and has the original Pioneer radio also with a very caracteristic print of the Ferrari Logo on the front plate but the 512 BB didn‘t have any equalizer.

When my father was looking to buy his first 512 BB most of the cars still had that original Pioneer radio, but at that time the cars were only some years old.
He liked the style of the radio and at some Point he thought it would be a great fit for his 308, but he wasn‘t able to buy that radio. The dealer told him that the radio was installed directly by Ferrari and is not (was no langer?) available.

 

Good day,

Understood. However, the sample set that your father saw was small and so to suggest that ALL boxers were equipped with Pioneer radios from the factory lacks any real evidence. As mentioned, my own car did not have a Pioneer radio (although it could have been changed, but unlikely given that the Pioneer was of a much better quality than what my car had).. Secondly, many period pictures show several different manufacturer radios. That is not to say that the buyer "could" have requested a factory/Pioneer radio... but this does not in itself mean that a Pioneer radio was standard.

Secondly, I believe that the Pioneer equalizer was only made and available in the early 80's and so would not have been available in 1976 when the 512's were first introduced. Additionally, the Pioneer radio used in the BBis would have been a different model (newer) that what Pioneer models would have been available in 1976 or so. What I can say is that Ferrari was closely associated with Voxson, an Italian radio manufacturer, as many of the earlier Ferrari's prior to the 512BB were equipped with Voxson speakers from the factory. Given this existing relationship, it would seem more likely that if Ferrari did have or want a factory radio, then Voxson would most likely been chosen... in my opinion.

That being said, my comments are based only upon empirical evidence and conjecture and so by could be in error.

Cheers,

Sam

 

It's a Pioneer KE-4300 with a different face plate. I have one advertised in Classifieds with a link to the thread discussing the differences between the std KE-4300 and the F one.

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/pioneer-ke-4300.700529/

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/pioneer-ke4300.638076/