Dino radio's - Any info?

Usa spec Dino's didn't come with a radio. Even though they could be wired for one with the antenna and speaker wiring option, they still weren't delivered with radios. Most us spec cars had radios installed at the dealer or later in their lives. Euro deliver cars (both euro spec and us spec that were delivered at the factory) did have radios installed. They were either autovox or voxon. Does anyone that has a car that falls into the category of euro delivery have an original factory radio? I am looking for an original "type" factory radio for one of my cars and was curious about others cars.

 

Don't have radio info but I do have the factory radio wiring instructions.
View attachment dino radio chart.pdf

 

It seems a lot of US Dinos have Becker or Blaupunkt radios. Were the dealers just putting in european brands for the elan, or were they the only ones that fit? I would think the factory would have liked the extra $50 or $100 profit they could make by sticking in a box and charging for it!!

My car has a Blaupunkt with a record button and a microphone wired into the glove box. The radio works great, but I think the tape drive is shot.

 

ost usa spec dino's do have a blaupunky or becker, as tehse were some of the best radio's on the market. the dealers made the money, not the factory. once again, a reason to keep cost down. i have two becker mexico radio's in two of my cars. but having a euro spec car, i would like to put a voxon in. i have a really good idea as to what style, but thought i would throw it out there.

 

Our UK spec car did not come with a radio. My father had a nice Blaupunkt w/ cassette installed at a car stereo shop. The unit was stolen while the car was in transit to the US in '78. They even took the speakers. They left the power antenna, which is still on the car but doesn't go up.

 

Are you saying that Euro Dinos were not sold with Beckers or Blaupunkts? I put a nice cassette Becker Mexico in my Euro Dino. Mistake?

Was the radio always installed by the dealer?

Cheers,

Julio

 

In the late 60's to early 80's, Algar used an outside vendor for sound systems in their delivered cars. The owner there is a member here, who posts, not frequently, but he does occasionally chime in. I'll see if I can get him to wander over here and comment on what he saw in Euro cars, and what he put in the US cars that Algar was delivering at that time.

He's still in business installing high end sound systems in cars today. He even put a great system in my kid's Subaru, and is responsible for the installation of the Becker radio in my Dino.

Paging Gary at Goodman Radio!!! www.goodmanradio.com

dave m.

 

Definitely not in our case.

 

Hi all,

Dave M asked me to provide some info. From at least the mid-seventies until sometime during the F355 series, new US-spec Ferraris were imported without radios. I have always heard the the Ferrari client wants to choose his own sound system. Other than colors, this was about your only option. The real reason was probably more to do with the radios needing an Italian "tax stamp". I have seen a few 80's Gray-Market cars with Maranello-installed Blaupunkts and they seemed to have this stamp. European units also function on different bands and even our shared FM band has a different range.

As far as manufacturer was concerned, I used both Blaupunkt and Becker radios in Daytona/Dino era cars. 8-Track units may have been Panasonic but I don't recall. Anything with a cassette would have most likely been a Blau but the Becker Mexico had its followers. Whenever I did installs for Garthwaite/Algar(original importer) or FNA (current importer) they both specified Blaupunkt. I have seen early Euro cars with everything including Grundig and Voxson.

I hope that this clears things up.

Gary Goodman

 

My Euro Dino had its original radio replaced before I got the car but I did get the manual and recall it saying either the model or make was Mecca.

 

Gary -

Thank you for posting. I have a Blaupunkt AM/FM (still in my Dino) and a Blaupunkt 8 Track that I removed. (Surprisingly, I found some 8 track tapes still in shrinkwrap recently). I'd like to have both the AM/FM and the 8 track rebuilt/restored and have heard that there are some companies that can replace the insides while still keeping the outside appearance and functions. Do you have any contacts for such work?

Mark

 

Mark,

I responded to your PM

Gary

 

That looks an awful lot like a wiring diagram for the Becker Mexico.

I have a Blaupunkt (push-button w/cassette) that I was planning on putting in my GT4, but I found a Becker Mexico on Craigslist to use instead. I paid $100 for it, but it's missing the amp. So now I have to decide which one I want to put in. I figure a missing the amp probably not a big deal. But I'm guessing.

This is a great thread though. So, I guess either one would be okay for a mid-70's car. Yippiee!

 

Gary -

Thank you for responding. I'll contact my buddy at Harman International about the old-style Becker radios with modern electronics inside. If I can found out anything, I'll post again about this.

Mark