Replacing Radio/Clock in my 74 Dino

Radio. You're never gonna get GREAT sound in the Dino. No place for great speakers, a big amp, etc. But, I'd think about getting the original fixed, or a nice period correct radio. There are guys out there who can modernize the guts of your radio, and make it whatever pod ready.

You can probably do the radio if you really want. It's a standard din sized hole, you can swap for a newer full din sized replacement. I had a really nice mcIntosh in my car for a while. Looked good, worked well. Switched back to a becker.

Clock. got mine fixed, swapped out newer guts for the original ones. Quartz innards from a newer clock behind the original face. Cost a couple hundred bucks and will run longer than replacing it with the same as the car came with, which will undoubtedly break again.

DM
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Cute touch with the key fob.

 

Gracias Senior.

Dave (pictures speak a 1000 words) M.

 

I had an Alpine CD player installed in ours last year. It did require cutting the dash, but I think that can't be avoided if one wants to play CDs. I wanted to get a small amp and stick it up under that dash someplace, but it seems that nobody makes small amps anymore. My head unit doesn't have an external input, but most of the latest models do.

I got a couple of Boston Acoustics speakers that are pretty efficient, they sound darn good for basic speakers and fit perfectly in the doors. I can get decent volume before distortion sets in.

I hasten to add that I did not do the installation myself.

I'd post some photos, but the ones I had were lost in a hard drive crash and the car's currently in the shop having the suspension rebuilt, plus a few other things.

The clock is right twice a day. I finally disconnected it last year after realizing that it was still draining the battery. Hey, the Alpine has a clock built in.

I know that some of the purists around here would have me burn in Dino hell for cutting the dash, but I'm not all that interested in the whole concours scene.

 

The McIntosh fit without cutting a bigger hole, but cost $1000+ new. (I bought it used). If you dig around some you can find stuff that will fit.

I found an amp that was small enough to fit in the glove box. don't recall where, maybe from Crutchfield?

DM
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

A glovebox-sized amp would be perfect. I should give Crutchfield a call. I've bought tons of home and car gear from them over the years. I had a small Alpine amp in a Mazda I used to own. I wish now that I'd kept it (the amp, not the car). When I got the new Alpine about a year ago, the smallest amp the shop offered had a footprint about the size of a mouse pad. Some were huge! The trunk's out as a place to put it, too darned hot in there.

Interesting that you were able to fit a CD player w/o cutting the dash. I always figured that to be impossible since a CD looks bigger in diameter than the standard "between the shafts" opening in an old style radio dash configuration, but maybe not... I'm curious as to how Mac pulled it off. I never even knew that they made car stereos.

 

I remember those. I think Pioneer and a few other mfrs. also made them. Although it's probably not real useful, it's quirky enough to be worth keeping.

 

Might serve as an input for MP3 or other player? Wonder if you could hear yourself as you recorded.

hmmmm.......

 

Alpine 9875
http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=16991

Just plug the IPOD (I believe the Zune has the same connector, right?) into this Alpine headunit and stow the IPOD in the glovebox as the Alpine display fully replicates the IPOD display. It even charges the IPOD for you.

Mounting is very easy; both the case mounting sleeve and the wire bundle fully remove (quick disconnect) so you can intall them without the head unit. All wiring is very well marked.

 

Re-originals has them
https://www.reoriginals.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=7608

Would you consider a quartz movement in your old casing, using your face plate and hands for one-tenth of that price?

 

DON'T put in a quartz clock, that is a very good indicator of "less-expensive" replacement. either do what dave did and have the guts changed to quartz and the face stay the same or have the clock rebuilt.

all of dino's have clcoks that seem to work when they want to. sure if i kill the battery, i expect them to die. i have never figured out why it work when i am driving it, but come back the next day and start the car to see it isn't on the right time although it's working. if it is electric, it should keep time, or is this one of those great ferrari mysteries?

personally, i love wearing mechanical watches and hate quartz. i am used to adjusting time as needed when i don't wear a watch everyday. the clock, as long as it's spinning, it keeps me happy, regardless of time.

 

I started out planning to get mine repaired. When we took it apart, that just wasn't possible, so we went with replacement innards instead.

Works fine, but does adjust with a pull instead of a push.

However, according to my concours stuff, is not a deduction.

 

www.ferraripartsexchange.com

lyle tanner

914-454-3240

they did mine (well sent it out) and did a really nice job.

Palo Alto Speedometer will do it too. Just google 'em.

Dave

 

Before replacing the inner movement of your clock, you might consider an fixing it.

I have taken three Dino clocks apart. Quite easy to do. The most difficult part is getting the plastic housing separated from the mechanical aspects. The chrome bezel is difficult to remove cleanly.

If you get the movement out, simply place everything on a clean towel in front of you on a table, with a small watchmaker's slotted screwdriver (Radio Shack - a dollar three eighty). What usually happens (in all three of my cases) is that the main shaft of the clock jumps out of its bearing, which is nothing but an indent in a end-piece.

Careful study of the movement will reveal how it works. Nothing magic. In that you are going to replace it anyway, it might be fun and efficient for you to tackle it.

Jim S.