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hemidenis

Posted 2016-06-06 5:07 PM (#513364)
Subject: 1960 Chrysler 300F radio conversion

Expert

Posts: 3895
2000

Location: Northen Virginia

I first contacted Antonello back in 2011 and thanked him for saving the neglected 1960 Chrysler 300F, now as an Italian resident.

I contacted him again this year regarding his auto beam changer and during that conversation he asked me to convert his 7 pushbutton radio to FM, the radio wasn’t working, nor the AM original dial illumination which is a separated high voltage system.
He sent me the radio from Italy, but he was especially worried about the very important Illumination system that was not working, which I promised to fix too.

This extremely rare Bendix Mopar model 402 “Golden Touch” 7 pushbutton radio was badly neglected as the300F it came from. Long periods of time in the water and the elements took a toll on the mechanism and circuitry. The radio was obviously repaired and patched several times in the past, so the AM tube circuitry was a no go. Rust was all over the radio too. The reason the high voltage illumination system didn’t work was due to rust on the electroluminescent panel, a very rare occurrence.

The pictures show the dirty buttons as a never saw before, and it took me several days to clean them. Restoring this radio to a presentable level was an entire challenge by itself.
Antonello requested a simple FM radio, with no gizmos or remote control, stations memory, no functional or lighted pushbuttons. He was mostly focus in an AUX input to listen to his favorites CDs.

I decided to go for another new digital FM device that controls the FM by a twist of a knob which includes a more discrete and almost invisible LCD display.
Initially I was planning to illuminate the LCD display with the factory LED FM device on-board light, but that would require an extra wire from the car light switch to the radio. So I decide to do something different and use the original 200V AC lighting. Even though an extra sound filter was required to deal with the high voltage interference, the results were excellent and no extra wire was necessary to operate the radio Illumination.
Most of the functions are described on the video but also:

-Left outer knob: Volume, ON/OFF
-left inner know: Fader with 4 positions, FF, FFR, FRR,RR
-Right knob: Tuning/ Or push for Signal Noise or (SN) control/SN sensibility control calibration.
-Right Inner knob: FM (full counter clockwise)/AUX (CD player) one click clockwise
-Blue light will glow when the FM station is tuned using the SN system.
-On the back they are 2 extra controls, for Bass and Treble.

I have to say that YouTube is getting worse and worse with the music Copyrights, and my video was blocked in several countries, and I had to remove some of the Elvis Presley songs, to make the video visible worldwide.
Many thanks to Antonello for letting me be part of this amazing 300F restoration. This new world’s exclusive FM conversion will change his Italian streets driving experience forever!

Edited by hemidenis 2016-06-06 6:50 PM

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NicksGarage

Posted 2016-06-06 6:20 PM (#513372 - in reply to #513364)
Subject: RE: 1961 Chrysler 300F radio conversion

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Posts: 1223
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Location: Ramona, CA

Your subject line should read 1960 but I know that's just a typo.

My spare 402 radio for my 300F is probably crustier than that one. The one in my car is very nice but not hooked up so I don't know if it works. The lighting does though. I also have this 1962 model 410 radio that I haven't tested the lighting or the function on but I'd assume there's something wrong with the radio as the case has been apart and some screws are missing.

Edited by NicksGarage 2016-06-06 6:22 PM

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hemidenis

Posted 2016-06-06 7:02 PM (#513379 - in reply to #513364)
Subject: Re: 1960 Chrysler 300F radio conversion

Expert

Posts: 3895
2000

Location: Northen Virginia

Thanks Nick for the correction, trying to upload the video was a fight with YouTube lasting all morning, it took a tool on this post typo

This 60 radio had some screws missing too and sings of heavy use. Specially long finger nails starching badly the blue buttons and lettering
Your radio looks pretty good still, the buttons are in exellent shape, beside that others important stuff are the clear Plexiglas front and the back numbers and needle. All the rest it is not visible and restorable. Rare sight seen a Mopar 410 too... Thanks for sharing!

I never noticed that the 62 front was not chromed but bare cast face, which is really surprising and probably showing the new direction that Chrysler took after Exner left the company.

NicksGarage

Posted 2016-06-07 12:08 AM (#513422 - in reply to #513379)
Subject: Re: 1960 Chrysler 300F radio conversion

Expert

Posts: 1223
1000

Location: Ramona, CA

hemidenis - 2016-06-06 4:02 PM

I never noticed that the 62 front was not chromed but bare cast face, which is really surprising and probably showing the new direction that Chrysler took after Exner left the company.

It's because they changed the bezel around the radio and clock to include the chrome trim there instead of on the components. Probably to ensure it fit better instead of just sticking them through holes in the thin metal plate.

antonellomopar

Posted 2016-06-07 2:24 AM (#513432 - in reply to #513364)
Subject: Re: 1960 Chrysler 300F radio conversion

Extreme Veteran

Posts: 375
100

Location: milano, italy

Denis, thank you for the excellent work performed on my radio.The radio was in the same condition as was the rest of the car...terrible. I tried to find a better uniti by looking on ebay and other soures, but either the prices were impossible, or simply nobody had that radio. It seems like having a new radio. Now I will have to wait until my F comes back from Raffaele, where the last things are being done. Will send some more radios to be redone, like my 71 Cuda conv and 300G.

hemidenis

Posted 2016-06-07 12:48 PM (#513480 - in reply to #513364)
Subject: Re: 1960 Chrysler 300F radio conversion

Expert

Posts: 3895
2000

Location: Northen Virginia

Thanks for trusting in my conversions Antonello, the radio looks great right now. This radio is rare indeed, I don't remember seen one in a long time. 1961 variety where a more popular option I guess.
I will be waiting for pictures after installation!

Edited by hemidenis 2016-06-07 12:52 PM

di_ch_NY56

Posted 2016-06-07 1:42 PM (#513490 - in reply to #513364)
Subject: RE: 1960 Chrysler 300F radio conversion

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Posts: 1530
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Location: ZH, Switzerland

It's a wonderful restoration of the Golden Touch radio. Congratulation.

And this is mine. I was in the parts bin but not mounted in the dash when I got my Letter. If you were using a digital FM receiver, is it possible to use a digital DMB receiver as well. Norway for example will switch off the FM frequecies in favor of DAB+/DMB (https://www.worlddab.org/).

Happy Restoring!

Dieter

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hemidenis

Posted 2016-06-08 12:15 AM (#513556 - in reply to #513364)
Subject: Re: 1960 Chrysler 300F radio conversion

Expert

Posts: 3895
2000

Location: Northen Virginia

Thanks a lot Dieter and your radio is in great shape! The front is virtually perfect.

DAB devices are in my catalogs, but DAB it is not very popular in the US, the cost of a DAB radio is 10 times of a regular FM, and we still don't really need them since every radio I know is still playing in regular FM, so it is no much use for them right now in the US.

Theses new DAB devices are completely digital and it will probably need a screen to properly control it. DMB receivers are still expensive and around $200 dollars, or at least what is available in the US.. I'm not sure what everybody is going to do when they switch to DAB in Europe, but seems like not everybody is ready.

di_ch_NY56

Posted 2016-06-12 5:35 AM (#513923 - in reply to #513364)
Subject: RE: 1960 Chrysler 300F radio conversion

Expert

Posts: 1530
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Location: ZH, Switzerland

Hi Denis

Thanks for your response. There is a world forum on DAB/DMB available. From this site I got the information that Norway will switch off the FM during 2017, starting from the north to south. There is a roadmap at the Norwegian broadcast site linked at the worldforum. In Switzerland where I live the coverage is above 90 percent. The switch off of the FM in Switzerland is postponed to 2024, because the government first will equip many smaller tunnels with digital radio transmitters. Some local radio stations didn't get a FM frequency band (no place anymore) and are in the new DAB+ ensemble.

About my radio

It seems it was never mounted in my Letter. The knobs were laying in the front center console and at the rear of the radio is a sticker addressing the initial setting. I'm interested in a conversion for sure.

Take care,

Dieter

hemidenis

Posted 2016-06-12 10:50 AM (#513934 - in reply to #513364)
Subject: Re: 1960 Chrysler 300F radio conversion

Expert

Posts: 3895
2000

Location: Northen Virginia

Hi Dieter

Since asked your question I have done some research. England in one of the places that seems more DAB oriented places. They sell different sorts of conversions for regular FM cars, but it is still not nearly something affordable for everyone. The tricky part is that some required a special antenna (police style). Another factor that needs to be considered, is that operating a DAB without a screen could be a challenge. DAB is not about turning left knob ON and twisting the other knob for the desire station looking at the dial... This is like comparing an old 80's UHF TV twisting the channels knob with your modern cable "on-screen" box..

I'm not surprised by the date changes to 2024, specially because of millions of cars/households with regular FM devices, in the US not all new cars are equipped with this new technology only RDS.

I have to say that personally I really don't use radio, a smart phone can give you absolutely everything you want. Pandora Music will play any music you want; you have Google maps for traffic, and CNN or local TV station for news or maybe listen to any YouTube you want...
I know that some old timers are turning down this technology but it is here, affordable and the advantages are beyond anyone wildest imagination. That is probably why DAB was not yet implemented in the US..

However I ordered a DAB module last weeks to look at the possibilities for conversions applications. I have to test the DAB radio to see if it can be controlled with 5 pushbuttons and 2 knobs available in the car radios..

Denis

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