Considering adding some tunes to the ride.....

jjbubaboy
jjbubaboy Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Hey all,

I sure would like to add an original style radio to my 36T. Any ideas on where to look for one? If I find one and it needs rebuild/refurbish or updating, any good ideas for referrals as to who to consult?

I hope its not too 'cost prohibitive' to do this as I love the look of the originals that I have seen in Terraplanes.

Thanks in advance for any help! :p

T Jeff

Comments

  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    There are lots of people who'll renew your radio for you, around the country. Try going to Hemmings Motor News ( Hemmings.com ) and looking under "Services" for radio repair. One company I used was Classic Auto Radio, now in Florida (they were in Md. when I used them), which seemed reasonable. Also, ask around -- there are companies that can retro-fit your radio with AM-FM using the original tubes and everything, though it's fairly expensive ($400+, back in the days when the average rebuilding was only $100+). There's not much to listen to on AM radio anymore.



    Classic Auto Radio Service, 23502 Shelby Ave, Port Charlotte, FL 33954; 800-880-1409, 941-629-3759; 33954radioman@embarqmail.com; classicautoradioservice.com
  • mars55
    mars55 Senior Contributor
    Try Steve Engel. He is the Hudson Club radio advisor and a good guy. He may have a radio for your '36 and he can tell you what radios fit.



    Engel Bro. Auto Radio

    17355 Jackson Ave

    Fontana, CA 92336



    909-543-6078



    steveengel@adelphia.net
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    My '37 Terraplane uses the stock dash tuner, volume control, and dial, but it connected to cables to a modern AM/FM tuner and amp mounted up under the dash. There is a pair of 6x9 speakers hooked up and mounted very high in the kick panels. By simply looking at the dash area and the floorboard, it is impossible to tell there is modern sound coming from that radio. I have a 36" antenna mounted in the roof, behind the headliner on the driver's side. The radio sounds great, and the antenna receives signals without problems.
  • bellbigdawg
    bellbigdawg Expert Adviser
    jjbubaboy wrote:
    Hey all,

    I sure would like to add an original style radio to my 36T. Any ideas on where to look for one? If I find one and it needs rebuild/refurbish or updating, any good ideas for referrals as to who to consult?

    I hope its not too 'cost prohibitive' to do this as I love the look of the originals that I have seen in Terraplanes.

    Thanks in advance for any help! :p

    T Jeff



    ebay has had several 36 radios for sale lately. look in ebay motors under "hudson" and I think one is there now.
  • jjbubaboy
    jjbubaboy Senior Contributor
    :D

    Thanks to all 'team Hudnuts' for the advice and referrals!



    T Jeff
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    edited November 2013
    Just want to be sure - Is that one of those hidden antennas?

    I bought a sidemount telescoping antenna, similar to what you'd find on a Jeep CJ, from an audio store. I extended it fully, then insulated the antenna between the headliner and the roof to keep it from grounding out. The headliner was then installed. Works very well.
  • jjbubaboy
    jjbubaboy Senior Contributor
    Hey Patrick,

    that is a great idea! How did you insulate it and how is it held in place?

    Jeff
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    jjbubaboy,



    I had my 36 Terraplane radio repaired by a company that advertised in Hemmings. The bill came to $600 and when it came back it looked just like it did when I sent it. No new wires or tubes, nothing that was agreed upon when I send it to them. They said their work was guaranteed, which also proved to be false. When I called them back and said the radio didn't work , in fact it didn't even turn on, their response was, 'We did the best we could'

    I contacted Steve Engel in the HET club, he did a great job on my 51 radio, but he said he didn't work on the older radios. In fact, most of the shops I contacted did not work on anything much older the stepdown era.

    What I eventually did was buy another radio and just took the time to fix it myself by swapping parts. It works fine now but would not recommend doing it again. The sound it kind of tinny and it just doesn't measure up to what I though it would.

    I like the look of the radio and wanted one just to be original, but would recommend buying a radio for display and hiding another one for listening. I have been thinking of doing that, but cannot find the right set that suits me. I am hoping that time and technology will produce something in the future. I'm like you, I like to have a radio to listen to when driving.
  • jjbubaboy
    jjbubaboy Senior Contributor
    Hey Scott,

    THANKS for the advice. You are not the first that I have heard of that has had less than good luck from a similar company that was advertised in Hemmings.

    That is definately more than I would want to spend anyway so I am keeping my options open.

    Thanks again,

    Jeff
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    jjbubaboy wrote:
    Hey Patrick,

    that is a great idea! How did you insulate it and how is it held in place?

    Jeff



    I wrapped it once in fiberglass and taped it, then stuck it up along the trough that runs over the inside of the door frames. Ran the coaxial cable down the A-pillar. Pretty simple, and completely hidden away. Probably won't see it again in my lifetime. Maybe the guy who restores it again in 2075 will look at that and think "Radio...what were they thinking then???"
This discussion has been closed.

Categories

In this Discussion