Plus 2 radios

[oldokie]

I have an early Plus 2 (50/0183) and the radio is three inches deep. It's a Pye , doesn't work, but I don't know if it's dead or just don't like the frequencies in this country. Any ideas?

[gordonlund]

Original radio in Britain was a Philips Turnlock. They change hands for silly money by the rivet counters (modellers slang for perfectionists) They give lousy reception as any period radio did in a fibre glass car. Lotus went to extreme measures to make a radio work in GRP with suppression and screening of everything electrical. but to no avail. At any speeds above tick over forget it. I'de keep hold of the Pye, it may have been an alternative after market fitment for the American market and may have some value.

In the meantime I have 150 watts of Kenwood with no requirement for suppression or screening. When I go to shows I change the removable front for a period AM/FM radio front which keeps the rivet counters at bay.

Gordon

[Over Steer]

so you managed to fit a kenwood head unit into the standard slot? how does the retro face attach itself to the kenwood unit?

[oldokie]

I was a little vague. The Pye was installed in Britain, it's a long wave, medium wave, I'm not sure that's the same as US am/fm. No one I've been able to find over here has a model that's shallow enough to fit in hole and then there's the + ground to consider. I put a Pioneer in my Elan S3 (hot wire to the case) and it worked fine until the seat frame rubbed the insulation off the antenna lead and set fire to passenger side carpet in traffic! I finally got pulled over, got the seat pushed forward, and was beating the fire out with my wife's dry cleaning, smoke is rolling out of the windows. This kid runs up and says, "I think your car's on fire." I said, " No, this is my smoking jacket."

[mac5777]

Now that is funny. What did your wife have say about it?
Sorry for the fire and the damage, but I don't always laugh out loud.
Thanks for the laugh, Sarto

[rdssdi]

I purchased a "Secret Audio" radio. The head is quite small and short depth. The remote box that has the radio is of course much larger.

I have yet to install the dash intoi the car an.d install the remote box. I am unsure where it will fit. I am tentatively thinking in top of the passenger footwell.

Bob

[SimonH]

The Secret Audio radio looks very nice.

I would get one except they only work on the USA system of odd only FM frequencies. Shame.

Does anyone now if they can be reprogrammed to UK spec?

[mac5777]

I also purchased a secret radio and installed it in the boot just behind the back panel and hung the speakers boxes that they offered on the inside behind the seats. I use the remote to select the stations and left the dash with it's plug blank in place. I'm thinking of hinging the dash blank with push/release type thing? so that when it is up it shows the control part of the radio.
The radio works fine even with just the 2 rear speakers.
When I get some time i'll finish it and post pictures

Sarto

[gordonlund]

A modern Kenwood fits into an Elan OK as there is lots of room behind the dash. Not so the +2 which is very restricted. I made an aluminium frame which holds the unit in place but it protudes from the dash by about an inch. See my photos on Rhubarb +2 postings. The old period front I cut from a knackered radio and bent the metal front so that it clips into the slot at the front of the Kenwood. Static and non functional it's only for show!

Gordon

[oldokie]

Sarto, The dry cleaning was history, the carpet survived, herself has left, she's on her 4th now, he's with the Oklahoma Highway Dept. so work is steady! Happy ending!

[rdssdi]

I installed my dash today. It appears that the secret audio cable that connects the head of the radio to the box is long enough to locate the box behind the rear interior panel. It will be out of sight and not taking up any leg room.

Bob

[Gordon Sauer]

On the Pye that I have, also plus 2, you have to get the frequency selection correct, right knob outer I think, then fine dial with inner right knob--the buttons work to slide dial to preselects--works fine with antennae. What looks like antennae wire is speaker wire with sheath to one pole and center lead to other pole--not stereo. Gordon Sauer, TX

[RotoFlexible]

I installed my dash today. It appears that the secret audio cable that connects the head of the radio to the box is long enough to locate the box behind the rear interior panel. It will be out of sight and not taking up any leg room.

Bob

Hinging the dash radio blank with a push-release latch as suggested by Sarto is a brilliant idea. I've seen an Elan glove box door rigged this way and it is very slick. The 12' cable that connects the head unit to the radio box should be long enough to go anywhere on the car.

I've never had a radio in my S2 so I haven't had experience with interference - I don't even know where the speakers are supposed to go. Is it possible to flush-mount two speakers in the rear bulkhead, or do the strut towers get in the way? From other posts in this thread, it appears that modern radios make interference a thing of the past - true? What about an antenna? Will the "hidden antenna" offered by the Secret Audio folks work well in our plastic cars?

I have the dash out now for refinishing and rewiring, so anything is possible.

[rdssdi]

I installed a universal power antenna. It is not that much larger than the original manual antenna and will extend with the secret audio radio is on and vice versa.

[oldokie]

Gordon, I'm assuming you are in the USA,right? Was the radio for the US market, or does it matter? My +2 is the 'home market' version (rhd) and I haven't found anyone who can tell me just what the difference is between the UK's LW-MW and the USA's AM/FM. Is it frequency or modulation?