Radio

[dgently]

The Radiomobile models fit fine and are common and cheap. Philips Turnolock and the Pyemaster illustrated in the WS Manual are also proven options but rarely list on ebay. It would be worth searching the archives as the "fit" question for elans and +2's has been covered very well.

The beauty of the Tadpole conversions is that they install a modern stereo amp with a line in port. So DAB, DAB+, iPods, 8-tracks etc can be simply plugged in via the glovebox and controlled by the "60's" radio.

[Keith Scarfe]

Interesting. I am thinking of retro fitting an old radio unit. Might be a silly question but how do these fit into the dash. On the Elan dash (mine anyway) the cut out for the radio unit is a large rectangular hole. How do you mount one of these old radios (type with the 2 knobs sticking out). The modern one I currently have has the catches on the side that locate it in the big hole and is removed using the U shaped tool that you push in from the front. Is there some sort of fitting kit to adapt the double knob type to the large hole. On that tadpol site they show a chrome facia plate but I cant see how this would clip the unit into the dash.
Also does anyone know what the modern electronics unit is that they use in the old radio chassis? Could be an interesting project to make my own. Find an old radio on ebay and do the conversion myself. Just need to know where to get the bits.

[Robbie693]

Hi Keith,

With the Turnolock units there are two brackets which go over the knob posts and into the dash hole, sandwiching the dash between them and the facia plate. I would have thought it would be the same for other radio models..

Robbie

[garyeanderson]

elan-f15/radiomobile-ltd-model-1070-t18767.html



This is the original radio out of the S4 SE Coupe (0078E) that I have, you can see the side of the radio have L brackets and the face plate pinches the dash in between when you tighten the nuts on the threaded portions where the knobs are.

Gary

[Boston-Sam]

A while back a "helpful" mechanic on Cape Cod removed the radio in my car that, as far as I could tell, was working, and told us it was "toast" (and not safe). He did not have the old radio to show us so it is unclear if it was junk or re-deployed in another customer's car.

Any recommendations on where to get a positive earth radio for my s3 in the New England area?

[fatboyoz]

Sam,
If you can't find one locally, you should find something here:
http://motors-parts.shop.ebay.co.uk/Oth ... 0&_salic=3

Colin.

A while back a "helpful" mechanic on Cape Cod removed the radio in my car that, as far as I could tell, was working, and told us it was "toast" (and not safe). He did not have the old radio to show us so it is unclear if it was junk or re-deployed in another customer's car.

Any recommendations on where to get a positive earth radio for my s3 in the New England area?

[tdafforn]

I've kept the period radio (A turnlock) and put a modern radio with remote in the boot. works great!
Tim

[Boston-Sam]

Thanks Colin -

There are options on the UK ebay site and the shipping cost appears to dominate for most of them. Before I start bidding there I will look a little more locally. At least I see they are available.


Tim -

What did you do about positive earth with a modern radio?

- Sam

[AlfaLofa]

My apologies for resurrecting this post.

Yesterday I did a bit of work on my S1 dash - I fitted fresh 'Bonnet Lock' cables (with the correct script) and replaced the 5 chrome dash mounting bolts with the original black variety.

To fit the bonnet cables I had to remove the old Philips push-button radio which I had mounted last century using a Heath Robinson bracket which I had attached to the bonnet pull mount behind the dash.

When I fitted the new cable I decided not to refit the bracket.

So now I have a large hole in the dash where the radio (which was not particularly pleasing on the eye) used to reside.

I have 2 options:
a) fit the original veneered blanking cut-out presumably using duct tape or similar. Alternatively I could attach a couple of ears to the plate and then glue the blanking plate to the back of the dash.

How is this supposed to be securely fitted into the hole?

or

b) fit a period radio.
I spent yesterday evening trying to work out how a radio was supposed to be mounted into this hole. Then I found this posting and in particular Gary's photo of a radio with 'L' brackets attached. Presumably if I knock up a pair of brackets and perhaps another bracket to support the rear of the radio everything should be OK.

I'm thinking of fitting a period Motorola 828 radio which I had converted for Ipod.

[billwill]

are we not severely limited to choice of radio due to space behind the dash? i was advised to forget it, there are hardly any out there that fit....seems like people are happily fitting whatever takes their fancy?

For clarity, I believe the PLus 2 has limited radio space behind the dash, but the Two seater Elan does not.

[AlfaLofa]

I've just had another look in the radio aperture of my S1 - and the depth of the existing speaker might well prevent the fitting of some radios - including my 828.

A shallow depth speaker might give the extra space required for a bigger radio.

I haven't measured or removed the existing speaker but can someone confirm that it is a 6x4?

[billwill]

You can of course take that speaker out and fit two speakers in the panels rear of the doors.

My S3 came like that.

[Quart Meg Miles]

5" x 3", Steve.

That's you out of the concours then, Bill.

[AlfaLofa]

Meg thank you for the speaker size.

I've had another look at the radio aperture and tested the fit of the Motorola 828 and a smaller (i.e. less deep) Radiomobile 1070 and neither will fit into an S1 dash without removing the speaker - which kind of defeats the object of the exercise!

And having had another look I doubt whether a shallow depth speaker will give sufficient space.

I suppose I could put the rather tatty Philips radio back in - or I could fit a new speaker in a new location and use the 828....

I will now do some more pondering.

[Quart Meg Miles]

I don't have any interference below my cheap RS Components speaker. I did once mount a speaker on a thick rubber base above the standard aperture, rather than screw it down, so that I could quickly tighten the bonnet release rear nuts. There is quite a bit of height above the panel.

My Radiomobile (? it doesn't say) is positioned by a rear bracket from the firewall, I believe.