wich radio to choose ?

[spridget]

Hi guys
I'm still rebuilding my 68 +2 with a LHD driving side. I'm currently on the dashboard.

To fill the radio hole, I found 2 models :

A Turnolock ( 22RN511) : it looks good but it doesn't work and a knob is missing. According the adverts I read on the internet it was made after 1971

and that one : a Philips 22 RN384 from 1968,

the seller says it works and it is sold in his original box.
Then I don't know which one to choose !
Any thought would be helpful

Thanks
Franck

[DavidLB]

Hi the turn lock was original equipment I think, there is a chap who can convert to fm and add mp3 connector, I've had mine done.

[ricarbo]

When I bought my 1973 Sprint, it had a Philips Turnolock, which I believe was original. Much to my present regret, I took it out and put it in my then current girlfriend's Mini, both car and girlfriend have been gone for many years.

It was a good basic radio but only tuned up to 104, modern sets go to 108. I would expect that to repair it would be expensive, and a missing button would be very hard to find.

But you say it wasn't made until 1971, so if you're right, it couldn't have been original for you, for a 1968 model.

I don't know if Lotus fitted the 22RN384.

If you want to add a socket for an MP3, you just wire in a switching jack socket to the volume potentiometer, using a screened lead. Easy to do.

Good luck

Richard

[spridget]

Thank you to both of you
I was thinking the 22RN384 was the one featured in the workshop manual but after a closer examination, it's not the same

Also the second one on the photo is probably not correct
I continue to look for the one !
Good advice Richard. Do you mean it's just necessary to weld 2 wires from a jack to the volume potentiometer ?
Franck

[vernon.taylor]

Salut Franck

I think the workshop manual mentions the two UK units that were generally fitted - don't know what they would have fitted here in France.

Be careful with the depth of the radio behind the dash - there's very little room. I bought a very nice looking Blaupunkt from the same era and it's too deep. I think you only have 16cm including the cables - you can search the forums to be sure about this measurement.

An old radio with a DIN socket on the back will allow you to hook up a trailing lead for your iPhone/MP3 which will cut-off the radio when you plug it in.

The alternative is a modern radio but again depth is the problem. All CD radios are too deep. A Sony was mentioned on another thread (about ?100 from FeuVert) up to the Parrot Asteroid.

Whatever you fit you're probably not going to be able to actually listen to it much if you drive at any speed

@+

Vernon

[ricarbo]

Yes, although it's soldered, not welded, ha,ha! On the back of the volume potentiometer, there will be three tags (six if it's stereo). The middle one is the output to the amplifier section of the set. One of the other two is connected to ground and the third one is from the output of the tuner section of the set, and this is the one you have to break into. You disconnect the existing wire and join it to one of the terminals of your new jack socket. A new connection is made from the jack socket to the now vacant potentiometer terminal. It's important to use screened cable to avoid interference problems, with the screen of the cable connected to the earthy potentiometer terminal at one end and the earth tag of the jack socket at the other. When connecting to the jack socket you have to be sure to arrange things so the tip of the plug on the MP3 player etc gets connected to the potentiometer, not the wire from the tuner output. If it's a stereo output into a mono radio you just connect left and right outputs together.
Good luck
Richard

[spridget]

Salut Vernon
Yes, the room is very little, I only have 115 mm from the dash board to the heater box. The Turnolock is OK and an Audivox I have is OK too. I'm looking for more a nice shape than a great sound which I probably can't hear with the engine running !

Yes Richard I was meaning soldered, sorry I'm french
I keep the trick, I'm not a great electrician but I surely try it one day !

On the workshop manual, three radio are mentionned : a Philips, a Pye Master (hard to find in France !) and a third one I can't identify

thanks
Franck

[fatboyoz]

Franck,
This guy sells old AM radios converted to AM/FM stereo with Ipod connection.
http://www.tadpoleradios.co.uk/RadiosFo ... l=Standard
Look for Motorolla or Radiomobile pushbutton type. They are correct for age, fit the dash cutout and are shallow to fit into the limited space available. A web search should find more that are cheaper without the conversion.
Regards,
Colin.

Salut Vernon
Yes, the room is very little, I only have 115 mm from the dash board to the heater box. The Turnolock is OK and an Audivox I have is OK too. I'm looking for more a nice shape than a great sound which I probably can't hear with the engine running !

Yes Richard I was meaning soldered, sorry I'm french
I keep the trick, I'm not a great electrician but I surely try it one day !

On the workshop manual, three radio are mentionned : a Philips, a Pye Master (hard to find in France !) and a third one I can't identify

radios.JPG

thanks
Franck

[vernon.taylor]

Salut Franck

If you have a DIN socket on the back you don't have to do any welding/soldering. You can make up or buy a trailing cable with a headphone socket which will cut out the radio when plug in an MP3 player.

@+

Vernon

[spridget]

Colin, thanks for the link, beautiful items but very expensive !
Are you sure Radiomobile are shallow enough to fit ?
Hi Vernon, thanks for the advice, I think the Tunolock has a DIN socket.
will you come at Retromobile ?

Franck

[vernon.taylor]

Salut Franck

Probably not for Retromobile. I can appreciate a nice looking car or two but get bored after a dozen or so. If it was a Lotus only show I'd be more interested. Also if the parts peddlers are the same as Epoc'Auto in Lyon just before Christmas then I don't want to know. The French associate inflated prices with quality (sorry Franck) so everything is expensive at these kind of shows - including crap. Well, that's maybe a little unfair - there were a few stands that offered reasonable show prices.

Can't remember where you live, Franck, but I would welcome the oportunity to meet up with you.

If you fit a radio with a DIN I could make up the lead for you - takes the form of a small plastic box with the headphone socket on the end of a flying lead to plug into the radio DIN.

@+

Vernon

P.S. Hope you're not bidding (as well) on the nice looking Pye radio on eBay... !

[david.g.chapman]

My +2 radio (the top one on the stack in the drawing on this thread) had a missing button. I made one out of wood and painted it black. Do it with care and it should look OK.

This should also be possible with a rectangular button. I would use ramin wood or some other hardwood.

Dave Chapman.

[ricarbo]

Franck, your English is a lot better than my French!!
Good luck
Richard

[spridget]

Salut Vernon,
You 're right, french prices are crazy especially at a show like Retromobile, that's why we are a lot to buy our parts in the UK!
I live in Orleans (100km south of Paris). I'm also a member of Club Lotus France.
Many thanks for your proposal, I keep it in mind
Are you talking about this one : http://cgi.ebay.fr/Vintage-Upgraded-Pye ... 330wt_1398 ?
Yes I put a bid, but it will probably make a high score !
It could be a good idea to create a subject about bids on ebay to avoid competition inside Lotuselan members ?
Dave, what brand your radio is?

Thank you Richard I'm honored!
Franck

[fatboyoz]

Franck,
Vitals for Radiomobile 1080 and 1095X:Width 175mm, Depth 125mm and 50mm thick.
Have one fitted to my S4.
Have a look here as well:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Other-Car-Par ... 0&_salic=3
Regards,
Colin.

Colin, thanks for the link, beautiful items but very expensive !
Are you sure Radiomobile are shallow enough to fit ?
Hi Vernon, thanks for the advice, I think the Tunolock has a DIN socket.
will you come at Retromobile ?

Franck