Radios

[rfitzpatrick]

Were there any Dealer-Installed radios in the Model A Era?

[Mister Moose]

Not really, if the era is 1928-1931.

In 1930 the Galvin brothers’ expensive $130 unit (a Model A Deluxe coupe cost $540) was the first commercially successful car radio, and the first product to wear the Motorola name.

In 1933 Crossley Motors offer a factory fitted car radio. By the late 1930s, push button AM radios were considered a standard feature.

[Oldgearz]

You'd have to have mighty young ears to hear a radio in MY Model A. How about yours?

[rfitzpatrick]

Originally Posted by Oldgearz

You'd have to have mighty young ears to hear a radio in MY Model A. How about yours?

Well. actually I had Turnswitch company take an old radio controller and build me one -- mounted the 'box' on the right-side kick panel, the controller is mounted on the steering column. I was having problems hearing it, so I bought a Motiograph Drive-In Theater Speaker, wired it in and installed it overhead in my Budd Cab. Sure helps, tho, I must wear hearing aids anyway. I'm retired airline mechanic with this hearing loss-

Thanks

[Chris in WNC]

In 1997 I drove my Tudor from Jacksonville Florida to Dayton Ohio for a national meet.
Took a side trip to see an old Ohio friend.
When he looked the car over he asked "How can you drive this far in a car with no radio?"
I told him listening to the engine run was music to my ears.......

[nkaminar]

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My hearing aids will sometime tune in radio channels, or perhaps that is just voices generated inside my head. Hard to tell the difference sometimes.

[John Dayhuff]

Originally Posted by Chris in WNC

"How can you drive this far in a car with no radio?"
I told him listening to the engine run was music to my ears.......

Exactly what I would have told him too........LOL.

[Bill G]

With my hearing loss, music just isn't as enjoyable as it once was. I am perfectly happy with no radio.

The Model A ignition system is particularly prone to ignition noise on AM radio frequencies as it wasn't designed for a radio.

Since there was no radio that Ford offered for the Model A, none would be period correct, so a great way of listening would be to tie your smart phone into a small amp and speaker which these days can be small but mighty in sound. That way you aren't going to have to try to mount some great big box under the dash.

[ModelAMike1930]

I installed speakers in the kick panels and behind the seats. No problem hearing the radios.

[77Birdman]

If its music you are after, I bought a small blue tooth speaker to hook up with my phone. I paid $30 for it (JBL) although it sounds great on my desk my car is a bit loud (much louder than a model a) and it kinda gets drowned out. I am going to upgrade for the $70 version and see if its any better. Another thing I saw at best buy when I was getting the speaker was a pair of sunglasses with bose speakers built in. Those things were awesome, and expensive at a little over $200, but they did sound really good. I put out fathers day hints!

[700rpm]

A friend joined me for a ride in my A a couple years ago, and brought a portable music device of some sort to listen while riding. I had to ask him to turn it off, becuase I need to listen to my car. A change in the sound of the car while driving can indicate potential trouble. For example: A fella in our club once heard a strange ticking sound while on tour. He stopped, opened the hood, and found his original fan blade was coming undone. Recently on a short drife my coupe set up an awful rattle. It turned out that one of the bolts that holds my manifold heater cover on had taken flight. I found it on the engine pan, reinstalled, and went on my way. Driving a Model A in today’s traffic requires all of my attention. I don’t want any distractions. Even conversation can be a problem.

[Kurt in NJ]

Grigsby Grunow 111 was the radio for 1932 Ford, I have a Grigsby Grunow 110, introduced June 1931, it has a steering column clamp that is made for the exact diameter of A steering column, I also have some installation instructions for early radios with detailed modifications for operation in model A

[Mister Moose]

My solution is to throw this on the back seat. Lasts for hours on a full charge.

[rotorwrench]

Those real early Grigsby Grunow radios were complicated sets. There were multiple components that had to be mounted.

[rfitzpatrick]

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

Those real early Grigsby Grunow radios were complicated sets. There were multiple components that had to be mounted.

Yes. 1. Firewall Mounted Box (held all the electric stuff)
2. Steering Column Mounted Controller
3. Carter Genometer (i have no idea what this is/does)
4. Speaker
not to mention all the cables too

[jayvee34]

Good idea MISTER MOOSE. I have one like yours.

[rotorwrench]

They hadn't started using a vibrator circuit yet to step up voltages with the pulsating DC into a transformer. They used a DC Dynamotor that works a lot like an inverter to step up the low DC voltage to a high DC voltage to make the tubes work. These were used clear up and into WWII and later for long range recievers on aircraft and ships.

The Carter Genemotor was one of the brands of the day. Pioneer, GE, Black & Decker, Electrolux, and other motor manufacturing companies made Dynamotors.

[JoeCB]

School time , please... how did the Dynamotor work? Really a spinning motor flip-flopping the voltage to AC going to a transformer ? ... my guess

Joe B

[rotorwrench]

I can't explain for all of the different types on how they function other than they have a housing with two sets of fields and brush sets on both ends. The armature has commutators on both ends. The low voltage side turns the armature as a motor and the high voltage side generates the output voltage. The output voltage is likely multiplied from the input voltage in the way that the field coils are designed. The amperage output is likely not that high on these units even though they can have 400 to 500 volts generated. The input and output is always listed on the unit's data plate. This is a good link about them.
https://www.instructables.com/revivi...dios-went-mob/

This is a neat old catalog on Carter stuff:
https://www.abaa.org/book/844540590

Here is another link to a Carter model:
https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-736602410...e/n71/mode/1up

[mgambuzza]

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

They hadn't started using a vibrator circuit yet to step up voltages with the pulsating DC into a transformer. They used a DC Dynamotor that works a lot like an inverter to step up the low DC voltage to a high DC voltage to make the tubes work. These were used clear up and into WWII and later for long range recievers on aircraft and ships.

The Carter Genemotor was one of the brands of the day. Pioneer, GE, Black & Decker, Electrolux, and other motor manufacturing companies made Dynamotors.

Years ago I was restoring a 1936 zenith radio that was a 6 V farm radio. It was amazing how such a simple technology using a vibrator circuit could enable a 6 V tractor battery to feed and make a tube radio work. They were truly genius in the day.