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Old 11-07-2018, 10:12 PM   #1
alanwoodieman
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Default 40 radio on 12 volts neg ground

anybody got any ideas on how to do this--not for me, for a late friends daughter, she has been told she needs 12 volts and cannot be talked out of it
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Old 11-07-2018, 10:57 PM   #2
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Default Re: 40 radio on 12 volts neg ground

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anybody got any ideas on how to do this--not for me, for a late friends daughter, she has been told she needs 12 volts and cannot be talked out of it



The antique radio guy Joe, at the Mc Pherson restoration college in Mc Pherson Kansas converted my 1940 Zenith radio to AM/FM operation using 12 volt negative ground. He replaces most of the internal parts with modern parts and ties them to the original controls so the radio looks and works like an original radio. It is not cheap to do this about $500.
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Old 11-08-2018, 12:31 AM   #3
Drbrown
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Default Re: 40 radio on 12 volts neg ground

Here's Joe's web address .....
https://www.joesclassiccarradio.com/Resto.html

I've collected web site addresses of five other radio repair/conversion guys from this forum over the years. If interested, you can get competitive prices. I've not had any of them do work for me so talk to them and ask around here about their service. Google their names and look for comments about them. Some of these web addresses are not secure likely because they are small outfits. Hopefully they are still active.

http://www.classiccarradiorepair.com/index.html
http://www.bobsradio.com/
http://dandmrestoration.com/services/radio-repair/
http://southtexasantiqueelectronics.com/inventory.html
http://www.garytayman.com/index.html
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Old 11-08-2018, 02:14 AM   #4
51 MERC-CT
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Default Re: 40 radio on 12 volts neg ground

Had 'Turnswitch' convert mine to 12 volt negative ground with all the bells and whistles AM/FM,STEREO with inputs for MP3 player etc.

http://www.turnswitch.com/
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Old 11-08-2018, 06:35 AM   #5
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Smile Re: 40 radio on 12 volts neg ground

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Originally Posted by alanwoodieman View Post
anybody got any ideas on how to do this--not for me, for a late friends daughter, she has been told she needs 12 volts and cannot be talked out of it
I was told that the radio did not know if it was positive or negative ground. I just put a voltage reducer in line and hooked it up and done the same thing with the gasoline heater, Voltage reducer is about $10.
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Old 11-08-2018, 07:51 AM   #6
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Default Re: 40 radio on 12 volts neg ground

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I was told that the radio did not know if it was positive or negative ground. I just put a voltage reducer in line and hooked it up and done the same thing with the gasoline heater, Voltage reducer is about $10.
As long as the vibrator in it can handle any polarity this works.
Some modern types that are solidstate canīt.
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Old 11-08-2018, 08:13 AM   #7
alanwoodieman
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Default Re: 40 radio on 12 volts neg ground

thanks for the info, knew FB guys would know
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Old 11-08-2018, 08:29 AM   #8
richard crow
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Default Re: 40 radio on 12 volts neg ground

marv has it right polarty doe,s not matter .if you are happy with the am & don,t want to spend a lot of money just get a 12 to 6 v reducer. ps if the car is stock leave it 6 v . a 6v system in good order is fine with a stock car
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Old 11-08-2018, 09:16 AM   #9
51 MERC-CT
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Default Re: 40 radio on 12 volts neg ground

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marv has it right polarty doe,s not matter .if you are happy with the am & don,t want to spend a lot of money just get a 12 to 6 v reducer. ps if the car is stock leave it 6 v . a 6v system in good order is fine with a stock car
True that the radio is not polarity sensitive but, if there is a newer solid state vibrator installed, it is as I understand it, polarity sensitive.
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Old 11-08-2018, 02:20 PM   #10
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Default Re: 40 radio on 12 volts neg ground

The old reed type vibrators will work either way on polarity but the voltage would have to be dropped as was mentioned. The old tube type radios can be altered for an outside MP3 player hook up but a person has to know where to connect and what other electrical components and such will keep the signal within usable parameters. The old radio set would need updated capacitors throughout too. A more modern speaker would likely be needed as well. The output would be mono but it would work OK.

The old radio sets are cavernous compared to the late type car stereos. To put a late set of radio guts inside would leave a lot of room in there. A person would likely have to add another speaker somewhere to utilize the stereo features.
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Old 11-09-2018, 01:30 PM   #11
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Default Re: 40 radio on 12 volts neg ground

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The old reed type vibrators will work either way on polarity but the voltage would have to be dropped as was mentioned. The old tube type radios can be altered for an outside MP3 player hook up but a person has to know where to connect and what other electrical components and such will keep the signal within usable parameters. The old radio set would need updated capacitors throughout too. A more modern speaker would likely be needed as well. The output would be mono but it would work OK.

The old radio sets are cavernous compared to the late type car stereos. To put a late set of radio guts inside would leave a lot of room in there. A person would likely have to add another speaker somewhere to utilize the stereo features.
I put a Secret Audio system from Classic Auto Sounds in my '41. The system is hidden in a unit behind the glove box with a small removable control head that mounts anywhere. Could go in the glove box, but I mounted mine to the speaker grill. I installed a 4" x 8" dual core speaker behind the stock speaker grill. The dual core takes both left and right channels to mix in a single speaker. I also get satellite radio from a tiny antenna on the back of the hood. And it has Bluetooth to pair up with the cell phone. Very handy because it is hard to manage a stick shift with a phone in your hand.
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Old 11-09-2018, 03:36 PM   #12
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Default Re: 40 radio on 12 volts neg ground

I put in a small remote controlled $75 marine radio and hid it in a heater box on my 41. No heat required in Texas. I got a Turnswitch radio installed in an empty 36 radio box but was very expensive at $600-700. The first radio board they installed was horrible. Almost impossible to tune in a station and when you turned the car off and on again it wouldn't remember the station. I complained and Turnswitch said that is how it works, it being a feature not a defect. I had to pay another $300 to get the latest version of the board when a better one became available. I'm not a happy camper with them installing an unworkable radio board and making me pay to install another one that works. It does hook up to the original 36 radio knobs.

With all the PITA with Turnswitch I didn't go that route on my 41.

https://flic.kr/p/2cGTh5d
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Old 11-10-2018, 11:28 AM   #13
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Default Re: 40 radio on 12 volts neg ground

A few years back I think it was "Old Henry" here that posted how he added an MP outlet to his '46 radio.
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Old 11-11-2018, 12:29 PM   #14
Steve in Denver
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Default Re: 40 radio on 12 volts neg ground

Anyone know about static interference on the AM side with the new modern AM-FM conversions? I have a single wire alternator and H10C Champion plugs in my 8ba engine if that makes any difference.
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Old 11-11-2018, 01:32 PM   #15
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Default Re: 40 radio on 12 volts neg ground

Ford had a lot of ways to dampen RF noise that is generated by ignition, generator, sending units, etc. Most were handled by addition of capacitors added on to all the sources. They had kits for this. RF is also generated by outside sources from other motor vehicles, lighting with ballasts, and other transmission sources.


Depending on type of equipment used for alterations and type of antenna, there may be more sensitivity to this type of noise. Some radio sets can be adjusted somewhat to dampen sensitivity.
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Old 11-20-2018, 02:53 PM   #16
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Default Re: 40 radio on 12 volts neg ground

I don't bother with radio. For travelling tunes I use a small car amp (you can pick 'em up on eBay for about $30) and an mp3 player on the seat beside me.
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