63-64 AM/FM radios

[William P.]

I've been trying to learn if there were differences in the appearance of the 63 versus 64 AM/FMs. I gather the 63 had a civil defense logo on the tuner bar. Did the 64 look the same? Thank you in advance for your help.

[Wayne M.]

Re: 63-64 AM/FM radios

I've been trying to learn if there were differences in the appearance of the 63 versus 64 AM/FMs. I gather the 63 had a civil defense logo on the tuner bar. Did the 64 look the same? Thank you in advance for your help.

I'm guessing that you're primarily interested in the INSTALLED appearance, hence focusing on the dial.

I have a '64 handy, and its AM dial reads (top to bottom):
16_14_Conelrad symbol_11_9_7_Conelrad_5.

Compare with '65-7 AM dials:
160_145_130_110_90_70_55

Both '64 and '65 FM dials seem the same to me.

Maybe others can reply on the '63 AM/FM models. I know there are several different physical features on the radio enclosures, apart from the dials.

[Stuart F.]

Re: 63-64 AM/FM radios

If you don't get a 63 reply by tomorrow am, I'll check mine in the box in the garage where it belongs.

Stu Fox

[Joel T.]

Re: 63-64 AM/FM radios

If you don't get a 63 reply by tomorrow am, I'll check mine in the box in the garage where it belongs.

Stu Fox

Come on Stu;

A good conservative like you (and me) only need AM radio so we can listen to all the talk radio shows!!!

I just picked up a '63 AM unit and had it rebuilt... great stuff, and "correct"!

Joel

[Harry S.]

Re: 63-64 AM/FM radios

The 63 radio was part 985686, the paper id on the side was 86-FMA-XXXX. XXXX = 0001 through 9999. Then FMB,C,etc.....63 radio 86-FMA-6 belonged to car 117XX. So you can see about where the AM/FM radio was first introduced.

The 64 radio was 985921, the paper id was 21-FJA-XXXX to 21-FJD-XXXX as I recall.

The 65 to 67 radios were 986281, the paper id's started at 81-FSA-XXXX and ended at 81-FS(X)-XXXX.

[Stuart F.]

Re: 63-64 AM/FM radios

Joel;

That's assuming you just are parked some where, like at a cruise in, listening to your radio. Blasting along with the top down and polluting our atmosphere at 3500 rpm + the AM radio just doesn't do. But of course, you do have the means to react to something that makes you mad, Ha!

Arrrrgah! Zoom Zoom!

Stu Fox

[Wayne M.]

Re: 63-64 AM/FM radios

The 65 to 67 radios were 986281, the paper id's started at 81-FSA-XXXX and ended at 81-FS(X)-XXXX.

Harry -- The latest '67 I've seen is 81FSJ-7342. It was on eBay a few weeks ago. The D501 power transistor was ink-screened "6727" [first week of July ?]. I figure if this was installed on an assembly line '67, it must have been very late production.

I've only seen a couple of other 'FSJ's in the 6 or so years I've been collecting this minutae. Of course the unused '281' radios would have entered the service channels, so I'll allow that another 1000 or so later numbers may exist, but probably no FSK's.

[Stuart F.]

Re: 63-64 AM/FM radios

Well, as long as I placed my health and welfare in peril by rumaging through my garage this morning, here goes: my original Am/Fm radio is "#86FMA-83xx". (Why are we not posting the last digits?). My car is S/N #19,xxx built on July 9, 1963. Also, it has the triangle w/i a circle symbol on the Am band between the 14 and 11, and again right below the 7. Oh yes, did I mention it's a Delco Radio Division unit.

The last time I worked on this radio I recall trying to adjust the tension on the string that switches (moves) the dial face from Am to Fm scale w/o success. I could not get it to line up straight on both scales. Guess what, apparently after some shelf time to season it a bit, it now works perfectly - but I still won't put it back in. I can't be persuaded that easily.

Stu Fox

[Joe R.]

Re: 63-64 AM/FM radios

Guys,

There are three different radio's for 63 to 67 Corvettes.

The 63 wonder bar.
The 63-64 AM-FM.
And the 65-67 AM-FM.

In an effort to come up with an AM-FM radio for the Corvette Delco took an existing design AM radio and added an FM tuner to make the 63-64 AM-FM radio. Not a good idea but it worked until they could build a real AM-FM radio.

The 65-67 AM-FM was a new design and worked very well for Corvette and Delco. Works good, sounds good and is dependable.

The external differences are what is important to judges cause the numbers, transistor numbers etc. are hidden behind the panels.

The 63 WB radio can be identified by the bar to select channels.

The 63-64 AM-FM can be identified only by the color of the AM-FM lens the AM being green and FM being red. They also have the Conelrad? triangles on the drum for the numbers.

The 65 AM-FM radio can be identified by the color of the AM-FM lens but only when the lens is illuminated. It's black until illuminated but the FM becomes red and the AM becomes green when the radio is on AND the lights are on.

The 66-67 AM-FM radio can be identified by the color of the AM-FM lens also. It's black until illuminated and green when illuminated on both the AM-FM.

Hope this helps as these are the only external differences in the radios.

As a side note, the 63-64 radios are not worth buying on e-bay. Buy the later 65-67 AM-FM and change the lens and tuner drum.

JR

[Stuart F.]

Re: 63-64 AM/FM radios

Joe;

Thanks for the very comprehensive information. Guess you answered most any question arising from this thread. Good job.

Guess I don't know why I continue to hang on to my original if it is worthless. Perhaps as a conversation piece as to what a boat anchor looks like.

Stu Fox

[Michael H.]

Re: 63-64 AM/FM radios

The 65 AM-FM radio can be identified by the color of the AM-FM lens but only when the lens is illuminated. It's black until illuminated but the FM becomes red and the AM becomes green when the radio is on AND the lights are on.

The 66-67 AM-FM radio can be identified by the color of the AM-FM lens also. It's black until illuminated and green when illuminated on both the AM-FM.

Thanks JR. Does this mean that the 65 and 66-67 radios are NOT the same? (I'm pretty sure they're not) (and there's more to the story)

We may need a little info from someone that has a Delco Radio book. I think Wayne Midkiff has one??

Is there a different part number in the AIM for the 65 radio than the one shown for 66-67's? The number in the 66 AIM is 7290631.

[Jerry R.]

Re: 63-64 AM/FM radios

Michael,

All the 65-67 radios are listed as model 986281 in the Delco Radio Service manuals. As JR mentioned, the red and green filters were changed to pieces of plastic on the 65 (earlier models used some horrible type of theatrical gel) and moved to the back of the plastic face lens. Thus they are no longer obviously visible like the 63/64 models. The 66/67 model simply had the red lens changed to green - thus two greens. The service schematics are identical.

I've worked on a few hundred of those models and the only variations I see regularly will be a component change, usually a volume control that has only one set of switch contacts instead of two. I've seen that occur on 58-62's also. My guess, as it was clear they were originally installed parts, was that the shop ran out of the correct control and borrowed from a different GM model until restocking occurred. The wiper values were always the same so performance was not affected - just the dial lamp function.

I didn't have time to look up the 7290631 number (which sounds like an escutcheon assembly number). Perhaps the variation you are referring to is something like the 63-67 speakers. All of the speakers had the same part number for those years but there were at least 3 different "code" numbers. Maybe Wayne is familiar with what you mentioned.

Wayne, since you follow these things, I have a model 986281 with SN 81FSJ-7295 here and another one within a few digits of that SN (buried somewhere). They came off a dealers shelf and did not appear to be used. That was sure close to the numbers you mentioned.

Jerry (the other JR)

[William P.]

Re: 63-64 AM/FM radios

Gentlemen

Thanks for all of the great information........extremely helpful!

Bill Piccione

[Joe R.]

Re: 63-64 AM/FM radios

Michael,

Only the filters are different as Jerry says, the internals are exactly the same. Maybe a few different suppliers but exactly the same.

JR

Thanks JR. Does this mean that the 65 and 66-67 radios are NOT the same? (I'm pretty sure they're not) (and there's more to the story)

We may need a little info from someone that has a Delco Radio book. I think Wayne Midkiff has one??

Is there a different part number in the AIM for the 65 radio than the one shown for 66-67's? The number in the 66 AIM is 7290631.

[Joe R.]

Re: 63-64 AM/FM radios

Stu,

It's not worthless! But I wouldn't put a lot of money into it. Just send it to me and I'll dispose of it for you.

JR

Joe;

Thanks for the very comprehensive information. Guess you answered most any question arising from this thread. Good job.

Guess I don't know why I continue to hang on to my original if it is worthless. Perhaps as a conversation piece as to what a boat anchor looks like.

Stu Fox