On the hunt for the "right" car radio
05/20/2021
Many buyers of old cars can tell you a thing or two about it. They have finally found the right classic car, but one detail puts a damper on their joy. Some previous owner has installed a far too modern car radio in search of better sound quality or simply as a replacement. Colored LEDs, LCD displays and the design proliferation of the nineties or noughties simply don't match the classic look of the much older car.
Of course, replacing the car radio is not usually at the top of the priority list. There are also some practical questions that need to be answered before looking for a radio alternative. For example, as we all know, the days of FM or FM reception are numbered, so should you look for a Bluetooth connection and DAB+ reception?
But even if only fidelity to the original or era seems relevant, it is not that easy to find the right radio. And once you have found it, you may encounter difficulties during installation, depending on how much the previous owner has messed around in the DIN installation slot. And how long will the new radio, which may have been overhauled, actually work and play cassettes or CDs?
Some people might come up with the simpler solution of not installing a radio at all, but rather reinstalling the original radio slot cover. However, some of these covers are more difficult to find than a replacement radio ...
We would love to hear about the experiences of our readers on this topic, for example how they identified and then found the period-correct radio. Or what they think of nostalgic radios with modern technology ...
