Lets talk about the Chrysler CB Radio Combo-s

BudW

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 4, 2012
Messages
5,121
Reaction score
1,485
Location
Oklahoma City
Chrysler had floor button radio tuning in the mid ‘70’s (I believe) and maybe even earlier, on pre-ETR (Electronically Tuned Radios). It was not uncommon to see two “dimmer switches” on the floor of some C-bodies.
My dad had a '55 DeSoto that he bought in '57 (IIRC) and I remember him saying it had a search tune radio with the extra "dimmer switch" on the floor. Sounds like they sort of worked but not that good.
They worked. The “pre-ETR” radios only jumped between your “preset” stations. The “ETR” would just search for a signal of a station of a certain strength (or higher).


Side note: I have seen more than one person take the dimmer switch, modify it a tad and use it for a “momentary Nitrous button” (instead of for headlights). I would think a person would want a master “on/off” switch somewhere for otherwise that could lead to an unintentional problem if you put your foot down on wrong spot at wrong time - but what would I know. I've never ran Nitrous before.

@Trey, is that radio for sale?
BudW
 

XfbodyX

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
1,623
Reaction score
418
Location
Central US
Thanks guys. I think Martin might have something that will work for me, not 100% sure yet.
 

XfbodyX

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
1,623
Reaction score
418
Location
Central US
Bud, we may see whats in the cans, I still want a nos one (dam cat) but found two used ones, will see if they work when they get here.

ddddddd.jpg
 

old yellow 78

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2015
Messages
1,307
Reaction score
454
Location
near Allentown, PA
To followup on your question XfbodyX, I have only tried it out a few times. Mine is original to OY, although I think it may have been dealer installed instead of factory installed. I found a Mopar shipping paper for it in the glove box when I bought OY, and it is dated at the same time that the car was first purchased.
Late July 2015 018.jpg

Mine is only the AM/CB transceiver, not AM/FM/CB. It is a bit marked up because of the original owners cigarette habit and bad ashtray aim. I have only tried it a few times because I don't want to put stress on the power antenna before I can rehab it. It doesn't retract all the way down into the fender, leaving about an inch or so above. The antenna automatically raises or lowers when you turn the radio or CB on or off. The power CB/radio antenna was a one-year-only item for 1978, and came standard with the CB. Subsequent years had a fixed CB/radio antenna.
When I tried it out, I did pick up some CB transmissions from some guys that seemed to be truckers down in Delaware on I95 I think, probably near Philadelphia which is about 50-75 miles from me. I tried to contact them, but the CB didn't seem to transmit. Whether it was the CB, or the mic, I don't know. If they were in Delaware, that seemed like a great range.
The radio sort of works, but with just AM, I never use it. The single dash speaker is no good. Also in the glove box, was the original mic clip and mic. The clip has never been installed. Here is a few internet pics of a mic clip and where it goes on an F body.
$_58.jpg


$_582.jpg


$(KGrHqNHJF!FJGVpBZ9RBSYDD2b,GQ~~60_57.jpg


The Mopar mic looks like this, and has a round piece on the back of it that slides down into the clip:
amfmcb9.jpg


A few years back, I bought a very nice AM/FM/CB with mic to replace the AM/CB in OY. I have yet to get around to installing it:
AM FM CB 1.jpg
AM FM CB 4.jpg
 
Last edited:

old yellow 78

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2015
Messages
1,307
Reaction score
454
Location
near Allentown, PA
Here are a few internet pics of a "fixed" CB antenna from '79 on:
$T2eC16h,!)4FI,EdnoR,BSV)37e,pg~~60_57.jpg


$(KGrHqZ,!rgFIsdjEN-DBSV)3uNnt!~~60_3.JPG


amfmcb12.jpg


Here are some pics of the '78 power CB antenna inside OY's fender and the NOS one that I bought recently from Marty. It is the only one that I have ever seen for sale, and I wasn't about to let it get away.
IMG_20190302_142438865.jpg

IMG_20190302_142427222.jpg

IMG_20190302_143311465.jpg


And finally, here is a nice internet pic of a AM/FM/CB transceiver that was for sale somewhere a while back, EB maybe?:
amfmcb5.jpg

amfmcb1.jpg
 

XfbodyX

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
1,623
Reaction score
418
Location
Central US
Thanks for taking the time to post all that info OY!

I will snap some good pics today of all that came with the NOS am/cb I bought some good info in it as well.

Ive a line on a nos am/fm/cb but they want alot for it, not sure I can justify it when I cant envision using the radio or cb part for any amount of time.

During the search engine searches some think if the cb even works were two steps ahead. Not really good reviews on them overall but they are cool to have imo.
 

old yellow 78

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2015
Messages
1,307
Reaction score
454
Location
near Allentown, PA
I agree. I think they are just cool because they are so unusual, and (like plaid seats) really reflect the times of the '70's! Your NOS AM/CB looks minty, and with all that original paperwork,...Wow!! ;):)
 

Ele115

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2019
Messages
635
Reaction score
242
Location
Tampa FL
CB radios were such a HUGE deal. There was a period of time where they were making songs, movies, TV shows, clothes etc. Then when the 40 channel came out they literally couldn't keep them in stock and they were quite expensive. There were so many people talking on CB's that it was nearly impossible to get through if you needed to "reach someone". Base stations were quite popular as people got to where they couldn't live without CB radios. I used to tell my kids and grandkids that CB radio was the prehistoric chat rooms.
 

XfbodyX

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
1,623
Reaction score
418
Location
Central US
I received my two 2 into 1 antenna deals yesterday so I hope one is good. Ive still sime old base units from the 70-s and 80-s put away and a nice 500w tube amp kicker that would make the neighbors yv pic cock sideways for about two miles all around so I only used it late at night.

But im just going to clean a spot up on my back porch to see if this will all fire off and work right.
 

Aspen500

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
7,030
Reaction score
2,759
Location
Rib Mountain, WI
I remember back in the '80's where it seemed every other car had a whip antenna on the trunk lid. No idea how far the 'ol Midland would broadcast but I do remember at night picking up trucker's talking from way down south, like Georgia or Texas, well over 1,000 miles away when the atmospheric conditions were JUST right. Kind of like picking up an AM radio station from 100's of miles away at night if the weather was a certain way.

Pretty sure my old CB is around somewhere, if I wanted to go digging for it. Could be here or, more likely, in the basement of my parents house, along with a bunch of 8-tracks, a beer can collection, and who knows what else, from when I still lived at home.:confused:
 

Oldiron440

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2017
Messages
3,048
Reaction score
739
Location
Iowa
I sould have said the mopar radio CBs, how many channels did they have?
 

XfbodyX

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
1,623
Reaction score
418
Location
Central US
I think 40 in this type is all they came, but the parts books show an older group that look like add ons.

Took longer to get the parts together then to wire it and test.

DSC03317.JPG


DSC03319.JPG


DSC03320.JPG
 

Oldiron440

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2017
Messages
3,048
Reaction score
739
Location
Iowa
I was thinking that they only had three or four channel CBs. I didn't know it was a full range CB.
 

old yellow 78

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2015
Messages
1,307
Reaction score
454
Location
near Allentown, PA
Ah, your video is inspiring. I've had the AM/FM/CB for several years now, and have never installed it yet. The main problem is a lack of time, which is the reason it takes me forever to get to all of my projects.
Another reason for being stalled on this particular project with OY (installing the sound system) is that I am not sure exactly how and what to do. The original single dash speaker is no good, as is the original dash pad which baked and cracked in the desert sun. However, I have an almost perfect dash pad and two speaker dash top to install out of my deceased T-top, which I want to use in conjunction with the two speaker rear hatch cover and speaker brackets that I got out of the black Oklahoma parts wagon:
IMG_20191027_114452999.jpg


IMG_20191027_114505560.jpg


July 2015 004.jpg


July 2015 006.jpg


The "new" AM/FM/CB unit is stereo, and is most likely wired to handle the stereo set up of two speakers on the dash, and two speakers in the hatch, but I am not sure exactly how to do it since the speaker wires for this never existed in OY, and I would have to splice in new wiring to all speakers from the AM/FM/CB unit, which ordinarily would have just been plug in and play. I'm sure that it would not be very difficult, but I have never had the time or inclination to sit down and figure it out and just do it. Running wiring for speakers is a pain, and would be a bit tricky to get them running into the hatch nicely. Even if I do all this, it will still be a very "old school" sound system, when what I would prefer would be a modern one. Hummmm. o_O
 

Aspen500

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
7,030
Reaction score
2,759
Location
Rib Mountain, WI
The stock system, the speakers don't ground individually at the radio so there should be 5 wires out of the radio. On mine (AM/FM stereo) the rear has one wire to each speaker and they ground right at the speaker itself. Seems to me the front has 2 wires to each and they use a common ground at the radio connector (IIRC) so it isn't too hard to wire up.

Dang, that AM/CB looks better than mint X! Have you been able to try the CB function yet?
 

XfbodyX

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
1,623
Reaction score
418
Location
Central US
I will post the ele. paperwork I got with this unit, sorta diff then the norm.

I was able to test it against my hand held deal, I went maybe 1/2 mile out in the field and it was good.
 

BudW

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 4, 2012
Messages
5,121
Reaction score
1,485
Location
Oklahoma City
The ‘50s to ‘90’s Chrysler radios (Mono or Stereo) only used a one-wire going to each speaker – which could be one, two, four or six speakers – depending on the car and radio option. The six-speaker system used two in the doors (not used for F or M-bodies).

With that said, in the early ‘70’s, they started to use dual wires going to dash speakers but kept the single wire going to rear speakers.

The single-wire speaker ground went through the chassis. The chassis ground works good in most cases – but not so good for doors (or tailgates). It also can cause problems when welding on cars (I’ve heard of radios getting damaged that way . . . correction, welding damaging most anything electronic).

In the late ‘80’s or early ‘90’s they went with double wires to each speaker (earlier for the Infinity radios or radios with external amplifiers. My ’86 Fifth Ave has a factory external amplifier, with a button not far away from Right outside mirror adjuster. The amplifier fills the “single front speaker” hole.


For tailgates (or doors), I would run a separate wire for ground on the body side (but don’t place ground on the tailgate/door). Most aftermarket speakers are marked with a “+” and “-“ (or a paint dot close to the “+”). The “-“ goes to ground and “+” goes to radio. It generally will not damage most older speakers if you hook it up in-correctly – but the speaker output will be pushed the “other direction”. Some of todays speakers have electronics built in or dual cones (like the one shown on above post #37) – and those most likely will be damaged with incorrect polarity hooked up. It pays to pay attention to the little things like speaker wire polarity.

Do you have new speakers lined up for front of Old Yellow?


This picture is from drivers side tailgate on my ’77 Wagon. It does not have rear speakers (yet) – but does have rear heated (grid style) back glass. The knock-out holes should be in same location.
20191028_200747c.jpg


I would not have a problem with someone making their own harness for rear speakers. I would find a (out of lack of better word) fitting/tube/sleeve for “front doors” and attach it in same location. Most of these are water-tight so it should work good for you.

Rubber Door Loom Johnny Law Motors KICDLOOM hot rod truck custom muscle | eBay
A.jpg


12'' Black Stainless Steel Door Loom ~ Pair hot rat muscle pickup car truck v8 | eBay
B.jpg


Flexible 5/8" diameter door loom rubber tube ELE-4301-70-011 | eBay
C.jpg


There are other examples as well. The factory design (two grommets with exposed taped harness) is my least favorite.
BudW
 
Back
Top