Model A & Philco

R

rfitzpatrick

Well-known member
From the Philco Library
"William M. Heina invented a Control Unit for a car radio, to be mounted on the steering column of the car. Patent December 14th, 1928, granted December 16th, 1930. Invention allowed a radio to be easily removed by the use of special electric connections on the back of the radio. The on-off/tuning was done by speedometer-like cables attached on the controller to the radio box."

Now, this is clearly during the Model A Era. If my information is incorrect, plz change it.
Have any FB members gone with Radios?

Tks
 
Here’s the Ford / Stewart Warner version of my column mounted control head.

Yes there are 2 ‘speedo’ cables from it to the radio unit to control it.
 

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Does anyone have a photo for model year '31? I have a '33 Cathedral Controller right now, interested in the correct year.
Tks
 
The Grigsby Grunow set was the first that Ford dealers started to install in late 1932 but model A cars were around a long time and aftermarket stuff was available.

I've seen Teleflex cables used for a lot of different control applications over the years. The aviation industry used them for a lot of stuff. Marine applications as well.
 
Pdgx, I don't believe that Stewart Warner radio head is a genuine Ford radio. Someone put that blue oval Ford decal on it. Looks nice though! Trouble with an early radio in a Model A, first is the positive ground, whereas most all old car radios were negative ground radios. This CAN be gotten around. Then the high tension spark plug straps, un-insulated and other wiring needing suppression devices, mounting a radio with a metal gas tank as a dash board, very little firewall room, figuring out a good antenna without drilling into Ford sheet metal, (the old running board antennas didn't work out very well, too low). On & on... Crosley actually made a "small" radio in '31 that clamped to the steering column with a small speaker box mounted elsewhere. Usually had the antenna attached to the chicken wire in top, but that would need to be verified that it wasn't grounded! It wasn't unusual to have the radio shop pull down your headliner and insulate the top's chicken wire from ground points of the body, then connect it up to the radio's antenna with a shielded lead-in cable, down through the A pillar of car's body.
 
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The length of the wire had a lot to do with how well the under the running board antennas worked. The resistance of the wire had to be able to match up with the frequency of AM band and allow the antenna trimmer control to be able to fine tune the set to the length. They were basically two insulators with the antenna wire strung between them. The swampy weather under there was a factor that caused deterioration of the wire over time but it could be restrung.
 
mass A man said:
Pdgx, I don't believe that Stewart Warner radio head is a genuine Ford radio. Someone put that blue oval Ford decal on it. Looks nice though! Trouble with an early radio in a Model A, first is the positive ground, whereas most all old car radios were negative ground radios. This CAN be gotten around. Then the high tension spark plug straps, un-insulated and other wiring needing suppression devices, mounting a radio with a metal gas tank as a dash board, very little firewall room, figuring out a good antenna without drilling into Ford sheet metal, (the old running board antennas didn't work out very well, too low). On & on... Crosley actually made a "small" radio in '31 that clamped to the steering column with a small speaker box mounted elsewhere. Usually had the antenna attached to the chicken wire in top, but that would need to be verified that it wasn't grounded! It wasn't unusual to have the radio shop pull down your headliner and insulate the top's chicken wire from ground points of the body, then connect it up to the radio's antenna with a shielded lead-in cable, down through the A pillar of car's body.
Click to expand...

i think all Ford car radios where positive ground till 1956 when they came out with 12 volts
 
I bought a cd on ebay, 1933 auto radio service and installation, there are several radios listed as 1930 31 and there are instructions on installing the radios in model A, and other cars
It's interesting, different radio instruction had slightly different fixes for engine interference, but one common item is the rotor gap, having it under .005,
 

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Kurt in NJ said:
I bought a cd on ebay, 1933 auto radio service and installation, there are several radios listed as 1930 31 and there are instructions on installing the radios in model A, and other cars
It's interesting, different radio instruction had slightly different fixes for engine interference, but one common item is the rotor gap, having it under .005,
Click to expand...

Could you send me that ebay reference plz?
Tks
 
The Grigsby Grunow Model 110 would be a correct aftermarket radio for the Model A. It was available in 1931. It would be a control head, a speaker, a battery box and the radio box. The 32 radio used a motor generator.

Ford supposedly looked into offering a radio for 31 but nothing came of it.

I believe there would also be a period correct Motorola product, been a while since I had the details.

I have a GG 110. I was thinking to use the control head to actually control a modern radio or really audio device of some sort. There are options these days.
 
I have a GG 110. I was thinking to use the control head to actually control a modern radio or really audio device of some sort. There are options these days.[/QUOTE]



I Had Turnswitch build me one if your looking.
 
The Dynamotor provided an AC current that would allow voltage to be manipulated through induction coils. Later units have the ******** to provide a pulsating DC to allow voltage to be inducted to a higher level for certain circuits in the set. The late 1932 cand 1933 cars had places to put the little component well boxes into the floor for the dynamotor and other parts. The system was outdated pretty quickly. Better and cheaper radios were coming out every year after.
 
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