Working to understand if 1973 and 1974 914 radios were always installed at the dealer or if any were installed at the factory.

I believe all 914-4 radios were dealer installed. Antennas were often put in different locations as well.

You could order a factory radio in your car. Most dealers did NOT because they could make more profit by adding the radio. Most DID order the car with the antenna though so that part was plug and play. When the dealer did complete installation you never knew where the antenna would end up.

Makes sense. So there could be a number of different brands and models of radios I assume?

Can anyone tell from the pic what the brand, model and period correctness of this one is?

Looks like a Bowman Astrosonic. Period correct 70's because it has AFC switch and local/distant. Probably a mono radio.

In Canada it would be an Audiovox, the Canadian VW dealer network had an exclusive deal with them.
I still have my Audiovox dealer installed cassette stereo in a box of my old 914 stuff, for their time they were actually a pretty decent unit.

Yes you could order factory installed radio, Blaupunkt, Becker but you would have to wait for the car and would not get much of discount off sticker. Almost all 914's sitting at the dealer were waiting for dealer installed radio except for some of the 914-6's.

I am not so sure that a 914/4 could be ordered with a USA market radio from the factory, I have not seen any evidence of that, but I do not have any factory USA-market price lists.

The antenna may have been orderable because the car is set up for that on the inside fender wall, but I have not taken an original paint car apart to see if the antenna hole was factory. I need to do that.

I have price lists from Germany for German market 914s that indicated the availability of German market radios mostly for /6s, but also for 914/4 German market 914s. The only price list I have from a USA dealership suggests the radios offered were only dealer installed, USA market radios - Blaupunkt, Motorola, etc.

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/OpEq.htm

A list of some of the USA radios available, and note that USA market "Radio Installation Kits" from Blaupunkt and Motorola were available:

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/Accessories.htm

Thank you for the replies.

Unfortunately it does not look like a Boman Astrosonic.

Any other thoughts?

I have one of those radios and the sticker on the top is audiovox

Thanks Lennie and Mark.

Lennie, do you know what model by chance?

I'll take a look this evening

I just picked up a parts car this weekend that is equipted with a radio like this one. It also had the radio warranty card to go with it.



Would this be a factory installed?

No that is a dealer installed Motorola sapphire radio. Period Correct for that car.