Trying to get a good idea on what an original radio / speaker /antenna set-up is. Please contibute and post what you can.

From European price lists (euro cars only), several different Blaupunkt radio models were available as optional equipment (mounted the factory?) including Emden, Braunshweig, Essen, Boston, Frankfurt, Koln, and New York. Also the Becker Grand Prix was available and George Husseys' 916 has a Becker Mexico in it.

See the price list summaries here: http://members.rennlist.com/914_collectibles/OpEq.htm

It is accepted knowledge that for US market 914s, radios were only dealer installed as accessories, not optional equipment. But for at least 1971 914/6s (I have no reference for 1970), Optional Equipment M-453 was a USA-market Blaupunkt Frankfurt.

But I also have this window sticker from our own member 'Hartmann' indicating a factory radio supplied on a 1975 914:

Here is the first USA market radio model I believe is original and correct. The two radios shown are different, and I am not sure what model year they were each supplied on:

Blaupunkt Frankfurt. Note both black and silver pushbuttons, one is Mono, one is Stereo.

The second USA market radio model I believe is original is by Motorola. Note the cool 'PORSCHE' slide switch and the subtle differences. The first photo is from a very original 914 VIN 4712908458. The second I understand is from a 1973 914. No info about the third.

The third USA market radio I believe is original is a Bendix Sapphire model, no other info is available on the top radio, but the second and third photos are of a radio that came from a 1970 914/6.

Blaupunkt AM/FM "Dealer Installed"

In actuality the car had no radio & my Pop & I bought a Saphire & installed that ourselves. I replaced that w/ a modern Blaupunkt AM/FM/CD before I knew what "sacriledge" that is for concours . Last year I scored a working 1975 Blaupunkt Frankfurt on eBay for $17.95 including shipping ; just to match the original, yet incorrect dealer invoice.

My 1970 914-6 (#673) came from the factory with a Blaupunkt Frankfurt (USA)

T.C.

I have one US radio that looks exactly like this one:



it does not show any brand / or model name
it just says "manufactured for Volkswagen USA" or so
I could take photos on weekend

and I have 2 different face plates, both with the PORSCHE script on the slide switch, one white on black, the other black on white

the "white on black" is exactly the same as in the photo in my post, the other one is for the other time periode
I can't remember which one is for the early cars and which one for the later ones ... but I know that the difference is the area around the lock for the glove box

bought all together on eBay US - unfortunately it doesn't work

Gustl

Hey Jeff, the COA for my /6 ('71, #283) shows a Blaupunkt Frankfurt as original equipment. The car came to me with this one it in though:

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I tried to find information about the Sapphire and couldn't, thanks for posting! I will eventually be pulling it out and putting in a Frankfurt. I wonder if anyone would want to trade...hmmm.

Reid

I have a Motorola XIX in my car, I'll try to find a pic.

This radio is from 4742914375. Not sure of its make/model.

here are the photos of mine

both face plates are correct for the 914

even if it's hardly visible, the slide switch of the upper version says PORSCHE

the radio itself with the stickers on the top

and finally the front

Here's the radio from my '74 2.0:



I'm pretty sure it was dealer installed.

My current 914 has the Sapphire as was already posted. Not sure if from factory or dealer.

My first -6 came from the factory in 1970 with no radio. The Frankfurt and Becker Mexico were considered THEE only choices. At the time most people I knew thought the Beckers were dreadful. I installed a Frankfurt myself. With the requisite Hirschman antenna.

Oddly enuf the car came from Joe Heishman's as in earlier post. It was one of the first on the East Coast and came w/o fog lites. They later refunded the cost of fog lites because all -6s were supposed to have them and the cost was in the basic purchase price.

Whats an Emden look like?

There are pictures of many of the vintage Blaupunkts here: http://www.oldtimerradio.com/auto.html

Here's a picture of a NOS Euro Essen I just picked up. There seemed to be various face plate and knob options for this model when I was doing a search.

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Nice find Tod. I like the chrome faceplate, gives it some bling

LoL @ bling factor.. well need to pimp my 914 Johnathan. The USA Frankfurts
are very difficult to win a bid on for a nice one. Figured this would be an easier
path to pursue for less money

My Euro six came with a Frankfurt. Works great, especially the short wave on the late night travels.


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check out this eBay auction #380091404143



a little overpriced in my eyes

Gustl

Yeah, it was overpriced. But I ended up getting out as the only bid.

Now I'm trying to figure out how to hook it up. I've got the downloaded wireing diagram but I cant find anything on there about the radio, course I'm probably just not seeing it.

The radio has 5 (2 sets of 2 and one extra) wires

one is solid black and is fused with bare wire on the end
One set looks like a purple and orange
Other one is purple and white

If a picture would help just let me know.

Here's some radio links that might be helpfull

http://www.geocities.com/radioflier.geo/blaupunk.htm
http://www.oldtimerradio.com/auto.html

I think the samba had schematics some where.

The fused wire would be the "hot" wire, the others are for the two speakers, one set for each side. You will also need a ground. There is probably a spade/tab on the radio body that would accept a ground wire.

I completely forgot about the speakers. I bet you're right on.

Thanks guys

My 1970 appears to have the same radio as Trav. It is on the invoice from Concourse Porsche Audi of St. Louis, MO dated July 7, 1970 at $165, dealer installed. That is 4.6% of the base car price of $3595.

I decided to do a historical comparison with my 2006 911 Carrera. The base sticker price was $71,300 and the "Bose High End Sound Package" added $1390, or a mere 1.9% of the car price.

What does this all mean? Porsches have become more expensive? Radios have become less expensive? Both? Regardless, it is clear that 36 years have brought some rather phenomenal changes in cars and sound reproduction. And I can actually enjoy the radio in the '06. Not so much in the 914!

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Here is an interesting Motorola currently on eBay, from a 1973 914:

More

last

Here's what I believe was the original dealer installed AM/FM Radio & 8-Track Mono/Stereo unit that was in my `73 2L when I bought it in Dec. `75 (sold new & 1st registered 11/9/72 & built 9/72).

It appears to be a VW brand by the stamp on top, & since there is no other Motorola, Blaupunkt, etc. brand id. on it.

If anyone else knows more about this unit - I'd appreciate any details, manufacturer, etc., etc.

It will go back in the car when I'm done with the body/paint & mechanical work.

RADIO FACE - 8-TRACK DOOR CLOSED:

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4 Amber Lights in Center indicated which Track 1-4 & 1 @ Right on/off for which side A-B - 2 x 4 = 8 Tracks!

...more pix continued on next post....

...and....


RADIO FACE - 8-TRACK DOOR OPEN:

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...and you pushed the 8-Track Cartridge in the hole behind the hinged tuning dial face and ...click, clack.....music! ...hopefully!!!


UNIT BOTTOM DETAIL WITH ID NUMBERS

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...more pix continued on next post....

...and....


UNIT BOTTOM WITH ID NUMBERS

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Note "VW####" ID Stamp here & at detail on prior post above.


...more pix continued on next post....

...and finally....


SIDE OF UNIT WITH ID NUMBER:

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Any ideas what make or brand this unit might be????

Re: 914 radios

As is currently known, most (if not all) radios installed in early 914s were dealer furnished and mounted. When radios are listed on the Monroney label (window sticker), it is important to remember that these Federally required price labels originated at the POE (Port of Entry), and would reflect port/distributor/region applied and/or installed equipment and accessories. Such items as the ever controversial radio options, wheel and tire fitment, undercoating, fog lights were not infrequently put on at the port and listed as "options" on the window sticker.

My early '70/4 came with the appearance group but arrived at the dealer w/o fog lights. The F/Ls were installed at the dealer, as was the radio shown below (with accompanying radio paperwork).

I'm curious as to how often Porsche imported the 914s as "radio ready" with the M440 option listed at this website below?
http://members.rennlist.com/914_collectibles/OpEq.htm

My 73 914-2.0 had the manual antenna mounted in the left fender with speakers in the L&R footwell speaker housings & the harness ready to wire in the radio of the buyer's choice - in my 914's case it was the VW4412 AM/FM/8-Track which I posted above here.

While I'm the second owner and don't have the Munroney window sticker, the antenna cut-out is painted on the edges of the fender sheet metal in the original L80E Light Ivory - which had been color changed to a Tan or Gold overpaint by the time I bought it 38 months old (perhaps by the dealer) , which is pretty good evidence that it was at least prepped for the antenna cutout before zinced, primed & painted at the factory.

I know that many VWs in the US were sold with this rado ready package, as was our 88 Westfalia Vanagon when we bought it.

But how common was it for 914s?
Does anyone have their window sticker showing the option?

from another thread here:



as you can see - sold radio ready, but without radio

Gustl

The COA from the same car.

here's another COA from a 914-6 with M440

Click to view attachment

So I appear to have a Blaupunkt Frankfurt US *Mono* (?) AM/FM but am in need of a know or adjuster ...Any resources for these parts or perhaps a known good reference for repair?

Thanx Steve,

IRRC the dealers also carried a "radio ready kit" with the same items from Porsche (VW-Porsche?), that they could install at the dealership for a customer. I've also seen the antennas installed on both L & R fenders.

So how can you tell whether it was a "kit" done at the dealer, or the factory prepped option?

... & plz don't tell me the COA, because they're useless, as you can see from my experience below!

Also - it's interesting on this COA, that they have #11 as "Black", which I've seen on several other COAs online, as well as at the actual Porsche+Audi (USA) dealer booklet pages posted online for interior color & material options for 72 & 74 914s which called it #11 Black (& #31 Beige on the latter).

Last year PCNA sent me 2 COA's erroneously calling the #31 as "Black", while mine is clearly "Beige", then the manager got nasty & told me I was wrong!
... her boss took it over & I'm supposedly getting a corrected one soon.....we'll see!

I found out from an old time radio guy in PA, that this was made by Motorola for VOA (VW of America) & was model #VW4412 but not mfgd. until early 1974, so this could've been a late install/add or an 2nd radio replacement by the PO/OO before I got the car in 12/75. So it is both period correct & correct for my 914, & will be going back in after my 914's resto & a little tune-up!

In either case, it was made for the 914's & VW's of that period & came with 2 faceplates - this one for 914s & another for VWs. They were sold at Porsche+Audi & VW dealerships for installation with either the factory radio ready option or dealer "kit" noted above.

(not sure why the radio pic isn't showing on my screen, the the attachment shows on the "edit" screen, maybe just my screwy computer - FYI original post with the pic is on pg. 2 of this topic thread, if you can't see it above.)

Is that a "knob or adjuster" (vs. "know" at your post above)??

If so, I occasionally see them as misc. parts in the classifieds here, TheSamba (both under Porsche & VW, since the 70-76 dash knob styles were the same on VW's & 914s then), etc. - as well as on evil-bay.

I found the old time radio guy in Pennsylvania from his ad on Samba, which I mentioned above, & he may have parts too. He reccommended finding a local radio shop familiar with older auto radios, but he may also work on them + shipping 2 ways. Here's his link:

http://www.elliottsradio.com/cubecart/

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Was lucky enough to find a NOS radio installion kit on Ebay this past Summer. If you need any litterature scanned let me know.

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ooooooooh!! ... I wondered who got that one!

... but no antenna??

It should look like mine below with the narrow clip on a swivel to fit in the underside of the narrow radius of the 914 front fender (vs. wider 911/912 fenders, which had a wider clip IIRC), and the asymmetrical chrome trim dome over the top cap of the antenna base ...

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BTW folks, to mount it properly, the chrome trim dome is made to adjust the antenna to sit vertically by having the deeper end of the asymmetrical bottom to the outside of the fender (i.e.: long part down & out to outer side of fender).

I've seen people mount them with that dome giving the antenna a rake rearward, which is not only incorrect for the 914s, but also risks having the lower receptacle below the fender into which the antenna retracts, get caught on your tires as you steer & break off &/or damage your fender sheetmetal!!!

Here's a great source of sample pix of vintage auto radios for VWs & Porsches, etc.

http://www.oldtimerradio.com/auto.html

My '72 came with no radio & black plastic "blanks" behind the speaker grills.

Mail ordered a Frankfurt and correct speakers a month after taking delivery from a place in Virginia (name escapes me).

And, as most know, I've never drilled the fender for an antenna.
Pat

Pat, I think they have one like yours pictured on the link I posted above, but it may list it for another VW or Porsche, etc.

Was your windscreen antenna the thin wires embedded in the tape you applied on the windshield inner surface?

Hey - looks like good weather after all for the weekend out here, so I hope to get the rockers off & see if it's good or bad news under there!

By the way, the metal rivets on the top of my rockers look exactly like the ones holding the VWwerk VIN plate in the front trunk R Light-bucket & same size rivets too. I'm thinking mine on the rockers are still OE, & I'll know for sure when I pull those rockers (off this subject, but I'll post a metal rivet topic later when I know more).

Cheers!
Tom
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