Radio question

Did our vans come with FM Radios at all? I'm looking to buy a stock radio but before i do i wanted to know if FM was available, looking on Ebay they are pretty much just AM.

Thanks Mikey

FM really didn't come out till the 70's all radio's before that were just AM

Thanks G-Man for the input

I have never seen a factory 1st gen radio that was anything other than AM.  2nd gens did have am/fm I believe, but they are rare! That being said, if you've got the money, check out this guy's work.  Really nice!  and his first radio pictured on the 'FM Conversions" page is a 1st gen chevy van factory radio.  He basically takes the vintage original radio and rebuilds it with all the modern goodies inside.  Definitely not cheap, but I'd say this is the ultimate radio!

http://www.wardsclassiccarradiorepair.com/id17.html

A buddy had a '70 Mustang with FM/8-track,which we thought back then was awesome,rare option.You may keep an out on upper end GM products if ya wanna go that way.
As far as vans go,you were lucky they had a radio.Most were just work vehicles.

KookyKrispy Thats pretty awesome. much more then id like to pay for a radio. but thanks for the input

If you wanted FM, you went to RadioShack and got an AudioVox or Realistic under dash FM mono converter. You simply plugged your antenna wire into the back of it and it had a lead that plugged back into the radio. You tuned the radio to something like 1300 and you had nice clear FM through the car's radio speaker. I had several back in the day! Several on eBay right now if you want to be period correct...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Audiovox-FMC-IC-FM-converter-for-AM-Car-or-Truck-Radio-/171233842560?pt=Car_Audio_In_Dash_Receivers&hash=item27de551580

Well, I ended up buying one off of ebay, not the exact same as in some 1st Gens that I have seen but pretty close. It does have the same knobs as the gauge cluster so I'm happy with it… as long as it works! Now I just have to replace the hacked up dash where the old one was, and figure out how to hook it up.

Curious, why not install a modern head unit, especially if your dash is already cut up?  Is you van the one in your avatar? With that paint job it doesn't look like your going for a 100-point stock restoration so why not enjoy the benefits of a modern stereo system?  I just put a basic Kenwood, around $100 at Pepboys, in mine with a bezel I made from thin lexan to cover the hacked up dash hole.  I put a pair of 4" speakers on a masonite baffle behind the stock grill opening for the fronts, left and right channels side by side, sounds fine, and a pair of 6 x 9's in boxes in the back.  Then I added a used powered Clarion under seat sub woofer and I'm good to go!  Wiring a stereo is easy these days....

chevbone64 wrote:Well, I ended up buying one off of ebay, not the exact same as in some 1st Gens that I have seen but pretty close. It does have the same knobs as the gauge cluster so I'm happy with it… as long as it works! Now I just have to replace the hacked up dash where the old one was, and figure out how to hook it up.

Wiring should be easy, the paired green/black looks like the speaker wire and the black to the plug is the power to the fuse panel.  It grounds through the panel. The brown on top looks like the dial light? That radio was probably out of a Nova or Corvair that used the same knobs...some earlier Impalas too?

I think this is the manual for that radio:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1964-CHEVROLET-GMC-PICKUP-TRUCK-CORVAIR-95-VAN-SUBURBAN-AM-RADIO-SERVICE-MANUAL-/231149564662?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35d19672f6

jbass62 wrote:Curious, why not install a modern head unit, especially if your dash is already cut up?  Is you van the one in your avatar? With that paint job it doesn't look like your going for a 100-point stock restoration so why not enjoy the benefits of a modern stereo system?  I just put a basic Kenwood, around $100 at Pepboys, in mine with a bezel I made from thin lexan to cover the hacked up dash hole.  I put a pair of 4" speakers on a masonite baffle behind the stock grill opening for the fronts, left and right channels side by side, sounds fine, and a pair of 6 x 9's in boxes in the back.  Then I added a used powered Clarion under seat sub woofer and I'm good to go!  Wiring a stereo is easy these days….

Yes, Jbass thats my green van. My long term goal is to bring it back to stock slowly but surely. Ill end up putting a modern radio and speakers under the dash once I get things going. Heres a setup of what ill put under the dash. This is above my workbench under a cabinet in my garage. Coast about $80 from work.

I tried to go the original route also with my stereo but after I found out how much the reproduction ones were I got This 200 watt 4 way JVC at Wall-mart for $59.00 and with four 6x9's it Rock's inside plus it has a CD player also no need for a amp and left under the dash open for my accessory's....                                                                                                        

Joe Van this orginal one I bought off of ebay way only $48 shipped.

WOW.. .. GOOD PRICE I did not know you wanted one for the original look I have two of them in my garage. I went that route with my 62 Bel-Air and put a after market one in the glove box instead of cutting the dash and left the original radio in but got to be very difficult changing cd's, adjusting the volume, and changing the station while driving down the road..LOL

Thats why a copilot is good to have haha. glad to hear you left the original equipment in place, I hate seeing parts missing and things cut up. My 64 Impala has all her factor options still in tact even the cigarette lighter is in it!

My 67 Chev G10 has a stock dask- yet!! Ill cut the dash for a din-2 radio & mount a full blown 7" screen GPS & Radio in it!! Im old & get tired of everyone telling me where to go - every time without DIRECTIONS!!      

You got me there TP! that sounds bad ass! I've got a double Din in my daily.

This was my 62 I sold to buy my Early it was from Texas with 89,000 original miles and had a built 327 in it I went for the sleeper look the car was SUPER FAST....                                                                                                                                                                              [/url                                                                                                                                                            The interior was all original except for the shifter and tach.....

WOW that thing is KILLER!! My 64 is under construction, rebuilding the original 327, it only had 71K on it but needed a rebuild. I have a hook up on powder coating… its getting outta hand lol

powder coating is like chrome never can be to much

Very true G-man well spoken

The Body and Trim looks Really Nice and Straight you cant beat the ride of the Older Impala's...Yea I miss mine a bunch the pictures got me thinking about it again but selling it was the only way to buy my Van from Dan,O..The powder coating looks AWESOME I just hooked up with a local guy that does it and I am bringing my rear bumper to get it re-powder coated in a week or two the place that did it in Daytona a couple of years ago never scuffed up the chrome before they did it and I have a couple of future problem spots but I think if done right Powder Coating is the way to go on just about everything...