Popular Post kicker Posted August 4, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted August 4, 2015 I bought this radio about 2 years ago with the intention of replacing the non-working radio innards with something more modern. It has sat pretty much untouched until today. I have bought a few things during that time for the conversion like a TA2020 amp and a couple rotary switches, I already had the component speakers so will use them. I also picked up a little bluetooth unit, which works quite well. In order to use the amps 12V supply as well as avoiding ground loop issues I have a dc-dc isolating converter which will knock the voltage down to 5v. This will help keep cords to a minimum which is good as it's such a nice looking radio, there will still be a 3.5mm jack in the back though. After gluing the base up as it was coming apart slightly, first up today was getting the speakers mounted, I used some old mdf speaker mounts I made for a different project long ago and screwed them in using little brackets. Then I made a plate for the rotary switches and amp volume dial to secure to. Luckily the old knobs fit the new switches so they will be reused. Tomorrow I'll hopefully do a bit of wiring and make a support for the amp and the old radio dial I intend to put back in. 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
63Ragtop Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Nice work , I've always wanted to do something like that. Need a couple led's for the old dial face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kicker Posted August 5, 2015 Author Share Posted August 5, 2015 Little bit more today Secured and wired up the crossovers, switches etc. Waiting for the glue holding the rear panel to dry. Powered it up, amp and speakers sound good. Still need to fit the old dial and a backlight for it and finish the BT side but typically I can't find the converter so I have some more on their way. Found out it's a 1937 model (ID is 37-620) and according to some old radio foamer sites it looks like it was an export from the USA, the ID and info sheet back this up. After '37 they started making them here because of import restrictions. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fletch Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 nice work, looks like it will be awesome. Im keen to see all the bits you use as i have a similar thing at home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post kicker Posted August 21, 2015 Author Popular Post Share Posted August 21, 2015 I finished off the radio today, I couldn't find the converter so I had to wait for another to arrive but the bluetooth is all hooked up now. Also managed to put the radio dial back in after some pissing around. I gave the cabinet a clean with some pumice free handcleaner and 0000 steel wool as recommended by the internet, it came up quite nice. All set up and working Has been pretty cheap and easy to do, bluetooth unit is a $20 unit off trademe, amp is a TA2020 from ebay, couple of bucks for some rotary switches and 12v to 5v dc-dc isolated converter also off ebay, power socket and 3.5mm jack from Jaycar and the car speakers, power plug and other miscellaneous bits I had sitting around. 21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyteler Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Looks sweet as shit under that Art Deco mirror. Lovin' it. Beaaaauuuuuutiful, sir. Well done to you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steelies Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 love it! granny got bump in the trunk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUNAMUCK Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 Being so old, that radio would have been the olden day equivelent of a flash 60" LCD tv. And during the war, the owner would have listened to news reports about the war intently, hearing about battles won and lost. That is a fucking cool bit of kit you have there man! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyfive Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 Yeah that's pretty dope. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xsspeed Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 Accolades man that is super sweet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2sik25 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 This is epic! My old man has a whole house full of these kinds of radios, you've done an awesome job converting it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock-Lee Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 After reading this I have now acquired one of these from my parents place. What amp and Bluetooth stz did you get? Mine has heaps more dials. Will be fun thinking up tasks for them all haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willdat? Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Alright - I need to find a 50s/60s looking unit to do the same for our place... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostchips Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Alright - I need to find a 50s/60s looking unit to do the same for our place...Is a red and white plastic brick suitable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyGal Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 thats very cool mate well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willdat? Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Is a red and white plastic brick suitable? It could be, these two are the dream... To go with my 1961 Lincoln Continental 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostchips Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I also have some rough wooden case transistor pacemakers that might have been made in nz but they're not as grand as you were hoping for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kicker Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 Cheers guys, pretty happy with the outcome, not having to refurbish the cabinet made it pretty easy. Dayfe, I used one of these for bluetoofs. http://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/home-audio/home-theatre/auction-935034577.htm and have it hooked up to the power supply for the amp so I don't have to bother with having to charge the unit separately. To avoid ground loop issues I use one of these which also drops the voltage to 5V (the same it gets when charging off USB). http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-DC-Converter-Isolated-Power-Supply-1205-1W-In-12V-10V-16V-Out-5V-200mA-UL-/161045828977?hash=item257f145571 These are the switches I used, they have a little plate that lets you select from 2 to 12 positions, I just used 2 on both, on/off for the amp and the same for the BT unit. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1x1-Pole-12-Position-PANEL-PCB-Wiring-Rotary-Switch-1P12T-TW-/131282293073?hash=item1e9108d151 So of the four knobs, bottom centre is volume, left is amp power, right is BT power and the upper middle turns the og dial (which is obviously just for show now). As far as the amp I used the TA2020 which seems to have a good rep as a low cost mini amp. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tripath-TA2020-Class-T-Audio-Amplifier-Amp-20W-Updated-Board-DIY-/400772448392?hash=item5d4fe64088 I also chucked in a 3.5mm jack for hooking up stuff via a cable, it's a switched one from jaycar so when you put the plug in it disconnects the BT feed. http://www.jaycar.co.nz/Interconnect/Plugs%2C-Sockets-%26-Adaptors/Phono/3-5mm-Stereo-SWITCHED-PCB-Socket/p/PS0133 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock-Lee Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 doope. Turns out mine is a 1936 Courtenay model 108 produced by the Radio corp. of NZ in wellys. Is it wrong that I now want to become a radio foamer? ps, what is the purpose of the crossovers if you arent splitting that shit up into its different frequencies? My audiophileness extended to 2 x 12" subs and nothing else for maximum kidney bleed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kicker Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 Crossovers split signal for the woofers and tweeters, only used them cos I had them spare otherwise would have just jammed in some 2ways or something. I'm keen to do another now but something smaller for the kitchen/bedroom The Courtenay sounds sweet, does it still work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.