VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1946-1948 Installing AC Delco radio on a 48 Chevrolet

Does anyone know where I can get instructions as to how to install an original (rebuilt) AC Delco Radio in my car? I have the radio in but it still doesn't work.

By installed you mean it is in the dash and have the brace hooked up. Do you have power hooked up to it and the antenna hooked up? Do you have voltage on the power wire?

Was the radio restored? Or have you just installed a radio you had. Putting a 65 year old radio in and expecting it to work without any servicing is most likely not going to produce the results you want.

radiofixer

It is a restored AC Delco radio. I took the old Motorola radio that was in it and didn't work.

I have the radio installed and power (I think) and antennae hooked. Not sure what you mean by a brace. When I took the old radio out it had a heavy piece of metal attached to the radio and bolted to a metal brace near the steering wheel column. I assumed this was a ground. Am I wrong?

Does the dial light come on? Do you have the original power line with the fuse holder that connect to the back of the radio?

No light comes on and, yes, I have the power line with fuse. I hooked it up to where the other one was (there was a different size one on the Motorola) and I put a 15 amp fuse in the fuse holder. Was the wrong fuse?

You keep referring to your radio as "AC Delco". Is it really a Chevrolet radio? Does it say "Chevrolet" across the dial? If you have the Chevrolet radio I have the "Owner's Manual" for it which shows how to mount it and the connections necessary for the radio to work.

Yes, it is a rebuilt AC Delco and it has "Chevrolet" on the dial. Will you send or email me a scanned copy of your manual? I sure would appreciate it!

The brace is to keep the radio from finding it's way out of the dash....

OK...good to know!

My email address is ctholton@gmail.com

Did you have it rebuilt or someone said it was rebuilt. The brace bolted to the radio helps support the heavy radio so it doesn't pull out the dash where the shafts go through. I would check to make sure you have power out of the fused supply wire. Or the fuse could be blown also.

Do you get any hum at all when turned on or does it appears to not have power going to it??

I was rebuilt by a man in Ohio. I'll put some sort of brace back on it. The one that was on it when I took the old one out looked like a homemade job. I guess I need to see if there is power out of the power supply wire and check the fuse also altho it was a new fuse. I put in a 15 amp fuse...is that the correct size?

No hum at all so it looks like no power. I would still like to have a manual to see if I left anything undone.

Any chance you can send me a copy of that radio manual?

Check your PM. At the top of the forum is a flashing light. Click on it and read the Private Message. Answers to all your questions are there.

So I am curious, did you figure out the power problem after reviewing the manual???

Haven't got it yet....will let you know.

Any chance you can send me a power cord with the brace and manual? The one I've got looks a little shopworn and that may be the problem. Let me know the price and I will get another check off to you.

Also, what amp fuse should I use? Is it a special size and I mean is it a little bigger than the normal fuse?

Thanks, M Holton

Here is the page out of the radio book.
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/radios/4052/4052radio17.htm
Don't remember what I put in my 48.

First, See Ray for your radio needs

Second. If you are sure that you have juice going into the radio and you have no hum that would indicate a bad vibrator.

Third, If there is hum that is not caused by bees or wasps, and it still doesn't play then that would indicate a bad OZ4. The rest of the tubes are just there to make you think you have a real super radio. (not really)

Fourth, If there is juice and a good hum, as opposed to the hornet hum, and a good OZ4 then the next best bet is that one or more of those bystander tubes is/are bad. At this point, you box the stinkin thing up and ship it to Ray. Not all radio restorers are the same.

Best,
Charlie

BTW: Ray also has the proper twisted brace to support your radio. It will keep it from falling out of the dash and busting the he-- out of your right knee. That can and will hurt.

As to the frayed wiring. Don't sweat it. A good under-the-dash fire is the reason you carry a fire extinguisher. Have a little excitement in your life. Get some burned hands. I got grounded from flight status on account of an under-the-dash fire on a 41 back in the seventies. I, also, like to have burned up the coupe I now have ignoring frayed wires. Didn't change the wires just got a bigger fire extinguisher. Yeah, right. I think Ray can help you there too.

Charlie I think he has already contacted Ray....By what the owner has said so far it sounds like no power, so no extinguisher needed yet???...If it were me, it would have all ready been boxed and mailed off...When I fixed my radio 20 years ago I just changed all the tubes and worked fine. Presently a 6 tube set from COT 40's $122.

My radio was sent back to the man I bought it from and he has found and corrected the problem. Said the fuse holder was not connecting thus no power to the radio. Replaced that and it it is working fine now and is on the way back to me. My wife says "Merry Christmas" to me! Thanks for all your interest...Mickey Holton