VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Electrical - 12 volt Music in a '50 Chevy

Now that I got all new wires in "Maddy" (1950 Chevy Styleline)(see "12 volt conversion gone haywire"). I am thinking of smaller projects. One thing I would like to do is to have some music. When I was doing the wiring, I pulled the AM radio and put in a radio delete plate. Right now the cost to have the radio updated is a bit out of my reach. I am toying with a strange idea. I drove motorcycles for many years and did a lot of work on them. So, why not put a 12 volt motorcycle radio in Maddy? Because everything I could ever want to listen to, and more, is on my phone, all I would need is Bluetooth. What I am thinking about is mounting the 2 speakers under the dash where the original radio speaker was and having the controls on a mount under the dash. Sounds simple. I am open for any ideas... Jeff

Bluetooth ear buds playing tunes off of your phone. Dirt cheap and no commercials.

My wife listens to audio books from her iPad when she travels. Before we had a vehicle that had auxiliary audio input or Bluetooth she bought a Bluetooth speaker. As a bonus she can use it anywhere.

I amazed at the quality of sound from the UE MiniBoom. Plus she can recharge it through a power port. (We used to be able to call those cigarettes lighters!)

You could fabricate some type of simple mounting system. It might be as easy as Velcro strips

I think I am trying to make things too complex. I am not real sure how "bluetooth" stuff works, but I have been doing some research. Looking on shopping sites I can find a very small bluetooth receiver/amp for under 20 bucks. I can also find speakers at a very low price. If I am understanding this "new" type stuff, all I need is the bluetooth receiver/amp and 2 speakers and I can have a very good sound system in her. The only thing that will show will be the small bluetooth receiver/amp below the dash (about 3" x 1" x 4" deep) and a speaker set on the back deck. The front speaker will fit inside the dash where the old speaker was. If a person wants to spend a few more dollars you can also get a FM radio on the amp. I think I am getting this right? Too simple for me.

I do have a bluetooth speaker I got from my son that the wife uses sometimes but not much volume and there are LED lights that flash when it is on. I would like to have a good, permanent system that the wife cannot forget and I can listen to my old music.

That is a pretty simple approach. Just make sure that the Bluetooth receiver/amp has enough power to drive whatever speakers you select.

You might have to mess around with some settings on your phone to determine if you can set it so it automatically pairs with the receiver when you get within range of the receiver.

Bluetooth is just a short range wireless technology that allows devices to share data. The principle is the same as WiFi but Bluetooth has less range and cannot handle as many devices on the same connection. The name comes from the nickname for the king who united Denmark and Norway in 958 A.D.

I used a Megaboom speaker laying on the front seat for a long time. I now have a converted radio (it was spendy, but love it).
I have an idea. What if you open up your radio, put a new speaker in it and wire it up to a bluetooth receiver/amp that you have in the glovebox or behind the dash.

I have a 1938 Sedan with a bluetooth amp and 6x9 speakers under the back seat. I made small boxes for a set of 5 1/4 speakers that mount under the front dash. Music is played thru my Ipod. Nothing is seen.

I did the same thing for my 1951 chey truck.

Bluetooth amp does not require a stereo, it gets the music from the Ipod direct (thru bluetooth).

I use a Boombotix Mini. Just a small blue tooth speaker. It is enough for me, as I cannot tell the difference in the sound of music and speakers. I use it in both of my toys.

I was planning to do a similar thing in my 41 Chevy that is still 6v. Many of the Bluetooth speakers only use a 5v adapter so I was just going to hide the Bluetooth speaker where the original speaker was and power it of the power that goes to the lighter through an adapter. Other option was to get an amp as you stated and hide the controls in the glove box.

I have a radio that is not currently functioning for the car and I may install it for the looks. It is on the long to do list of things to fix but when stored for winter. Since the holes were drilled in the car when I got it for the antenna I mounted that already.

I had a radio repaired for my 48. Cost around $300.00. Then I found out that the AM stations didn't play music anymore. Like they did in the 70's and 80's. I now use my Iphone with Itunes. I have a little blue tooth speaker called a BoomBotix. It isn't stereo, but works for me.

Thanks for your response Keith......I've had my original '50 radio restored at a cost around 300 and changed to 12 volt.

....since I'm not a "total" purist I later found out that a place down in either Alabama, or Mississippi would convert it to 12 volt am/fm for the same price and outwardly look the same..... but I didn't know it at the time....dang it.