VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Radios, Tools, Accessories 1938 Radio Head Revisited

:( :( Isn't there anyone out in VCCA land who is familiar with a 1938 radio head? After no one responded to my plea for help in my previous posting, I sent several private messages and only received one reply. That person was not a radio person and could not help much. I am mainly concerned over whether the dial is supposed to return on its own to the bottom of the dial face as though it was spring loaded. This is after I turn the dial. Is this the way it should act when it is not hooked to a radio? I do not have a radio so can't check this. I would appreciate any help on this. Thanks. Stuart

Hi Stuart,
I really don't think your dial should do that. I am not an expert but I do have '36 and '37 radios with the remote dash mounted heads and they do not do that. I think '37 and '38 are very similar [although they had several different radios available]. Does the cable for the dial turn on the end that is supposed to hook up to the radio when you turn the dial? If it is stuck in the cable housing it may be "winding up" and when you let go it would spring back. Just a thought.
Good Luck,
Ed

And a good thought-check the radio end of the cable to see if it turns---may be time for some WD40

Thanks for the tips. Since the dial acted sort of like a sticking speedometer cable, I checked the ends of the four leads that are attached to it to see if there was a cable that should be turning at the other end. However, of the four leads, two are for fuses, one is attached to a grounding apparatus and the other one is a three pronged one. I saw threaded pipe sticking out the rear of the head behind the dial and what looked like an adjustment slot down in the pipe. Apparently this is where a cable housing attaches with a cable that allows the dial to turn the radio tuner much like a speedometer cable works. That slotted thing in the pipe turns freely so I guess I am just missing the cable that goes to the radio. I wouldn't have looked in there had you not mentioned another cable. I guess I will have to start looking for a radio and that cable. Maybe my control head is O.K. after all although I am not to sure of it's origin, or age, but after closer examination, it does appear to have been around for awhile.

In looking at the 1938 accessory catalog there are three different controll heads/radios and a total of four radios.

Beamer,......
AntiqueMechanic (Ray Holland) our radio expert should be able to answer any of your questions on radios.
He has been gone for a few days but should be back some time next week. He is one of the Moderators. His e-mail is Chev33radio@comcast.net
He can help you with your '38 questions.
JAR41

This answer was posted on another string and is repeated here.


You are the proud owner of a mass application of a Chevrolet trick. You will find many of these NOS control heads, but no cables. On a directive from Chevrolet, these NOS heads were installed in many 1938 Chevrolets. Just the head and no other portion of the radio. The idea was that the owner would become infatuated with the head and then return to the dealer and purchase the remainder of the radio.

All at once Chevrolet realized they had flooded the market with the control heads. Quickly, a special escutcheon was rushed into production that allowed the control heads to be mounted in the 1939 dash also.

So what is new?

Also, when you rotate the tuning knob counter-clock-wise and release it, it does unwind.

:) Thanks to all, especially Chevradioman, for putting my mind at ease. It is nice to know I wasn't scammed on the radio head. However, the guy I bought it from refuses to answer my email so I won't buy anything else from him!!! Anyone have a radio dial cable for sale? Stuart