Autronic-Eye amplifier id ???

[J. Gomez]

I’m currently working on refurbishing, modifying and upgrading several Autronic-Eye amplifiers these are mostly the ’54-’58 boxes, I have three which I’m not sure these are for a Cadillac.   

Most of these units were the same across the GM and maybe non-GM units except for the mounting chassis. One of these will be converted to a Cadillac since I have a spare chassis.

Unfortunately they have no labels that shows the serial number (old paper label are all gone) on the chassis to help id them. The diagram inside the lid they are the same with the “Guide C3-52 Circuit D1”. 

These are for 12V cars and the wire harness rubber boot is held by a collar on back of the chassis picture Autronic amp1 and amp2 (red area) also the harness indicates the power relay was close to the box (blue area).

I do not believe they are for Chevrolet or maybe Buick but I could be wrong, not sure if they may fit the Oldsmobile or Pontiac.     Was not able to find any picture reference under Google search.   

Wonder if anyone has any knowledge were these would fit? I’m planning on cleaning and keep them as it and maybe do the same at a later time once I know which car brand they belong.

Thanks,

[Cadman-iac]

Jose,
My original amplifier didn't have a paper tag on it either, on the outside that is. It does have one inside.  And the harness looked exactly like the picture you have here.
Do you need a picture of the tag inside the cover on mine? I'd be glad to take one if you need it.

Rick

[59-in-pieces]

Jose,
After having worked on three 59 Eldos I have several pics of the box and paper stickers along with the wires in and out plus several views of the boxes themselves.
Don't know if any of this would be helpful since 59's.

However, I used a guy to help me back in the day - you can tell by the pic date - when I took pics with a camera not a cell phone like today.
Maybe if still around he can help you.

Have fun,
Steve B.

[J. Gomez]

Jose,
My original amplifier didn't have a paper tag on it either, on the outside that is. It does have one inside.  And the harness looked exactly like the picture you have here.
Do you need a picture of the tag inside the cover on mine? I'd be glad to take one if you need it.

Rick

Rich,

The label on the side of the amplifier would had the serial number identifying the car division (first digit “5” is Cadillac) + year (next two) + serial (last six #), these were paper labels so most have “gone with the wind”.  Here is one for reference.

The ones I have the connections for the power relay are close to the amp box about 3”- 4”, you can see the three wires “yellow”, “light blue” and “violet”. I know the ’56 the wire hardness for the power relay connections are about 13” or so from the amp box, I believe the same applies to the ’55. Not sure if the ’57 and ’58 have the power relay close to the amp box or not.   

Now if these are either ’57 and/or ’58 not sure if the collar that holds the harness rubber boot with screws is correct.   

[J. Gomez]

Jose,
After having worked on three 59 Eldos I have several pics of the box and paper stickers along with the wires in and out plus several views of the boxes themselves.
Don't know if any of this would be helpful since 59's.

However, I used a guy to help me back in the day - you can tell by the pic date - when I took pics with a camera not a cell phone like today.
Maybe if still around he can help you.

Have fun,
Steve B.

Steve,

Thanks for the offer yes the ’59 is a different box and setup from previous years.

I just finished two replacing the older capacitors and adding a DC voltage regulator for the 6.8V DC supply to the vibrator for the power transformer input, and at the same time making the solid state vibrators just for these. I’m not removing the older setup with the ballast tube etc. just rewiring the new setup around, “I do not like removing things..!”.

I’m just trying to make them more reliable with these upgrades and also to make thing a bit cooler inside, the ballast tube do get a bit hot. If anyone open these up they will notice lot of white crust around (maybe calcium not sure) and some rust, maybe due to some chemical reaction with the heat and static electricity inside not sure.   

Thanks 

[J. Gomez]

Bump..! 

Anyone for either a '57 or '58 with an Autronic-eye that can share a picture of the amplifier?  Still trying to id the ones I have. 

Thanks,

[bambaleilo]

I also faced this problem but I still don't know how to solve it. On my way of making a better audio system in my car, I faced a lot of problems. First of all, I had no idea how to install a subwoofer and how to choose a good one but I had a great desire to have one and that desire helped me finish this project. I invited my friend who is good at this stuff to help me choose a subwoofer and fortunately that was easy to do because my friend already had one and he sold it to me for a good price. The problem was that I didn't have cables for the subwoofer and he recommended me this site https://www.digitalprosound.com/best-subwoofer-cable-reviews/ he told me that from there he always chose the best cables.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Jose, my '57 Brougham has one. However, bad luck for you: snow is there, I don't drive to my garage. If you can get a picture from somebody else, fine. If not, be patient, it can be weeks/months until I can remove it for a decent picture. When temperature is freezing, I don't use wrenches!

[J. Gomez]

Jose, my '57 Brougham has one. However, bad luck for you: snow is there, I don't drive to my garage. If you can get a picture from somebody else, fine. If not, be patient, it can be weeks/months until I can remove it for a decent picture. When temperature is freezing, I don't use wrenches!

Roger,

There is no rush on my side, I believe I was able to find that one is for the ’57 Cadillac but still not 100% sure.   

I finished the ones I had in the work bench including the one on my car with the upgrades and with the new electronic vibrator I made for them as well. The vibrators took me a bit longer as I had to remove the old mechanical type and insert the new electronic board and close it back up and had to switch the arrangement between the ones used for the radio versus the one for the Autronic amps.

I have two complete sets done and was able to adjust the rest of the amplifiers with either of the photocell from the complete sets. I still need to check and hopefully fix one extra photocell as it shows open between the tube pins at the resistor plate for the tube.   

Thanks,

[Roger Zimmermann]

OK, Jose! Mines, the one on the '56 Biarritz and the other on the '57 Brougham are disconnected, because totally use less with our traffic conditions. As I recently (after 9 years!) discovered that I have an evolution of that system on my 2011 DTS, that function on recent cars is much more usable than the ones from the fifties.

[J. Gomez]

OK, Jose! Mines, the one on the '56 Biarritz and the other on the '57 Brougham are disconnected, because totally use less with our traffic conditions. As I recently (after 9 years!) discovered that I have an evolution of that system on my 2011 DTS, that function on recent cars is much more usable than the ones from the fifties.

Roger,

Funny is I also have the same feature on my 2018 Buick Enclave so "what was old then is brought back as new now"..! 

[J. Gomez]

Roger,

Sorry forgot to add the ones completed on the first bath, these are a combination of '55-'56 and one '58 with the MIA info as well, the old vibrators were repackaged and relabel to reflect the SS type. The middle picture shows the original one from one of the units with the white (white rust), the last picture is the final one. 

The one on the car was done later but it is similar to these ones.

Just as FYI.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Nice collection! Still no answer for a '57? What indeed would you like to have on the picture, just the part number?

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

Hi Jose, do you want me to check the one on my 54? BTW mine worked beautifully with the original vibrator but it stopped working (the vibrator that is) and I bought a solid state radio vibrator and it doesn't work, any tips? I suspect it's not kicking out enough voltage?

[J. Gomez]

Nice collection! Still no answer for a '57? What indeed would you like to have on the picture, just the part number?

Roger,

If yours look like the one on the first post picture then we could iron out if the ones I have are indeed for ’57 Cadillac and/or possible other car brands since these units were used on other GM as well as non-GMs brands.

There is no part # stencil on these units the only id label were the paper tag glue to the side showing the serial # with the first digit indicating the division the unit was install (Cadillac has “5”, Buick “4” etc.) and the next two for the year used.

As you know 99% of these units the paper tag is “Gone with the wind”.    Some have a similar hardness while other do not so it just a wild guess as to which car division these came from.   

Thanks, 

[Roger Zimmermann]

You probably know that the unit is into the trunk. So the removal is not so easy than on a front wheel housing. Two days ago, it was 2°C in my store room; snow came this week-end, therefore, I'm not going to the store room until absolute necessity.

[J. Gomez]

Hi Jose, do you want me to check the one on my 54? BTW mine worked beautifully with the original vibrator but it stopped working (the vibrator that is) and I bought a solid state radio vibrator and it doesn't work, any tips? I suspect it's not kicking out enough voltage?

Phil,

For the ’54 the amplifier was a bit different these were DC type and have two vacuum tubes (a rectifier and an amplifier) plus a ballast (also a vacuum tube) versus the ’55 onward with one tube (plus the ballast) which were AC type to the photocell.

The extra vacuum tube on the ’53-’54 (the rectifier) was used to rectified the AC voltage to DC for the photocell. The ones on the above pictures and the ones in question are the later AC ones.

The good thing is the same type of vibrator was used for these ’53-’58 a 6V type. I know there are 6V vibrator in the market today specifically market for radios as either positive or negative and with either three or four prongs.

I’m not sure how these are made/designed so I chose to make my own and placing the new board on the same can from the old ones.

I recall that other had replace theirs with the ones from these places and they may had good success with them, but not 100% sure.

Thanks,

[J. Gomez]

You probably know that the unit is into the trunk. So the removal is not so easy than on a front wheel housing. Two days ago, it was 2°C in my store room; snow came this week-end, therefore, I'm not going to the store room until absolute necessity.

Roger,

no I was not aware the '56 Biarritz and/or the '57 Brougham have the amplifiers on the trunk  I've always assume the amplifier would reside on the engine compartment as other models since everything else for the headlights is on the front (something new learned today).

Again, there is no rush on my side I know the feeling I'm the same way cold weather is not my favorite time of the year to work on the garage. 

[Roger Zimmermann]

Jose, only the Brougham has the amplifier in the trunk; this is really a special car. The '56 Biarritz has it in the engine compartment.

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

Thanks Jose, yes it is a 6V vibrator and I replaced it with a solid state version. I think I need to check the voltage coming from it. Phil