Adding FM and MP3 capabilities to a stock radio and keeping the rich Delco sound

[Dan LeBlanc]

Here's what I did. A few folks in the 61/62 group were curious so I figured I'd sure here too:

http://youtu.be/zYZXFdqZ9Pg

[Jeff Wilk]

Simply awesome Dan. Thanks for all the effort!!!  Im assuming the stock radio must be fully functioning first?

Jeff

[Dan LeBlanc]

Yes. I was fortunate enough that my stock radio is working fine.

[TJ Hopland]

I used to have a CD changer that worked like that.   I had em when I used to get leased cars for work.  In that case it was tuned to FM but same concept.  It worked great.

They key to things like this is that they interrupt the regular antenna signal.   This is why there has to be a little box that plugs into the antenna line.   Other types of transmitters that don't interrupt (just go through the regular antenna with everything else) can be really hit and miss (usually miss) depending on where you live and drive because other radio signals will tend to over power the transmitter you have.  This can be a big problem if you live in a large metro area because there are not usually 'empty' channels.   With AM it could be even worse because of the way AM signals can bounce around. 

[Dan LeBlanc]

That's exactly it TJ.  You can't use a modulator and expect good sound.  I had an FM converter in there first that worked ok, but then again, it was 40 year old technology and I found the stations had the tendency to drift a lot.

I don't listen to the mp3 player much, but I do like my FM radio and for me keeping the factory sound system in the loop was paramount to keeping that 1961 feel.

[Dan LeBlanc]

This is the finished installation