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1938 Buick Radio with speaker - complete unit


Guest Ausfriz

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Guest Ausfriz

As part of a restoration, I am looking for a radio, switches and speaker for a 1938 Buick 8/40. It doesn't matter if it is working or not providing it is complete.

Any ideas on where I may find one would be most welcome.

Thanks

Peter

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I see from your email you are in Aussie. Will be hard to find. Do you watch Ebay.com ?

Coping from another '39 team member " Look for a post a few below this one called "Dave Tachney". He's the go-to guy for late 30's Buick bits "

http://forums.aaca.org/f165/dave-tachney-341710.html.

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Guest Ausfriz

Yes, I have been watching ebay. I'm happy to pay for shipping costs if anyone OS has one as I realise there were never many here to begin with.

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Is your 38 a Holden Body or Fisher Body?

I used to own a Holden Body 38. I'm pretty sure the Aussie dash is spot welded in and I think the Fisher Body dash is bolted in.

From memory there are differences in the area behind the dash where the Radio unit mounts and I wasn't able to fit a US Radio in there. Can't remember the issue but it was either lack of depth or brackets that were in the way.

It might have been possible with some metal work but I didn't want to go down that road.

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Guest Ausfriz

It's a Holden body Brian so I'll keep that in mind.

Without seeing one of the radios, I don't actually know what differences there are but it may possibly be easier to modify the radio chassis if need be.

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Peter and I have reached the conclusion that the radio I have is not for a 1938 Buick. I will try to attach a photo of it and maybe someone can identify its year--1937, perhaps? First photo is the '38 Buick dash space for a radio; second photo is the radio I thought was for a '38, but must be some other year.

So, he still needs a 1938 Buick radio, and I will sell this one because it does not fit a '38 Buick dash due to the square bezel around the dial.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

post-32059-143139313341_thumb.jpg

post-32059-143139313351_thumb.jpg

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As part of a restoration, I am looking for a radio, switches and speaker for a 1938 Buick 8/40. It doesn't matter if it is working or not providing it is complete.

Any ideas on where I may find one would be most welcome.

Thanks

Peter

Peter, where in Aus are you ??

Danny

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I'm currently in Adelaide Danny. Originally from Melbourne and now in the throws of moving to Hobart

Talk about out of the frying pan and into the fire. Thems is some mighty warm places at the moment.

Is this your '38 or are you restoring it for someone ??

Given your body is a Holden it would of had an Air Chief by Astor. It's a seperate main box and a seperate speaker mounted on the firewall with a control head mounted to the dash and connected by cables.

Do you have an owners manual by GMH ?? I have the unit from America but am a long way from mounting it so I too may have trouble fitting it.

I do have the Air Chief type box only and have yet to find the correct head for it. The eternal quest goes on :)

Danny

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Guest Ausfriz

Hot is right.

It is my 38 that is being restored and your comments about an Air Chief set make sense given that all early GM cars here used them. No, I don't have a GMH manual, only a US one and I am finding it quite difficult to come up with a lot of references/photos on the Holden built car and it's interior etc. Plenty available of the US vehicles but not much on ours.

Peter

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Guest Ausfriz

Thanks Danny, interesting and also a little confusing when you read through and it notes the speaker being installed "over the header bar and flush with the roof lining". Doesn't make sense as wouldn't the speaker be dash mounted like most Holden built cars (and same as US version) and the roof lining is no where near it or am I reading that wrong.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hey Peter,

There is a Aussie Buick Air Chief radio on ebay right now with all the correct parts including the under running board antenna.

Has both 37 amd 38 control heads. As you can see from the very basic pictures, the Aussie set up differed greatly from the USA style which was one whole unit rather than separate units like this one.Buick Radio 1937/38 'Air Chief' | eBay

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I have an original '38 box only and it is as per the picture I posted above. I think the box in the picture is post '46 and I've seen a few in some early Holdens.

The heads appear to be correct but the '37 looks like there is no dial.

I have emailed this bloke for some better pics (maybe turn a light on or use a flash) as the second pic that would show the detail is all shadow and next to useless.

That was a few days ago and as yet I haven't received a reply. He also doesn't say if this is 6v or 12v, that could be the give away.

Danny

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Guest Ausfriz

Danny, I requested some extra pics today (as a follow up to yours) and they are on there now....have a look, it's not the same as the box you scanned and you were right about the 37 head, no face or glass. The 38 head has a face but no frequencies on it

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This is a pic of the box for my '38.

They were fairly common as the were fitted to a variety of cars.

38-Box-1_zps1065844a.jpg

A shot of the side showing where the control cable connect.

38-Box-2_zpsc478c9a8.jpg

The control cables that connect the head to the box. They use a bayonet type fitting.

38-Cables-1_zpse3d01495.jpg

This is a shot of the control head that I have.

Apart from the one on ebay, I haven't seen one.

Mine is a fairly common universal under dash mount type and was fitted as aftermarket to a variety of cars.

I figure I can fabricate a control box and dial bezel easy enough.

38-Head-1_zpse4613510.jpg

And of course, the acoustinator !! A must have item :):)

Acoustinator_zps6f001982.jpg

Keep your eyes open at flea markets and swap meets, they do turn up (every 10 years or so :):) )

Danny

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Guest Ausfriz

Thanks Danny, there's no doubting the difference when you see them both like that. I agree, big asking price for something that's not correct. I'll keep looking.

Peter.

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