Radio: Is it a Wonderbar??

[Guest imported_UncleBiggy]

Took a radio out of a 53 Roadmaster. It has one bar that says BUICK rather than the 5 push buttons (says Selectronic I think) Is this a Wonderbar that I always hear about but never see? I didnt think the Wonderbars came out until 1955-56 maybe.

[palbuick]

Buick had a wonder bar radio as far back as 1950 or 1951. With only one face bar and not the 5 buttons you have a wonder bar radio. Look on the floor board some where under the brake pedal or near the hi beam switch and you should find the foot controller for the radio, looks just like a the high beam switch.

Jim Schilf

palbuick

[Guest Albert]

if you have Buick Model 981323 it is a Wonderbar radio, from checking the Schematics that i have.

[NTX5467]

I was thinking that later "Wonderbar" radios also had some push buttons too, like in the later '50s? Possibly a "Town" or "Country" mode for local or longer distance stations (i.e., stronger, weaker) on some models (maybe not GM per se) too.

I recall seeing a Delco Radio Repair Manual for the 1960s vehicles. Seems that Delco made the search tuner radios and many stereo/multiplex radios for GM and Chrysler back then. Obviously, they were built to the respective customer's specs back then.

In addition to the foot switch, for the driver to change the station, if you pushed on the "wonderbar" it also would activate the search tuner function. The marvels of modern electronics of that era . . .

Enjoy!

NTX5467

[Guest Albert]

the 51-52 Packard also had the wonderbar radios, but the station pre selects where not till 54, and to set those you opened a small door in the front to axcess the adjustment for the buttons..

[56Roadmaster]

Buick version was called selectronic Chevy was called wonder bar

[Buicks Rule]

Late 50's. Buick Wonderbars said Wonderbar on the bar. They also had 5 or 6 pushbuttons and may have had the optional foot switch as it was available as a separate option. The strong/weak signal switch was a rotating switch behind either the volume or the tuning knob, probably the tuning knob. Later model Wonderbars had the strong/weak switch as a separate slide switch right below the wonderbar.