86FyrBrd

iTrader: (1)

Details to come, just wanted to post this as a teaser before I give more information later.

Sound quality isn't the best, the radio still needs to be sent out for a refurb but I wanted to take this chance before I paid to fix the radio.

86FyrBrd

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Work hasn't allowed me the time to be able to take the pictures I wanted. I'll get there but basically what I did is opened it up and removed the entire tape deck.

I then permanently sealed the tape door shut and put some bracketry behind the Eject/Rew/Fwd buttons. The Rewind/FWD buttons are fixed dummy buttons now.

The eject is a push on/push off switch from radio shack with the factory button as its face.

In place of the tape mechanism is a DIY Bluetooth board. I made the connection to a pig tail removed from the tape mechanism so it plugs (and therefore unplugs too) in with factory connections.

The Bluetooth board also has an auxiliary pass through on it so I mounted a headphone jack on the rear of the radio that I will plumb to a headphone jack in the center console giving me AM/FM/Bluetooth/Aux Jack in the 100% correct looking factory radio.

chevydrvr

iTrader: (1)

That's really cool and something I'd love to do! I love the factory look, but the added modern convenience.

OrangeBird

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If you are playing the line level audio output of the Bluetooth to the tape mechanism's input where the tape head used to connect , this may well explain why the sound quality isn't the best . The input that the tape head connects to is not a simple line level audio input , there is the matter of the "Bias Oscillator" to deal with in that circuit as well . If you research "tapedeck bias Oscillator" you will discover what I'm talking about and hopefully you'll find some way to make the line level audio play nice with the tape input's bias oscillator .

I wish you the best of luck in your search ....

86FyrBrd

iTrader: (1)

I do plan on having some hiccups there and possibly having to go a different route but before this conversion it had horrible sound and I knew I had to get it refurbed. I'm at a point now where I know it works in principal, know it has poor sound quality, and need a good base before I go tackling that issue.

With that said, thanks for the good info. Gives me a good subject to research that I didn't know about previously

EDIT: Do you know where the circuitry is located? In the tape deck itself or the radio/amplifier circuitry? My common sense (I say "My" because its not always accurate) would lead me to believe it would be in the mechanism to allow different radio options and configurations with the same amp boards.

If its in the mechanism I will be good. My entire tape deck hardware is gone and its connected directly to the wires that go to the amp/logic boards

GTA1990

iTrader: (1)

sub'd. Bluetooth streaming to a stock looking deck is something that I, and I'm sure other thirdgenners, would be interested in

G.Penrod

This is a good idea. I wanted to go back to a more stock looking deck and get rid of my ugly CD player. I spent the money and went with this: https://www.retromanufacturing.com/p...rect-fit-radio

It's got the bluetooth, audio connection and hands free calling. If I would've known about adding bluetooth to an original deck, I probably would have tried something like you did.

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

OOps , I'm sorry I missed that you asked a question here . The Bias oscillator will most certainly be on the amp/logic board and may not be the easiest thing to defeat electronically . If a schematic diagram of the radio was available I could in about two seconds flat tell you what needed to be done because electronics is a lifelong side hobby for me , I just don't happen to know the particulars of how our radio/tapedecks are wired because I've never opened one up or seen a schematic for one .

86FyrBrd

iTrader: (1)

LOL apology accepted. I just saw that you replied haha. I haven't seen a schematic, I had a hard enough time trying to find the pinout for the internal connector going to the tape module. The speakers that I get sound out of the quality is decent. Right now the radio is sent out to 86TA to refurb it. When I get it back I'll know what I am dealing with and post better pics and more information