Author Topic: Ford 8 track tapes  (Read 3755 times)

Offline gjz30075

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Ford 8 track tapes
« on: November 23, 2010, 08:13:04 PM »
I've noticed on ebay tapes that seemingly were issued by Ford when one had an 8 track player in the car, guessing when purchased new.   An example:


And another:



The earliest examples I could find are for cars/players from the late '70s to the 80s.   

Were there any Ford issued tapes similar to above issued in the '60s?    I'd love to get one for my '66.

Thanks!
Greg Z

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: Ford 8 track tapes
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2010, 12:13:50 AM »
Yes there were Ford tapes, I believe, that started in 66.

For some reason I remember a landscape of sorts on the tape - keep a watch on Ebay - not allot of demand for them so they should be reasonable

Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline gjz30075

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Re: Ford 8 track tapes
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2010, 07:40:20 AM »
Jeff, you're right.   I was given this website:

http://jcoconsulting.com/index.asp?Section=Ford&Article=Tapes

Very interesting, for those going after the 'period look'.
Greg Z

Offline 67gtasanjose

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Re: Ford 8 track tapes
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2017, 07:53:10 AM »
UPDATED webpage address:

http://jcoconsulting.com/8track

I will be posting more to this thread in an effort to help others working on 8-track tape cars in obtaining information and items originally included. I have been in touch with the website's owner recently and will work a bit through him as he permits.

As the O.P. of this thread mentioned, the site has good information across all of the years of usage of 8-track tapes in Ford vehicles, not just Mustangs.

For starters, I've attached a few images of an original PC8S 500 RCA 8 Track tape, correct for any 67 Ford product including any 1967 Mustang originally equipped with the AM 8-Track Stereosonic Tape System option. Original tapes will have ink-stamped codes as seen in these images. Note the partial shot of the tape manufacturer' ID code peeking out from BEHIND the label on the face-edge of the tape (See close-up of first image below). Looks to be just the very top of each character of the "PC8S" <space> and then the "500"

For 1967 Fords with this option, according to the site, there were two possibilities of original "sealed" tape cartridge boxes used. The "Early Design" was a plastic tray (also used for the entire year in 66 Mustangs) and the "Later Design" was a cardboard sleeve. (Oh GEE! ...yet another "running Change" to nail down for the '67's!) Apparently there were also instruction cards with these tapes provided to the original purchaser. It sounds as though these tapes and their instructions were included in the glove box or handed out to the original purchaser at the time of delivery.

Good luck to those seeking to restore these details.
« Last Edit: March 31, 2017, 08:39:01 AM by 67gtasanjose »
Richard Urch

1967 (11/2/66, S.J.) GTA Luxury Coupe, 289-4V w/Thermactor Emissions, C-4, Int./Ext. Decor +many options

2005 (04/05) GT Premium Convertible, Windveil Blue, Parchment Top w/Med. Parchment interior,  Roush Body Appointments

Offline nham3407

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Re: Ford 8 track tapes
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2017, 10:19:55 AM »
This is what I had posted in a different forum when asked about the original 8 Track tape for my 72 Mach 1.



<iframe width="900" height="506" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S9EBeVc8rEk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

67 GT S-Code, San Jose, 06/67
72 Mach 1, Dearborn, 01/72
68 Merc. Cyclone, Lorain, 12/67 (Red)
68 Merc. Cyclone, Lorain, 6/68 (White)

Offline 67gtasanjose

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Re: Ford 8 track tapes
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2017, 01:22:41 PM »
Here is a picture of an un-opened 67 package.
RARE as a hen's tooth I imagine!
Richard Urch

1967 (11/2/66, S.J.) GTA Luxury Coupe, 289-4V w/Thermactor Emissions, C-4, Int./Ext. Decor +many options

2005 (04/05) GT Premium Convertible, Windveil Blue, Parchment Top w/Med. Parchment interior,  Roush Body Appointments

Offline Texas Swede

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Re: Ford 8 track tapes
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2017, 03:36:08 PM »
Probably have 100-150 Stereo 8 tapes and one is the blue type 67 promotion tape above.
Have 3 Stereo 8/AM players from 67 Mustangs but haven't been able to get any of them to work properly. Seems like the tape pressures to hard against the Tone Head and the drive belt slides
on the electrical motor shaft. Found some NOS drive belts which looks like they are made of plastic instead of the rubber I remember from the days. Anybody have any suggestions for a fix.
Texas Swede

Offline 196667Bob

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Re: Ford 8 track tapes
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2017, 04:23:25 PM »
As I have been "into" 8-Track Tape Players and Tapes since they came out (and actually before with their predecessors, 4 Track Tapes and Players), and have an AM-8 Track for my 66, a Hang-On 8 Track for my 67 (so I could both the AM-FM Radio and 8-Track), a Hang-On 8 Track for my 66 T-Bird, and a Philco-Ford component 8 Track Player with original Demo Tape hooked up to my Marantz Amplifier, I have this "on my list" of Articles to do for the "Library". However, since I have other Articles that I'm currently working on, the 8 Track Article is "down the road" a little ways. In the meantime, I'll address a few things for gjz30075.

Jeff is correct in that Ford started issuing the 8 Track Tapes in 1966, the same year that they came out with the 8 Track Car Stereos. Ford issued these every year from 1966 through 1983, plus from 1976 through 1981, in addition, Ford had Quadrasonic 8 Track Tapes (like the ones Posted by gjz30075. I am lucky enough to have picked up over the years, at least one of each of the tapes offered to customers from 1966 through 1983, plus all but one of the Quadrasonic tapes.
There were three Tapes used in 1966 ; two were available to customers, and one was a 4 minute Demo Tape for "Dealer in house use only" - this one I am missing in my collection.

Jeff's other statement about these "not being in much demand, and therefore should be reasonably priced" is true for generally all the Tapes from 1970 up. The 1968 and 69 Tapes are generally 4 to 10 times higher, and the 1966 and 67 Tapes are generally "unreasonably priced" at $100-$200 each, or higher. The reason for this, besides the typical "initial offering scenario", is the Tape itself. To explain this, a little history is in order. In the early 60's, Muntz (of Muntz TV and Stereo fame), got the idea of making a unit for cars that would have music on a cartridge with a continuous tape, that could be inserted into the unit and play. This was a two-channel stereo system, and designated a "4 Track Tape Player" system. These were relatively small units (I had one that fit into the glove compartment of my 57 Ford Retractable), and took a cartridge that is almost identical in size to the 8 Track cartridges. Another "neat" feature is that there were many places available that would take 45 rpm records and put them on 4 Track tapes so you could have any music you wanted (and yes, I still have these). As "cool" as these were, sales were really not as expected. Then, Ford got together with RCA and Lear Corporation (yes, the same as the Lear Jet), and decided that they would produce a more dynamic 8 Track unit. Lear is considered the "founder of 8 Track Tapes". However, the initial Tapes (appropriately designated "Lear Tapes") proved unreliable, mainly due to deterioration of the tape pads, and resulting broken tape, and the design was changed. The Tapes available from Ford in 1966 and 1967 were of this initial design, and thus why the cost is high as finding a working or non-broken tape one, is not easy.

Enough for now. I could go on and on, but I'll save that for a future Article.

Hope this helps answer your initial inquiry.

Bob
1966 Coupe, C Code, 3 Sp MT, 6T07C154XXX, Build Date 11/22/65
1967 Conv, C Code, C4, 7F03C154XXX, Actual Build Date 01/31/67
MCA 04909