Topic: 67 factory 8-track repair

[pellets4fuel]

Yesterday I was enjoying some time in my car bench testing and listening to an AM oldies station on my 50 year old 8-track player 8-) . I didn't think the thing worked, but it turns out I was confusing it with another AM radio I have here. Couldn't test the 8-track (don't have any tapes yet)
 Two questions. First, it is missing the brass insert piece around the tuner knob for the speaker balance. Don't know where it went. Does anyone know what I can do to remedy this short of spending a lot for a parts radio? Sound does come out of both sides, but is noticeably louder out of the one. If it were balanced I might just say the heck with it and go.
 Second, I have a repro round base mast. It either came from WCCC or Must Unlimited. Thinking probably the second. Anyway the telescoping mast seems loose within itself. Not so much that it don't stay up, but seems "cheap" Depending on where it ends up when I get done futzing with it the radio is either loud or soft. Should I be looking at a better quality antenna, or could it be something in the radio needing attention? Really don't want to spend a ton of money on the thing. If I gotta spend too much I would probably just spend the 160 or so for the cheaper AM/FM Retro sound radio.

 Amazing how good the belt looks in this thing. I even took it off and cleaned it with some windex on a rag. Very soft and pliable yet.
 Thanks!
 David

[67gtasanjose]

2-problems, I can offer my experience on BOTH!
Antenna alone will more than eat up yout $160 budget. aftermarkets have yet to produce a good antenna that doesn't rattle or seem cheap as you say. If you need an original antenna, I have a new extra one I may part with (but I will not 'give' it away, I just watched another NOS one sell at about $200 last night for a clue)
2nd, my 8-track did the same on one side. Short answer: Cannot be fixed cheap. I had mine at a friends house who does electronics for about 6 months, though he did work on it (I even gave him a copy of the schematics), he said only way to really assure no trouble was to re-work the whole circuitboards and many of the parts within are not really readily available in the modern world. I am sure there are repait shops that can fix it, they are out there but I doubt a "budget" ought to be set on making it happen. Conversion work happening all of the time where you have new innards put into it. Cheaper and more reliable is what they all say. AND you can ask for upgrades! (FM, i-Pod MP3 inputs, Bluetooth...it goes on and on!)

[pellets4fuel]

Thanks Richard.  Didn't hurt to ask...well not too much