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Rome
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2004
Posts: 9656
Location: Pearl River, NY
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 Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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flyertim, you have created an outstanding thread! Your camera detail and work/fabrication skills are really impressive.
Over 25 years ago I bought a '56 Beetle as a 2nd project, after my '64 Ghia became roadworthy. The Beetle had a big M radio, which I removed to install a '70's Blaupunkt radio when converting the car to 12V. I painted the 'punkt's black pushbuttons ivory to make it look older. Even though I sold the car in the early 90's, I kept the M radio. After following your thread with high interest, I just went to the basement and found the radio. The chrome faceplate is not damaged but does have moderate "aging". It's a 6M, with the original speaker leads and apparently the original black 6M knobs. The frequency display indicator works when I rotate the right knob, and the right knob/shaft is not bent. The radio housing's upper and rear section has a dusting of the dark green from when the Beetle was repainted. The only component obviously missing is the big round canister that comes through the top of the housing. I can see the base and the slots for the pins. What's the name of that part which goes there? |
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RareAir
Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2002
Posts: 14577
Location: 18 miles North of the border
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| Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Rome wrote: |
| .....The only component obviously missing is the big round canister that comes through the top of the housing. I can see the base and the slots for the pins. What's the name of that part which goes there? |
Isn't that a vacuum tube?
_________________
1947 Typ 11a
1954 Typ 117
1956 Typ 151
1959 Typ 117
1959 Typ 265
1961 356B
1966 Typ 151
1966 Typ 241 |
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3foldfolly
Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2009
Posts: 894
Location: Edwardsville, Il
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| Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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| I think it's called a vibrator on tube radios. The Germans call it a zerhacker |
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Bruce Berman
Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2004
Posts: 148
Location: Long Island, NY, USA
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| Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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| 3foldfolly wrote: |
| I think it's called a vibrator on tube radios. The Germans call it a zerhacker |
It is indeed a vibrator. It's function is to chop the incoming 6 (or 12) VDC and feed it to a step-up transformer, so high-voltage DC is available for the plates of the vacuum tubes within the set. The transformer feeds a rectifier that converts the AC output of the transformer to high voltage DC.
The vibrator is the least reliable component within these old tube auto radios. There are breaker points within the vibrator that make and break contact to chop the 6 (or 12) VDC, and they wear out with time. A capacitor, known as a buffer capacitor, is used to minimize the arcing across the vibrator points, but these capacitors invariably go bad with time as well. When the buffer capacitor fails, the contacts within the vibrator will fail in very short order.
Antique Electronic Supply in Tempe, AZ sells a solid-state plug-in replacement for the old electromechanical vibrators, and the replacement units have none of these problems. Just make sure that you order the correct replacement for your Volumatic radio. The only difference you will notice with the solid-state vibrator is there is a complete lack of the low-level acoustic hum or buzzing sound that the electromechanical vibrator exhibits.
Bruce
_________________
Factory original 1957 Type 1 Deluxe Sedan, with 13,000 miles. I purchased her from the estate of the original owner in 1978. Color: L324 Polar Silver, with light beige leatherette interior, dealer-installed Dehne fuel gauge and Motorola Volumatic radio.
Last edited by Bruce Berman on Thu Jan 23, 2014 8:21 am; edited 1 time in total |
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AlanInMass54
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Joined: August 29, 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Massachusetts
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| Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 7:08 am Post subject: |
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| From the looks of it, the old vibrator just pulls right out? The one on my radio is being very stubborn and I don't want to break anything. |
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Bruce Berman
Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2004
Posts: 148
Location: Long Island, NY, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 8:20 am Post subject: |
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| AlanInMass54 wrote: |
| From the looks of it, the old vibrator just pulls right out? The one on my radio is being very stubborn and I don't want to break anything. |
Yes, the vibrator in the Motorola Volumatic series plugs directly into a 4-pin socket on the top of the chassis. As I recall, there are four spring clips that secure the vibrator in place, and you may have to exert a good amount of force to free the vibrator from these clips.
Bruce
_________________
Factory original 1957 Type 1 Deluxe Sedan, with 13,000 miles. I purchased her from the estate of the original owner in 1978. Color: L324 Polar Silver, with light beige leatherette interior, dealer-installed Dehne fuel gauge and Motorola Volumatic radio. |
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Rome
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2004
Posts: 9656
Location: Pearl River, NY
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| Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 3:28 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| The Germans call it a zerhacker |
Great word- means "chopper" like a Japanese chef at the hibachi table with the lightning-quick hands, or Arnold with two meat cleavers- "Ich bin der Zerhacker!".  I mentioned "zerhacker" to a German colleague in the auto audio business and he said it makes sense, since the component, like Bruce mentioned before, "chops up" the direct current voltage.
Pronouced "tsair- HOCK-er".
Thanks for the clarifications. |
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Bruce Berman
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Joined: April 13, 2004
Posts: 148
Location: Long Island, NY, USA
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| Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 8:21 am Post subject: |
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| AlanInMass54 wrote: |
| From the looks of it, the old vibrator just pulls right out? The one on my radio is being very stubborn and I don't want to break anything. |
Alan, the vibrator will pull out of the chassis much more easily if you remove the top cover from the radio. This gives you more area to grab and pull the vibrator free, and it also makes it easier to align the 4 pins at the base of the vibrator with the mating socket during installation.
Two of the pins at the base of the vibrator are of a larger O.D., to properly orient the vibrator within the socket; it can only plug into the socket one way.
Bruce
_________________
Factory original 1957 Type 1 Deluxe Sedan, with 13,000 miles. I purchased her from the estate of the original owner in 1978. Color: L324 Polar Silver, with light beige leatherette interior, dealer-installed Dehne fuel gauge and Motorola Volumatic radio. |
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AlanInMass54
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Massachusetts
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| Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 10:45 am Post subject: |
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| Bruce Berman wrote: |
| AlanInMass54 wrote: |
| From the looks of it, the old vibrator just pulls right out? The one on my radio is being very stubborn and I don't want to break anything. |
Alan, the vibrator will pull out of the chassis much more easily if you remove the top cover from the radio. This gives you more area to grab and pull the vibrator free, and it also makes it easier to align the 4 pins at the base of the vibrator with the mating socket during installation.
Two of the pins at the base of the vibrator are of a larger O.D., to properly orient the vibrator within the socket; it can only plug into the socket one way.
Bruce |
Thank you for the help, Bruce! I finally got it out, it did not go peacefully! The pins were a bit grungy but on the whole it seems OK. I will source an upgraded one. Plus this one has something rattling niside. Probably not in spec. The tuning shaft is of course slightly bent. Has anyone got a good trick to straighten it? I was thinking heat and putting it in a bench vise and gently tightening it little by little? Finally I was planning on installing my motometer panel in this car but would love a radio too. What would be a good alternative speaker location without it looking hoakey? Thanks for the help! |
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Bruce Berman
Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2004
Posts: 148
Location: Long Island, NY, USA
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| Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 11:22 am Post subject: |
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| AlanInMass54 wrote: |
| Bruce Berman wrote: |
| AlanInMass54 wrote: |
| From the looks of it, the old vibrator just pulls right out? The one on my radio is being very stubborn and I don't want to break anything. |
Alan, the vibrator will pull out of the chassis much more easily if you remove the top cover from the radio. This gives you more area to grab and pull the vibrator free, and it also makes it easier to align the 4 pins at the base of the vibrator with the mating socket during installation.
Two of the pins at the base of the vibrator are of a larger O.D., to properly orient the vibrator within the socket; it can only plug into the socket one way.
Bruce |
Thank you for the help, Bruce! I finally got it out, it did not go peacefully! The pins were a bit grungy but on the whole it seems OK. I will source an upgraded one. Plus this one has something rattling niside. Probably not in spec. The tuning shaft is of course slightly bent. Has anyone got a good trick to straighten it? I was thinking heat and putting it in a bench vise and gently tightening it little by little? Finally I was planning on installing my motometer panel in this car but would love a radio too. What would be a good alternative speaker location without it looking hoakey? Thanks for the help! |
Alan, I'm pleased to be of help!
The inside of the vibrator is packed in soft rubber foam to reduce the acoustic noise generated by the unit. After 50+ years, the foam deteriorates, and the vibrator mechanism is no longer held in place within the metal can, and will start to rattle inside of it. That does not mean the vibrator is necessarily bad, but why even use one of the old design electromechanical units when the trouble-free solid-state units are reasonably priced plug-and-play replacements?
The tuning shaft on the Volumatic is soft brass, and is easily bent. You could probably straighten it out by using common hand tools and taking your time. I have seen cases where the brass tuning shaft literally sheared in two if excessive force was applied to it. If you go too far when attempting to straighten it, you may break the shaft, and a NOS replacement is about as common as a NOS/NIB 25 HP engine......................probably close to being unobtainium.
_________________
Factory original 1957 Type 1 Deluxe Sedan, with 13,000 miles. I purchased her from the estate of the original owner in 1978. Color: L324 Polar Silver, with light beige leatherette interior, dealer-installed Dehne fuel gauge and Motorola Volumatic radio. |
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AlanInMass54
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Massachusetts
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| Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:33 am Post subject: |
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Bruce thanks again for the help! I was able to straighten the tuning shaft for my radio! Actually a guy I work with was. He just put it in a vise, put a socket over one end and just lightly nudged it a couple times and it straightened right out! Ordering the tuner cord now and trying to find one of these:
those are the little clamps that hold the glass dial piece in place - I'm missing one. Actually I'm looking for another glass also, mine's extremely worn. Cleaned up some of my chassis too! I borrowed a bunch of wooden Q-tip things from the first aid cabinet at work here (noone will probably need them) and used some brake cleaner! Thankyou again to Flyertim for this excellent informative topic! |
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Chick Iverson
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Joined: May 23, 2002
Posts: 732
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2014 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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...I just bought a '58 Canadian Standard with a Motorola Volumatic VWA8....never seen one before. Great job on explaining Motorolas!!!
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'59 Euro convertible--'56 type 2 double door panel w/Chick Iverson logo-....2 wrongs don't make a right, but 3 lefts do! |
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Wayne S. Johnson
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Joined: April 12, 2006
Posts: 1266
Location: GILROY, CA
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AlanInMass54
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Massachusetts
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| Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2014 12:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Wayne S. Johnson wrote: |
Motorola 5M-12 Radio 12 Volt. What year and model dash would the Face Plate fit. Any information would be helpful.
Thanks
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A guy down the road from me used to have a 1956 Ford Crown Victoria and it had a similar radio face plate style. Found this pic on google - looks like the same style? |
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Bruce Berman
Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2004
Posts: 148
Location: Long Island, NY, USA
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| Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:29 pm Post subject: |
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| AlanInMass54 wrote: |
| Wayne S. Johnson wrote: |
Motorola 5M-12 Radio 12 Volt. What year and model dash would the Face Plate fit. Any information would be helpful.
Thanks
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A guy down the road from me used to have a 1956 Ford Crown Victoria and it had a similar radio face plate style. Found this pic on google - looks like the same style? |
Alan, the radio in the 1956 Ford Crown Vicky picture you posted would most likely be a Philco radio; Philco-Ford was the supplier of car radios to FoMoCo for many years.
To the best of my knowledge, Motorola sold auto radios in the 1950s and the 1960s only as an after-market/dealer-installed product, and largely to the so-called foreign car market in the US and Canada. They made installation kits so their radios would fit within various US-made cars as well, but these were never popular; such a radio and installation kit would be sold for installation in a car that was ordered from the factory without a radio, with the radio typically being installed at some time after the sale of the vehicle.
Delco was the car radio supplier to GM; Philco to Ford, and I can't recall who was the OEM radio supplier to Chrysler. Back then, for US-built cars at least, the radio was installed at the factory. Compared to Europe, there was no LW radio broadcast band in the US, and FM radios didn't even appear in US-built cars until around 1963 or so. As such, for a truly global-market vehicle such as the VW, and depending upon the country where the vehicle was exported to and the radio broadcast frequency bands available there, would determine what type (AM-only, AM-LW, AM-LW-SW, AM-FM, etc.) and brand of radio the dealer would install.
For example, as LW broadcasting (below 540 Khz) was never used in the US and Canada, there was no market here for the Telefunken or Loewe radio sets that did cover this and the other radio bands that were popular in Europe at that time. Motorola AM-band only Volumatic-series radios with the VW installation kit fit the bill nicely for the oval-era cars, but the Volumatic (or any other brand radio in the oval-era) was never endorsed by VWoA for use in these cars; the dealer made the choice to carry the Motorola Volumatic radio line. In the early 60's, Bendix (Sapphire) became the official brand of AM or AM-FM radio of VWoA for dealer installation in new VW vehicles, and that was pretty much the only radio brand the US dealers were permitted to sell.
The all-transistor Bendix Sapphire radios were of excellent quality, much better in all respects than the vacuum tube Motorola Volumatic sets.
Bruce
_________________
Factory original 1957 Type 1 Deluxe Sedan, with 13,000 miles. I purchased her from the estate of the original owner in 1978. Color: L324 Polar Silver, with light beige leatherette interior, dealer-installed Dehne fuel gauge and Motorola Volumatic radio. |
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My57Oval
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Joined: March 10, 2005
Posts: 624
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| Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 3:02 pm Post subject: |
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Mr. Wilkes is still around, FYI. I just spoke with him. He will do the occasional repair, as long as it hasn't been messed with by other shops trying to fix it (and messing it up).
He has PO box now, but the phone # is still the same.
- R |
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My57Oval
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Joined: March 10, 2005
Posts: 624
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| Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 11:36 am Post subject: Re: Oval Era Motorola Radios |
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Hi. I will post these in the classifieds, but wanted to give a heads up on this post since these are applicable to the post.
My sister, a metal smith in CA made these up for me. They are made out of silver. They have a thin plastic film to protect from tarnish. Peel the film off, polish, and apply a light coat of clear nail polish. Better that new! Fit perfect.
$10/pair
Rob |
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mr matt
Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2005
Posts: 819
Location: southeast Pa
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2022 3:15 pm Post subject: Re: Oval Era Motorola Radios |
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Fantastic thread!!
I have been looking all over for a baking plate for my Motorola,
I am betting this is unlikely, ...but is it possible for someone to give me the dimensions so I could possibly have one made? - (thinking if anyone has one, it is in their vehicle  )
Much appreciated!
_________________
1955 3-fold semaphore Oval beetle
1971 Convertible beetle
1977 Westfalia, FI, Berlin interior |
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Bub
Samba Member
Joined: June 10, 2004
Posts: 1155
Location: Central Washington
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2022 8:18 am Post subject: Re: Oval Era Motorola Radios |
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| mr matt wrote: |
Fantastic thread!!
I have been looking all over for a baking plate for my Motorola,
I am betting this is unlikely, ...but is it possible for someone to give me the dimensions so I could possibly have one made? - (thinking if anyone has one, it is in their vehicle )
Much appreciated! |
Are you looking for one of these?
My car came with one, but I have a tacho installed. I assume I still have it in a box if you could use it.
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| hitest wrote: |
| Had a girlfriend once who shall we say, nearly arrived at the mere sight of a semaphore in action- easy to please she was... |
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mr matt
Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2005
Posts: 819
Location: southeast Pa
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2022 4:03 pm Post subject: Re: Oval Era Motorola Radios |
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Yes, thank you very much, would be great!
Will PM you
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1955 3-fold semaphore Oval beetle
1971 Convertible beetle
1977 Westfalia, FI, Berlin interior |
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