Record Players For Cars Seemed Like A Good Idea In 1956

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...inment-systems-of-the-1950s-and-60s/index.htm

That article is not entirely accurate. Chrysler offered the Highway Hi-Fi for the better portion of 5 years starting in model year '56 and still available (though not promoted) thru model year 1961. Also, while factory-installed 8 track players were available on Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge models in 1968, dealer-offered "MoPar" floor-mounted 8-track players were available as early as spring of 1967. Other than that, pretty cool little article. Though I'm sure I've seen advertisements from '62 and '63 for the RCA Victrola.... unless those were just leftovers they were trying to blow out.

i have seen a factory 8 track in a 1967 AMC Ambassador and I have factory ones for a 67 Pontiac (as well as a 1969 Chevy Pickup) so they did come out earlier than 68. I believe Ford offered them before any other make but they may have been 4 tracks.

ken the canuck

Ford was the first to offer an underdash player (basically an aftermarket unit, but relabeled as a Ford) in 1966. These were bought from an outside manufacturer but offered at both the factory and dealer levels.

Chrysler and AMC shared the aftermarket Borg-Warner unit, again relabeled as "Genuine" Chrysler or AMC parts.

GM offered their own '67 thru '69 - the "Four Knob Job" was used in all brands under the GM umbrella. Starting in '70 came the "Two Knob Job" in Camaros, Firebirds but in-dash GM units started to appear as well starting with Cadillac and moving down the line. Eventually, the Two-Knobber went away to be replaced by the in-dash AM/FM/tape.

As we all know, only Ford jumped on the Quad wagon - but I have a sneaking suspicion AMC was thinking about jumping on as well. By 1974, every AMC from the Gremlin to the Ambassador could be had with a four-speaker stereo. Also, starting in 1974 with the Matador coupe was a new style radio with a rectangle face that looks eerily similar to the Ford Quadrasonic deck. But I think by the time they were all ready for it, Quad was already on the ropes.

Photo gallery:
Chrysler:



Note that the records play at 16 2/3 RPM. In effect, they become a "proprietary" speed. The only turntable we ever owned that did 16 2/3 was a Grundig.

RCA:


Philips, with owners' manual:


Norelco (name Philips marketed under in the US):


Monkey Wards:


From the mid-late 60's, ARC aftermarket changer:


And, of course, the coolest car record player, the Lirpa VDRS (Vehicular Disc Reproduction System):

Highway Hi-Fi Box set from Columbia:


Contents:
CR4 - Romantic Moods (Side 1) & Quiet Jazz (Side 2)
CR5 - Music of Cole Porter (Side 1) & Music of Victor Herbert (Side 2)
JR3 - Walt Disney's Davy Crockett (Side 1) & Champion (Side 2)
MR1 - Tchaikovsky's Symphony #6 in B Minor (Side 1) & Borodin: Polovtsian Dances (Side 2)
MR2 - The Pajama Game (Sides 1&2)
MR6 - Paul Gregory Presents (Side 1) & Don Juan in Hell (Side 2)

Plymouth ad:


RCA ad:


Lawrence Welk w/Highway Hi-fi "...and now the great Duke Ellington song, 'Take a Train,' as sung by the Lennon Sisters":


Highway Hi-fi in '58 DeSoto:


"...and, when you visit your DeSoto dealer, tell 'em Groucho sent you." - George Fenneman



Desoto ad from "You Bet Your Life:" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8QbjpUoX40

I wonder what happens if you put the Lirpa mobile on the record in the other direction? Will a scratch make it do a left turn or a "U-ey"? The Highway Hi-Fi discs were proprietary because they used a different size tip to play, 1/10 of a mono LP stylus. This was also true of Seeburg 9 inch 16 2/3 rpm discs for Muzak systems.

Q-Eight said:

- but I have a sneaking suspicion AMC was thinking about jumping on as well. By 1974, every AMC from the Gremlin to the Ambassador could be had with a four-speaker stereo. Also, starting in 1974 with the Matador coupe was a new style radio with a rectangle face that looks eerily similar to the Ford Quadrasonic deck. But I think by the time they were all ready for it, Quad was already on the ropes.

Click to expand...

I had a 1974 AMC Matador that I had the dealer wire for Dynaquad.

Not to be outdone, '59 Cadillac had an in-dash TV as an option:


1959 Cadillac in front of Monkey Wards' Tire Center:


1959 Delco "Transportable" for Oldsmobile, IT's a portable, NO, IT's a car radio. It's BOTH!:


1953 Lincoln Capri George Barris customized "Golden Sahara" w/TV, a cool $25,000 back then:

RCA Italiana was a quick adopter of the 8-track format; got some years ago a RCA printed catalog of carts and stores, it is not supposed to be the first and it dates at november 1967. Price of a cart was double of a LP.
No idea of what players could be present here in the sixties.

Quad Linda said:

....

And, of course, the coolest car record player, the Lirpa VDRS (Vehicular Disc Reproduction System):
View attachment 13754

Click to expand...

This is the one my dad went with in his 1957 Edsel. Played 12" records which was a big advantage over the others that just played "45"s.

my friends mom had a brand new 1958 Chevy convertible. cant recall if they had Impala's then but it had the spare tire on the back bumper and a 45 rpm record player under the glove box. i remember all it had was a slot, like a auto cd player has. it was soo cool but when you went over railroad tracks or potholes it skipped.

I guess these days you could use the audio technica sound burger...stereo headphone outputs into any amp play 45 and 33 and 12 inch provided you have the space

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcse8veYxVU

We sold those back in the day. Thanks, Christopher!