01-05-2025, 11:10 PM
Hi Oldie,
First off, I am a horrible woodworker, basically because I have no interest in it, so I will never criticize anyone's woodwork. Yes, the brick being inside the radio will raise issues. However, having it outside and far enough away should solve the issue. Current green energy rules have all but eliminated transformer powered analog "wall wart" power supplies. The car radio is likely rated at 13.8V, the nominal output of the 12V car electrical system. In fact, it is not uncommon for alternator output on some cars to reach 14.5 - 15V on all but the newest cars.
Secondly, the Phorum is not just for Philco radios, there is a whole section for non-Philco radios. From the Phorum Main page, scroll down to "Various and Sundry Categories, and you will see the Phorum page for non-Philco radios. Many of us would enjoy reading about your Buick radio conversion project, particularly if you convert the power supply instead of building a 6V supply.
Thirdly, your "build a car radio into a console" is a useful project. Not only did people do this throughout time (now they call this "upcycling"), in fact, in 1942, when the government curtailed both car and radio production due to WWII, Philco built 2 consoles that used left over Philco car radios. Their only mod to the car radio was to replace the vibrator power supply with transformer powered 6.3VAC / 250VDC Supplies. The radios are the A381 (conversion of a basic Ford F1942 car radio) and the A801 (conversion of a Chrysler C1908car radio). Both of the car radios were manufactured by Philco. Pix and Schematics are below:
They used to dump old cars into our town landfill in the 1960s and 70s. My friends and I used to scrounge for electronic devices. This is how I learned electronics, got my first TV, first Color TV and many radios, some of which I still have. I ran car radios from 6V cars off of old TV power transformers without the aid of a rectifier. They ran just fine off of AC.
Your 49 Buick Sonomatic radio may sound just fine, especially if it has a push-pull output. You can either run it off 6VAC from an old TV power transformer (this radio likely draws at least 8A at 6V or more if the speaker is electrodynamic as opposed to PM dynamic) or sub the vibrator and car radio transformer with a later model power transformer form a table or console radio that did not use an electrodynamic speaker. If the speaker is internal to the radio, you may want to remove it and place against a grille, depending on how big the cabinet is and the layout of the radio
First off, I am a horrible woodworker, basically because I have no interest in it, so I will never criticize anyone's woodwork. Yes, the brick being inside the radio will raise issues. However, having it outside and far enough away should solve the issue. Current green energy rules have all but eliminated transformer powered analog "wall wart" power supplies. The car radio is likely rated at 13.8V, the nominal output of the 12V car electrical system. In fact, it is not uncommon for alternator output on some cars to reach 14.5 - 15V on all but the newest cars.
Secondly, the Phorum is not just for Philco radios, there is a whole section for non-Philco radios. From the Phorum Main page, scroll down to "Various and Sundry Categories, and you will see the Phorum page for non-Philco radios. Many of us would enjoy reading about your Buick radio conversion project, particularly if you convert the power supply instead of building a 6V supply.
Thirdly, your "build a car radio into a console" is a useful project. Not only did people do this throughout time (now they call this "upcycling"), in fact, in 1942, when the government curtailed both car and radio production due to WWII, Philco built 2 consoles that used left over Philco car radios. Their only mod to the car radio was to replace the vibrator power supply with transformer powered 6.3VAC / 250VDC Supplies. The radios are the A381 (conversion of a basic Ford F1942 car radio) and the A801 (conversion of a Chrysler C1908car radio). Both of the car radios were manufactured by Philco. Pix and Schematics are below:
They used to dump old cars into our town landfill in the 1960s and 70s. My friends and I used to scrounge for electronic devices. This is how I learned electronics, got my first TV, first Color TV and many radios, some of which I still have. I ran car radios from 6V cars off of old TV power transformers without the aid of a rectifier. They ran just fine off of AC.
Your 49 Buick Sonomatic radio may sound just fine, especially if it has a push-pull output. You can either run it off 6VAC from an old TV power transformer (this radio likely draws at least 8A at 6V or more if the speaker is electrodynamic as opposed to PM dynamic) or sub the vibrator and car radio transformer with a later model power transformer form a table or console radio that did not use an electrodynamic speaker. If the speaker is internal to the radio, you may want to remove it and place against a grille, depending on how big the cabinet is and the layout of the radio
"Do Justly, love Mercy and walk humbly with your God"- Micah 6:8
"Let us begin to do good"- St. Francis
Best Regards,
MrFixr55
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