When I built in a new radio under the dash I kept the disconnected old school radio in the dashboard. According to the invoice it was installed in Brisbane in January 1971. It isn't working anymore but it's still a really cool piece of art.
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| Invoice 1971 National Car Radio |
Just out of curiosity I opened the radio to check the inside.
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| Inside the old National Car Radio |
Aha, a 9 mm bulb holder with a 4W clear bulb in it ,that's an easy fix. I replaced the clear bulb with a green one and disconnected the + lead from the pot-meter.
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| Disconnection the power lead |
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| Testing the rewired car radio light |
Before I closed the radio I tested the bulb, all good. The light is now connected to the light switch in the Volvo.
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| Broken old school radio now in use as an extra dashboard light |
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| Close up |
I also wanted to replace the smaller 7 mm bulb in the tacho for a green one but still couldn'f find one. So I took a pemanent marker and coloured the bulb, not perfect but it looks better than the clear version.
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| Removing the bulb holder from the Smiths tacho |
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| 9 mm 4W standard - and 7 mm 2W tacho bulb |
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| "painted" tacho lightbulb |
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| Smiths tacho with green back light |
Even the clear shelf light wasn't safe and replaced by a green version.
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| Green shelf light Volvo 122S |
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| Dashboard lights Volvo Amazon |
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| OK, one more |
Fantastic job and fantastic photos and instructions ! David B, longtime 122s owner, Buffalo, NY US
ReplyDeleteThanks David.
ReplyDeleteHi David, if you ever decide to part with the old national radio please let me know. I'd like it for my old Mazda. (you'll notice yours has a little mazda "m" logo next to the "16" on the glass front. Thanks, Steve.
ReplyDeleteHi there
ReplyDeleteI maybe missed it but did you mean the white light of the parcel shelf could be distracting in white and that is why you wanted to follow the green theme, or was there another reason? I will come back to a question I have elsewhere in your blog. Best wishes Jamie