Blaupunkt (early) radio questions

Reg · 01-12-2002, 04:18 PM

Hi all.

I removed my radio from the car today , and upon its removal I learned that it is not a frankfurt as I had thought, but a NewYorker(s)

I think the (s) means stereo, and its also an am/fm/sw model. It also has a secondary unit attached under it at the rear.. I guess an amplifier?

Can anyone tell me if this was the original radio?

The unit still sort of works (low volume and vague tuning), and I am trying to figure out wether to restore it or use that money to buy a new radio.

Thanks!

pwd72s · 01-12-2002, 04:33 PM

Brett Johnson's book says the following Blaupunkts were installed in 1970:
Hamburg, AM/LW
Boston AM (USA band)
Frankfurt (AM/FM/LW/SW)
Frankfurt-US (AM/FM)
Koln (AM/FM/LW signal seeking)
New Yorker (AM/FM/SW signal seeking, USA Band)

There were also Becker and Phillips radios. None are listed as stereo until 1973.

andyjboy · 01-12-2002, 04:36 PM

Reg, one of the factory-fitted radio models in 1970 was an am/fm/sw Blaupunkt New Yorker - I think you'll find that the 's' refers to the fact that it was 'signal-seeking'.

Andy Boyle(UK)
'69 911E

pwd72s · 01-12-2002, 04:40 PM

Reg, I should have added that it seems you have the "top of the line" radio for it's time. I wouldn't toss it...whether or not you decide to restore it.

Reg · 01-12-2002, 05:11 PM

thanks all.

It powers up and plays music, but when we were fooling around with it on the bench, we had it smoking.... only for a minute, and we stopped.

I hope we didnt wreck it any further... I think we had the wires crossed with the 12volt terminals. It still lit up after that , but only has faint sound coming from it.

pwd72s · 01-12-2002, 06:14 PM

Reg, there is an ad in the Mercedes Benz club (USA) magazine. It's placed by a USA distributor of a German Radio Manufacturer. NOT Blaupunkt. But they do advertise that they can repair other German Radios. Also, there is another independent repair guy who advertises in the same magazine. E-mail me if you're interested. Best, Paul

T Bird · 01-13-2002, 06:04 AM

This site may shed some light on your question about radios in the early cars.

http://www.nosubstitute.org/911/radio/default.asp

Reg · 01-13-2002, 06:58 AM

Thanks John.. thats great info!

Paul, I have a local guy down the road who works on antique radios (tube type). He said he would have a look and if he couldnt figure it out, there would be no charge and has a contact who works on transistor type radios not too far away.

Sending anything from Canada to the USA to get fixes is big bucks for us Canucks. Thanks for the info though, as I still may inquire about that if I get stuck.

I saw a couple frankfurt models not even working on ebay for 100 with bids!

pwd72s · 01-13-2002, 09:26 AM

Thanks T-bird. This is funny..I clicked on the site you provided, went to the '72 models, the Frankfurt Am/Fm..and that's MY RADIO! I don't mean a radio like mine, that's MY RADIO, my car's dash! THe dial set to my favorite oldies station. I wonder where they got the pic?

Reg · 01-14-2002, 03:05 PM

I just snapped up a Frankfurt today off ebay for a SONG!
Hopefully it will play a song for me.

Where were all you guys?

So, I am going to bolt that in and archive my NewYorker (s) for now.

campbellcj · 01-14-2002, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pwd72s
Thanks T-bird. This is funny..I clicked on the site you provided, went to the '72 models, the Frankfurt Am/Fm..and that's MY RADIO! I don't mean a radio like mine, that's MY RADIO, my car's dash! THe dial set to my favorite oldies station. I wonder where they got the pic?

That's my site...and IIRC you sent me the pic a year or two ago! (Hopefully I didn't lift it without asking

Sorry if I did!.) Would be glad to put a credit/byline next to it, or remove it, your choose...

BTW if anybody else has cool old German radio info/links/pics or whatever, I am vaguely interested in the topic. I also have a nice extra Blaupunkt Frankfurt-US AM/FM and a Becker Grand Prix (both 70-ish vintage) if anybody needs one.

pwd72s · 01-14-2002, 03:35 PM

No problem, Chris. Thanks for refreshing my fading memory. A compliment to my car to have it there. Just that it was a surprise...a "hey, that looks familiar" thing...

FA-18C · 01-14-2002, 04:04 PM

Ahem, this is me over here raising and waving my arms wildly, I have been looking for a radio for my 70E. I have a three year old blaupunkt and lets face it, sound isn't ever going to be a selling point in this car with as noisy as it is, so I now want stock. so I am definitely interested, just looking for presentable, will get it repaired locally.

campbellcj · 01-14-2002, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FA-18C
Ahem, this is me over here raising and waving my arms wildly, I have been looking for a radio for my 70E. I have a three year old blaupunkt and lets face it, sound isn't ever going to be a selling point in this car with as noisy as it is, so I now want stock. so I am definitely interested, just looking for presentable, will get it repaired locally.

Chris - I'm with you. I had a modest ($1000?) stereo in my 70 E for several years. Ended up ripping it all out, having the panels where the speakers lived all redone to stock, and putting in a correct 1970 Frankfurt-US and mono dash top speaker.

It works, but I barely ever turn it on anyway

The Blaupunkts and Beckers turn up on ebay pretty often. Sometimes the prices go too high, but if you are patient & lucky you can get them in the $100-or-less range.

I think I do have a spare working Frankfurt, and a new Blaupunkt coax speaker that will fit the dash opening, if you are interested - email me offlist.