Radio delete

[BillG]

My 03B Pace car came from the factory with no radio.  When I bought it it had an 1972 AM/FM radio in it.  The previous owner also placed a rear antenna which we know is not possible with D80.  Born with drive train, but no docs.   My question is would you return it to radio delete, leave it as is , or put an original radio in it?  I listen to radio sometimes, but it's not a big deal to me.  just wondering what you think.

[BULLITT65]

Hey Bill,

I assume you are planning to keep and enjoy the car. So if your plan is to restore it to original, the answer would be to remove the rear antenna and run radio delete plate. The key here is how you the owner is going to enjoy the car. If you want the radio to enjoy it maybe cheat a little bit and install a stealth one in the glove box and hide an antenna?
Just a side note I have a standard AM radio car, and debated on installing a AM/FM, and went so far to purchase am original 69 blue light radio to pull it off with a stock look.
Now for my enjoyment of my car I weighed the pros and cons, which was easy, I listen to the harmonious sounds coming from the engine when I drive. So that combined with how sub par the radio stations are in northern indiana made the choice easy for me.

Hope this helps.

[Kelley W King]

If you have no docs and you drive it why go to the trouble?

[69pace]

I agree with Kelly, if it were a show car and you had the documentation, then removing it and going delete would be the logical choice but on a non papers daily driver, you need a radio

[bcmiller]

I think it is fine to leave a radio in it.

Now technically, I believe radios in First Gen Camaros are optional (even though most got one) so really there is no such thing as "radio delete". That is a term we may occasionally hear and I even have to correct myself sometimes on that.

Just saying...

[JohnZ]

I think it is fine to leave a radio in it.

Now technically, I believe radios in First Gen Camaros are optional (even though most got one) so really there is no such thing as "radio delete". That is a term we may occasionally hear and I even have to correct myself sometimes on that.

Just saying...

In the Corvette world, where radios were also always optional, we wrestle with the same terminology issue - we call them "no radio cars", but the less knowledgeable folks still call them "radio delete".

[BULLITT65]

Well back in the day would a customer have had to purposely not checked the box for radio, for it not to come with one? I assume dealers and the factory always put one in?
Seems like 99% of all makes and models had them

[Kelley W King]

Tunes were popular in the 60,s. I remember buying an eight track player for my 61 impala in 69 and putting one in everything I bought after that. AM radio option was also cheap.

[X33RS]

I think it is fine to leave a radio in it.

Now technically, I believe radios in First Gen Camaros are optional (even though most got one) so really there is no such thing as "radio delete". That is a term we may occasionally hear and I even have to correct myself sometimes on that.

Just saying...

In the Corvette world, where radios were also always optional, we wrestle with the same terminology issue - we call them "no radio cars", but the less knowledgeable folks still call them "radio delete".

Yeah, but "radio delete" has a much better ring to it

[bcmiller]

Well back in the day would a customer have had to purposely not checked the box for radio, for it not to come with one? I assume dealers and the factory always put one in?
Seems like 99% of all makes and models had them

Answer to first question - On that, I am not sure.  I think they would have had to check an option box for which radio they wanted.  If not checked, they did not get it.

Answer to second question - Not completely sure on this one either, but there was no factory requirement for a radio.  It probably made sense for dealers to install one but it was not a requirement.  I suppose if the customer knew they wanted a specific radio, and it was not available from the factory, the dealer could install what they wanted.

[BillG]

I've heard antidotal stories about dealers ordering cars "without radio"  and then installing less expensive ones from their parts dept.  The rear antenna always bugged me until I was reading in a post here somewhere about block out plugs in the door jambs of without radio cars, and when I checked, there was the block out plug which is really just the rubber grommet with a solid center.  Thanks for the replies, I guess without docs it would be ok to keep the radio and put in a front antenna, I'd rather have it, but I'm sort of a purist.

[69pace]

In the late sixties and early seventies our big dealership here in Hartford - Grody Chevrolet - partnered with a couple local shops to custom install higher end radios and tape systems then were not available from the factory including the first generation of expensive cassette players in 1970. The base radios that were removed from a host of Impalas, Caprice, Estate wagons, Chevelle, Camaro & some vettes then were repackaged and sold over counter,  used by sales to spruce up and sweeten baseline rides, or used as parts. I'm sure this practice was not unique to Grody.