Ground Straps

[sixt9x33rs]

My 69 Z/28 has an AM Radio and the firewall has no holes penetrated for the ground strap screws. I did find the original lower ground straps that attached to the subframe. Do you guys think that this was just over looked or did not all cars have ground straps when an am radio was ordered?

I dont think I am going to put ground straps on since they were not installed when new. The car came with a radio from the factory best I can tell.

Thanks,

[Jerry@CHP]

Your car was a factory radio delete car. 

Having lived the era, many of us who worked at dealerships know the tricks of the trade back then.  In many cases, when cars were ordered new, the dealer would write up a U63 radio but order the car without a radio.  When the car came in, dealers would install a lesser grade direct fit AM radio to make more money on the sale of the car.  This happened a lot.  When I worked at Miller Chevrolet, we had boxes of look a like radios in the parts dept that were to be installed in new cars.

Jerry

[sixt9x33rs]

That is wild. My radio looks like a factory radio. Has all the stickers etc that make it look like a factory delco radio. I will post some pics. Not disputing the fact.
My car is a RS Z/28 with an endura bumper, pedal trim, full gauges, standard interior. Does not seem like they would have ordered it without a radio. But like you said a way to make a few extra bucks.

Your car was a factory radio delete car. 

Having lived the era, many of us who worked at dealerships know the tricks of the trade back then.  In many cases, when cars were ordered new, the dealer would write up a U63 radio but order the car without a radio.  When the car came in, dealers would install a lesser grade direct fit AM radio to make more money on the sale of the car.  This happened a lot.  When I worked at Miller Chevrolet, we had boxes of look a like radios in the parts dept that were to be installed in new cars.

Jerry

[Jerry@CHP]

Dealers bought jipper radios back then which cost 10 cents on the dollar compaired to a factory Delco GM radio.  Anyone who worked at a dealer in the 1960's will tell you the same story.

Jerry 

[Jrschev]

I can't tell you how many of these jipper radios I've found in old Chevy dealers while parts hunting. They all did it. They used to do it for quite a few things and not just radios. Jerry is correct about this as I've seen many Chevrolet cars with those lesser radios. At a quick glance you can't tell the difference but they don't have the Delco on the dial face and the tuner assembly was of far less quality than a Delco tuner. You can also tell by the antenna. They were cheap antennas they purchased to install with the radio. I'll also say the new car prep mechanics back then were not concerned with proper wire routing etc. They slammed them out to get them done fast as they were on a flat rate pay schedule and new car prep was a great place to make flat rate hours.

[sixt9x33rs]

Oh I believe you. I just find it interesting.

Dealers bought jipper radios back then which cost 10 cents on the dollar compaired to a factory Delco GM radio.  Anyone who worked at a dealer in the 1960's will tell you the same story.

Jerry 

[BillG]

That brings up a question.  My z11 has the radio delete plug still in the door hinge area.  It also has a rear antenna, although the antenna is a bit higher up on the quarter panel to allow the trunk to open with the spoiler. It has a Delco radio that looks factory.   Does this sound like a dealer added item as well?  I have just left it the way it was.

[rat pack]

Bill, it would have to be dealer installed as a rear antenna was not available with any Camaro with factory installed spoilers. Since the D80 option was standard equipment on the Z11 then your car came without a radio originally................RatPack..................

Another note was that a lot of dealers installed Motorola radios as they were the most common "cheaper" brand. The local dealer had about 15-20 for all years of 1st gen Camaro's as left over inventory when they moved to their new location in late 1985. Wish I had gotten all of them......................

[ddmrk]

rat pack is right about the motorola radio, my car was ordered with a deluxe interior an radio delete  and dealer installed a motorola AM radio

[sixt9x33rs]

What type of radio is this?

[sixt9x33rs]

For background info this is the radio that came out of my car. My car has no ground strap piercings on the firewall but does have a ground strap on the subframe to the body. My car could have been ordered as a radio delete. I am trying to figure out if in fact this is a "jipper" radio as discussed earlier in this thread. Looks like an original Delco radio to me but I dont know an original from a "jipper". Can someone else tell me?

Sorry for the double post.

[JohnZ]

I am trying to figure out if in fact this is a "jipper" radio as discussed earlier in this thread. Looks like an original Delco radio to me but I dont know an original from a "jipper". Can someone else tell me?

That's not a "jipper" - it's an original '69 Camaro AM pushbutton radio.

[JohnZ]

rat pack is right about the motorola radio, my car was ordered with a deluxe interior an radio delete 

Actually, there was no such thing as "radio delete"; the radio wasn't standard equipment, so it couldn't be "deleted". The car was simply ordered without specifying the optional radio.

[sixt9x33rs]

John
Any idea why my car would not have the ground strap piercings on the firewall but have the ground strap on the subframe/body?

rat pack is right about the motorola radio, my car was ordered with a deluxe interior an radio delete 

Actually, there was no such thing as "radio delete"; the radio wasn't standard equipment, so it couldn't be "deleted". The car was simply ordered without specifying the optional radio.

[69Z28-RS]

Back around that time frame (unsure whether it was possible in '69 or not), people ordered a 'radio package' without the radio...  ie.  The car would be delivered with antennae, wiring, speakers.. . but without the radio.   This was for the large amount of people who wanted to add in their own aftermarket radios (which were much better than the available factory radios)...   but perhaps this didn't occur until sometime in the '70's...   was such a 'radio kit' package available in '69 from GM?