What type of radio should I buy?

[Billholtzman]

Hi all,
I will begin to drive my 78' Spider soon and would like to put a radio in it. I have seen the retrosound units which appear to be pretty pricey and was wondering what other people have used. I would not like to modify the radio console but I will if I have to.
Thanks,
Bill

[spidernut]

Any Single DIN mount unit will fit. I have a Panasonic head unit in my 79 and had a Sony in my 80. There are two small sections in the openings, one at the top and one at the bottom, that need to be filed back just slightly. It does not affect installing a stock radio into the console. I had one and used it in one of the consoles after the slight modification. It still fit perfectly with no issues.

The retrosound ones are single DIN units.

[scrapironchef]

I put a mechless JVC unit in mine, it's not like I'm going to carry CDs around with me. Most of my music is on my phone anyway. Single DIN units fit fine.

[aj81spider]

If you give up on the CD player you can get one that is half as deep. I originally had a CD player and the deep unit made the center console very difficult to install as it pushed against the wiring behind it. I replaced it with a shallow version that makes center console installation much easier.

[Eastportspider]

Resurrecting this thread looking for an update. I have a 1982 Spider with the original 8-Track player installed by the dealer. I'm looking to replace with a modern unit that will handle BT and USB to charge/use iPhone content and navigation. I've looked at Crutchfield and RetroSound for options. Crutchfield offers an affordable range of Kenwood/Pioneer/Sony/JVC devices, and I went this route on my 1993 Alfa Spider.

Retrosound offers a more tailored unit for the single DIN Fiat configuration--but at a premium price. The digital unit looks good, and I'm leaning this way for the Fiat. The model I'm considering is the "Hermosa" https://www.retromanufacturing.com/prod ... 1734180035

Welcome any advice/reports on recent replacements with either modern or "retro" units.

Thanks,

Steve

[aj81spider]

I put a modern half depth unit in mine. It's no longer available on Amazon so I can't point you to it. However I powered it up to test it and then have not used it since.

If I had it to do over again I would use the space for something else and skip the stereo altogether. For me, a radio/music source in the Fiat turns out to be completely pointless. With the top down you can't hear that well anyway, and I enjoy the drive without music.

Not sure that's the advice/recommendation you're looking for! Perhaps start with a very cheap unit and see how much you actually use it before spending a lot.

[ORFORD2004]

$309.99 is way too much for that radio when you can have one for $100-$120 at walmart.com. Usb, bluetooth, sirius ready.

[Special]

Best looking radio for under $20

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Car-Stero-FM-r ... SwFMRdiwXi

[DieselSpider]

Walk into you local Walmart and you'll find Single Din with Blue Tooth, USB, etc, etc starting at $14.99. Not an Audiophiles High End Unit but good for a open car where a really nice unit would be much more tempting to steal. They also have several other options from $19.97 to around $60.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dual-Electro ... /223451013

[TheBender]

Resurrecting this thread looking for an update. I have a 1982 Spider with the original 8-Track player installed by the dealer. I'm looking to replace with a modern unit that will handle BT and USB to charge/use iPhone content and navigation. I've looked at Crutchfield and RetroSound for options. Crutchfield offers an affordable range of Kenwood/Pioneer/Sony/JVC devices, and I went this route on my 1993 Alfa Spider.

Retrosound offers a more tailored unit for the single DIN Fiat configuration--but at a premium price. The digital unit looks good, and I'm leaning this way for the Fiat. The model I'm considering is the "Hermosa" https://www.retromanufacturing.com/prod ... 1734180035

Welcome any advice/reports on recent replacements with either modern or "retro" units.

Thanks,

Steve

I bit the bullet and paid the price for the retro sound hermosa. Install, fit, programming all went smoothly and it’s been a good radio for me. I just wanted a Bluetooth head unit that wasn’t modern looking. I don’t use it often, but the hands free phone call works too, depending on speed and engine revs of course haha.

[SteinOnkel]

Good call. I think nothing ruins the interior of a classic faster than a cheap, modern deck.

If you're good with a soldering iron and electronics, it is possible to retrofit bluetooth to a classic radio. 8-track, cassette, just am, doesn't matter. Just gotta splice the dongle into the right circuit and feed it 1.5v supply voltage.

Only thing I don't like about the Hermosas are the RCA outputs. This junk has no business being in an automotive environment.

[Eastportspider]

TheBender: I think I'm leaning that way. Can you post a photo of how the Hermosa unit looks in your spider?
Thanks,
Steve

[tonym]

Best looking radio for under $20

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Car-Stero-FM-r ... SwFMRdiwXi

After my $85 JVC completely crapped out, I bought this one and it works fine AND more importantly, goes with the style of the car.

[SteinOnkel]

dunno about that thing.

We had a cheapo in our school bus. It has a bluetooth range of...oh...let's be generous and call it 3 feet. There's no shielding at all, so everything sounds goofy. And after about 6 months it just quit altogether.

Some of these cheapo bluetooth devices have better and more connectivity than the oem solutions on new cars though. Like my 2014 Focus...ugh...every other time you cycle the ignition it loses connection. I know I sound like a white girl at Starbuck's complaining about this, but it always makes me wonder if the people who design cars nowadays don't have smartphones and therefore are completely oblivious to how bad some of these systems are.

I'm putting a period correct 8-track into the Fiat.

[TheBender]

TheBender: I think I'm leaning that way. Can you post a photo of how the Hermosa unit looks in your spider?
Thanks,
Steve

Sorry, this is all I have with me, I'll take a better picture when I'm back home after vacation.