Custom Bluetooth Retro Radio

[Johannes]

Hello Guys,

I want to share my bluetooth radio project with you.
Last autumn I bought a 1978 Spider CS1 where the radio was not working. I noticed that i can´t receive UKW channels with it anyway. So I spent no time and money to repair a radio which i can´t receive anything with anyway.

So I decided to remove the electronics from inside and put a bluetooth amplifier in the housing, using the left radio knob as an ON-OFF switch.
The amplifier costs about 15$ and has two 50W speaker outputs and a remote included.
I soldered a cable to get the IR reveiver for the remote out of the housing, it will be placed somewhere in the floor room.
I also bought two speakers which will be mounted in the middle console. I used two speakers because i have not found an oval speaker like original and with the two speakers i also have stereo.
My friend printed a housing for the amplifier circuit board, because at first I wanted to install it somewhere behind the console.

I also needed a cover/speaker grill for the middle console, but it was too expensive for me to buy this part for 50$ or more, so I made one out of 2mm thick aluminium. I polished the frame and sanded the plate, then glued it together an painted it with clear paint.
On the back I glued a 1mm steel mesh (not at the picture yet).

Hope I can help someone with my ideas

[TheBender]

That's a really great update. I've interested to see how and where you mounted the speakers.

[joelittel]

That is really cool. Love what you did and interested in what you do with your speakers as well.

[Johannes]

The speakers will be mounted exactly where the original one would be, therefore I will make an aluminium adapter plate.
Parallel I am making a new wood dashboard out of rosewood. I will cut the dashboard and the aluminium plate with a lasercutter and I will post some pictures when I am done with it, I think i takes me two weeks

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Very nice! I have to say, it's been a long time since I heard someone mention "ultrakurzwelle" (UKW), though!

-Bryan

[Johannes]

Hello Spiderguys,

as promised I have the pictures from the speaker mounting for you.
It is an adapter plate out of a 3mm steelsheet with M4 threads for the speakers.
The speakers have not the best HiFi sound, but the original one would have not been better

I also have pictures from my new dash wood, in the last picture the wood is already coated with clear paint.

[joelittel]

Really nice job. Thanks for the great photos and explanations. Your work will surely inspire others.

[TheBender]

Thanks for the pictures and details. Really good ideas and it turned out great.

[Johannes]

I´m happy that you like it

The dash is finished now

[joelittel]

The dash is beautiful and I really like the white gauge faces.

I’ve been seeing more and more white gauge faces over the last few months. Is someone selling them or are they custom prints?

[RRoller123]

That is really nice, those white gauges really "pop" as the fashion people say.

[TheBender]

Looks great. You’ve added a few things to my to-do list.

[Johannes]

The white gauges are a light silver, like a brushed aluminium. They came with the car, I like them also but I want to change it for a km/h scale.
I found some sites where you can buy the black ones in mp/h and km/h, and they are way too expensive.

But I haven`t found where to buy the silver/white scales either, does anyone know where to get them?
I don´t know if they were already changed in the US or later in Europe.