What's kind of crazy is to think of all the different recording formats - Edison cylinders, discs, wire recorders, 78s, LP, reel to reel, 8 track, Cassette. Even the CD is already obsolete, basically. 4 Track was a big deal because it meant portable, or at least prerecorded tunes for the car, truck or van. Phonographs were tried in cars but had issues as one would expect. Cassette was never meant for hi-fi, strictly dictation, but they made it work eventually. I experimented with using VCR as a high quality home recording music playback but was kind of hard to get used to. The spinning heads gave for a very fast effective tape speed,

 

4 tracks were so bad, had such small capacity, and so expensive they didn't last long before being replaced by the 8 track. Anyone else have a "reverb" unit in their car? Had a long spring inside to create the delay. Sounded pretty good on the AM radios of the day until you hit a bump, then it would make a loud booiinnggggg!!!!

 

I still have the 4 track and about 7 tapes and yes i had the reverb in my car. Does this officially make me old. In my defense i want to say they were originally my siblings and handed down to me.

 

We had a 4 track/8 track player built in my dad's camper. I think it was a Realistic brand. (Radio Shack)

It had a **** you flipped from 4 to 8, if I recall. We never had a 4 track tape though.

 

Never had the money for an 8 track or even to replace one of the dual rear speakers that fell out of the 57 DeSoto. That worked out ok as it was easy to toss the beer cans up on the rear deck- they would roll around a bit and then disappear to the trunk. Only had to empty the trunk every few weeks.!

 

Here you go...

Craig" Pioneer 4 Track Car Player New Belt with Correct Plug | eBay

 

Never did have a 4 track, but had a "Automatic Radio" brand 8 track that hooked into the antenna wire and would play through the FM. That thing was about the size of a breadbox.

 

A friend had a 4 track in his 41 Ford, it was 6V had to stay in the glove box so it didn't short out because the 41 was pos ground. Parents had a reverb in their Corvair and I had one in my 63 Galaxie and 64 Marauder.

 

Ok I give - What was the purpose of a Reverb? I've got nothing
on this one - no idea what a Reverb is. First car was a Rambler American - 0 - 60mph in 67 seconds - not kidding - we timed it...

Ben in Austin
1950 F1

 

I can remember car record players, and how quickly they ruined the 45's. A friend of mine recently found 2 in his parent's garage---one still in the box.
My auto audio highlight came later, when I installed an FM tuner in my 63 1/2 Galaxie.
We take a lot for granted now.

 

I have in my 66 dodge an 8 track player (bass 48 brand) along with bass 48 speakers and in the 8 track hole fits a FM converter. At one time this was the best you could buy
This is exactly what I have

 

My wife bought me a brand new 4 track tape player in 1970 for Christmas, It was great until I found out they quit making the tapes , as the 8 tracks were already out. I had about 4 tapes and I wore them out.

 

*Click* Music fades back in. Ah, 8 tracks. Anybody remember the "album of the month" club? You'd send in a nickel or something, and pick five albums (or 8 tracks)

But of course then they wanted the subscriber to purchase more albums at regular price. Growing up we had a Wards combo stereo - Phonograph, 8-track and Radio. My favorite record was Johnny Horton's "The Battle of New Orleans" one of my older brothers finally broke it in half because I played it too much. Hm.

 

I was away most of the day but I looked for the 4 track when I got home. I found the tapes but not the player yet. My wife says I am looking for things like a typical guy and she will find it for me in the morning. Anyway, here is a picture of a couple of the tapes. You can see the hole where the wheel comes up from the player to play the tape.

 

Got that Bakersfield sound goin' on I see.