Maybe a ND question, was an 8 track player optional in the 70's series dent sides ? Every now and again I see a NOS 8 track and have been toying with the notion of making that my music machine

 

No, an eight track was never offered as a factory option in these trucks.
Ford did offer them in passenger cars of the era but not trucks.
Just so you know, even though they "look" similar, passenger car radios do not interchange with the trucks.

 

Have you ever heard an 8-track player? The quality was very poor (very low S/N ratio), they would switch tracks in the middle of a song (tapes recorded that way), and would eat tapes like we eat pizza. The commercial version(s) we used at the radio station in the '60s were almost as bad. You won't find any music past 1970 or so on 8-track tape - but you can occasionally find an old 8-track recorder on eBay to make your own...

Rob

 

8 Tracks were terrible, but they didn't sound too bad, they were pretty much the ONLY way at one time, to have recorded tunes in yer ride. Then again it was the 70s, so. Cassettes hadn't made the big run into car audio yet. 8 Tracks were made until 1988, Fleetwood Mac's "Greatest Hits" probably the last, if not the last, big release. Prior to 8 tracks, they had 4 Track players. The tapes look very similar. Muntz made one, my slick had one when I got it. It played about 2 seconds of Red Foley and passed away. I tried to repair it halfheartedly, but the belts had turned to goo, and wasn't that motivated.

 

We rock the 8 track on the party deck all the time! We even have a old coca-cola front door single stack machine loaded with long neck barley pops...

X2 on hard to get a good selection of music in 8 track, but no one will smash glass and grab your 8 track player. Get a 8 track under dash and a cassette player for in dash. Then put the real good actual hooked up stereo in the glove box.

 

I was inspired by member Ibcarguy and his gorgeous truck into which he had installed a Ford AM-FM Quadrasonic 8-track unit. It looked excellent.

I've heard for years how these 8-track stereos don't fit out trucks, and I messaged him to see what he went through to install it, but never heard back. So I threw caution to the wind and bought one for 50 bucks on eBay.

Installed it with really no problem. I was even able to use the original rear support bracket I had on my old radio.

It worked but had issues, so I boxed it up and sent it to Gene Cochran in Nebraska, and it is on it's way back to me now good as new.

The only thing that I had to alter was my instrument panel bezel, and the trimming was very minor. I will post pics up when I get it back and reinstalled.

Everyone goes on about how terrible 8-tracks are, but I like them. They are part of the '70's just like Dents are. I even tracked down an Akai Quadraphonic Player/Recorder to make my own quad 8-track tapes.

David

 

I love my 8 tracks! I bought a nib Sparkomatic under dash 8 track player on eBay for like $30. It just seems right rolling down the road, grabbing gears, floor vents open, Oakridge Boys playing away. It feels like America! Don't like the song? Ka chunk, next song.

 

I know it won't sound like HD digital I like the novelty of it ..... think I'm gonna give it a run ! and I've been looking at old coke machines forever, hope to pull that off soon!

 

Do yourself a favor and get something like a Pioneer X185UI. They are a mechless head unit so take up very little space and sound amazing. They also have basic modern features like aux & USB inputs as well as feeds for rear speakers and subwoofers. They also come with a remote so if you mount it somewhere other than in the stock location you dont have to reach for it.

I've used them in the last few vehicles I've owned and been very impressed both with their ease of use and sound quality.

8-Track's might look cool but they get old quick, especially once they start chewing themselves to bits. Good luck getting someone to try and fix that mess!

- boingk

 

Here's the pics that inspired me.




David

 

That's awesome! Love the look, hopefully I can pull it off...

 

I'm glad you 'get it'. Something would just feel wrong if I put my ipod in my truck. Can't really explain it. I guess maybe the scratchy 8 track or the funky presets on the factory radio just kind of finish the experience of driving it to me. It's a lot like the truck: unrefined, clunky, loud, and finicky. But I get out with a smile every time I drive it.

 

My dads had an aftermarket 8 track unit. We put in a Retrosound one but have had some trouble with it. The 8 track install had a small panel, that we did not realize was not part of the dash panel, that covered up the modifications done to make the head unit fit.

I threw out an under dash 8 track that had been in my camper special. I doubt that it would have even powered on and suspect a family of mice had been squatting in it. 8 tracks are fairly common at swap meets and flea markets, at least in this area. Never have heard one played, but I was born in the late 80s.

 

Since the tape speed of an 8 track was twice as fast as a cassettes, technically the sound quality could be higher (has to do with the density of charged particles past the tape head). Unfortunately, development of the cassette continued far longer than that of the 8 track, and since the 8 track by its nature was a giant Mobius loop, the 8 tracks wore and broke at a far higher rate than cassettes did. Good 8 tracks did not fade at track changeover - I have heard recordings where the track would change and you could not hear any indication in the sound of the song. Actually buying an 8 track recorder? I would put that on a par with making your own black powder. You would be as period-correct buying a cassette deck, and get not only better sound but better availability. But, there are those in the world who DO make their own black powder... whatever floats yer boat.

 

Pshaww.... That ain't nothin'. What you REALLY want then, is a record player. Chrysler had 'em. Can play yer 45s with one of these.