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Factory Cassette Player???

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Allbones Officially Full-On Dubber

395 posts · joined Jul 2012 ·

#999861
Hey guys,

just wondering if any of the Old bugs came out with a factory cassette player option? And if so, we're there any pre-67?

I have a '64 and if there was a factory option (or a later model that will fit in the factory dash) I'd like to look at installing one.

Cheers, Allbones.

Phil74Camper Head in the Clouds

2,703 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#999867
Basicially, No and No. In Australia there were no 'factory' radios of any sort. The cars left the Melbourne factory without them.

However, customers could order 'approved' radios through their VW dealer, and they were then fitted by the dealer before delivery. The Approved Accessories catalog listed a few different models, by Australian makers such as AWA, Kreisler, Arista and so on. There was also a large aftermarket car radio industry - that's how Dick Smith got started.

The compact cassette was not invented until 1962, and didn't enter production until late 1964 in Europe. These (and the compact car players to take them) took a few years to catch on in Australia and would not have been common here until the 1970s. Thanks to the arrival of cheap Japanese cars with all these sorts of extras, and all the aftermarket choices, AM/FM/cassette units became quite common by the late 1970s. I think a radio/cassette was optional for the Australian Golf and Passat at that time, but the Beetle had already ceased local sales.

Your VW was originally 6-volt, and as far as I am aware no one ever made a 6-volt car cassette player. If you find a good used 12V one, you'll have to fit an inverter unless you've already gone to 12V.

I used to have an '80s Voxson radio/cassette unit in my '64. It didn't fit the stock hole, which had to be enlarged in both dimensions.

Allbones Officially Full-On Dubber

395 posts · joined Jul 2012 ·

#999914
Phil74Camper wrote:Basicially, No and No. In Australia there were no 'factory' radios of any sort. The cars left the Melbourne factory without them.

However, customers could order 'approved' radios through their VW dealer, and they were then fitted by the dealer before delivery. The Approved Accessories catalog listed a few different models, by Australian makers such as AWA, Kreisler, Arista and so on. There was also a large aftermarket car radio industry - that's how Dick Smith got started.

The compact cassette was not invented until 1962, and didn't enter production until late 1964 in Europe. These (and the compact car players to take them) took a few years to catch on in Australia and would not have been common here until the 1970s. Thanks to the arrival of cheap Japanese cars with all these sorts of extras, and all the aftermarket choices, AM/FM/cassette units became quite common by the late 1970s. I think a radio/cassette was optional for the Australian Golf and Passat at that time, but the Beetle had already ceased local sales.

Your VW was originally 6-volt, and as far as I am aware no one ever made a 6-volt car cassette player. If you find a good used 12V one, you'll have to fit an inverter unless you've already gone to 12V.

I used to have an '80s Voxson radio/cassette unit in my '64. It didn't fit the stock hole, which had to be enlarged in both dimensions.
Thanks very much for the reply, very informative.

I was hoping for an option that would fi in the stock location with no modification, so unlucky for me I guess.

Thanks for your time!

Allbones.

Phil74Camper Head in the Clouds

2,703 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#999915
There are places that sell reconditioned vintage car radios - the push-button AM radios with the local stations printed on them (BL, GB, UE, KY, UW, SM etc for Sydney) - that would fit in the stock location. I don't have any links but someone else here may have them. They advertise in the classic car magazines. But they are quite expensive!

Do you really want a cassette player? The tapes are really old now, the sound is crap, and they suffer dirty heads, worn rubber drive wheels, dirt in the mechanism and chewing up the tapes. Even good tape drives suffer from 'wow' and 'flutter'. The cassettes themselves can get hot and warp if left in the car on a hot day. I know all this from experience!

Why not a modern-style radio-CD-MP3-USB but with the retro '60s look? They fit straight in a VW dash. Vintage Veedub stock them (02) 9789 1777, and I think Mick Motors in QLD does too. They are advertised in VWMA.

http://www.soundlabsgroup.com.au/p/Classic_Car_Radio/Classic+Car+Radio

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 ·

#999918
Even CDs are a thing of the past now let alone cassettes.

My latest headunit is mechless, no tape or CD, just radio and usb/sd card and streams music from my phone via bluetooth.

the Retro sound ones are the same, no mech just bluetooth and Usb but have an old timey looking face and fit the stock radio hole with no cutting.
fairly pricey though.

Allbones Officially Full-On Dubber

395 posts · joined Jul 2012 ·

#999929
I'm not going for the look, I actually want the cassette player functionality. I have a rather extensive cassette collection and I thought it would have been cool to be able to listen to them while I drive.

I already have a CD/MP3/USB head unit in the golvebox aswell (fyi).

I just thought there may have been an option (factory or aftermarket) to put a cassette player into a bug without hacking up the dash.

Betheeee Casual Dubber

25 posts · joined Aug 2014 ·

#999930
There are often car cassette players on Gumtree. Depending on where you want to have the player.... Also, you MIGHT be able to get a walkman type player, and hook it up through the headphone jack to play through the head you already have. That shouldn't take a lot of fiddling really
Fräulein Helga - '66 1300 Beetle (Helga for short)

Allbones Officially Full-On Dubber

395 posts · joined Jul 2012 ·

#999942
Aware of all the ways I can sort out playing cassettes, I was just looking for cool way to satisfy the purist in me. 🙂 Was hoping there may have been something kiciking about from the '60-'70's that I could have used, without having to cut up the dash and staying true to the car.

Cheers for the input everyone 🙂

Allbones.

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 ·

#999947
If only you had asked me about 6 months ago 🤪
I had exactly what you wanted, an Alpine analogue tape deck that was removed from my friends early 80s RX7.

I do still have another Clarion tape deck here which is actually brand new, removed when car was bought new for a CD player but its a normal DIN chassis so wont fit your dash without cutting.

oldskoolguy Officially Full-On Dubber

329 posts · joined Sep 2011 ·

#999951
Underdash ones are still available if you keep an eye out.
These are just two of a few I found. I like the Audiovox. Good luck.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1979-PIONEER-KP-575-CASSETTE-DECK-CAR-/180831287771?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item2a1a6279db&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dean-Winchester-Impala-Rampage-AV-2000-style-Audiovox-AV-3000-FM-Cassette-Radio-/321516702236?pt=Car_Audio_In_Dash_Receivers&hash=item4adbe38a1c
"The best trophies are stone chips"
1969 1500 Beetle "Otis"
2008 Golf GTI

hulbyw Insano Dub Head

819 posts · joined Sep 2009 ·

#1000039
I have an AM/FM/cassette in my Beetle that came out of an 80's Mazda RX7 (I think). It has rotary control knobs and fitted without cutting the dash. It also has external amplifiers and a graphic equaliser. The radio works (I only run the rear amp as I don't have front speakers yet). I can check whether the cassette still works. If it does work and looks ok, I will send you a PM as I intend replacing the unit soon
Cheers.........Wayne

Phil74Camper Head in the Clouds

2,703 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#1000051
This is an ad from the 1980s. I doubt whether it actually would fit in a 1960s VW dash hole.

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Allbones Officially Full-On Dubber

395 posts · joined Jul 2012 ·

#1000065
hulbyw wrote:I have an AM/FM/cassette in my Beetle that came out of an 80's Mazda RX7 (I think). It has rotary control knobs and fitted without cutting the dash. It also has external amplifiers and a graphic equaliser. The radio works (I only run the rear amp as I don't have front speakers yet). I can check whether the cassette still works. If it does work and looks ok, I will send you a PM as I intend replacing the unit soon
Cheers.........Wayne
That'd be great thanks Wayne, good to see there are options out there, this is exactly what I have been chasing!

Thanks for all the input guys, I wasnt expecting this much of a response 😀

Allbones.

hulbyw Insano Dub Head

819 posts · joined Sep 2009 ·

#1000823
Sorry to take so long Allbones, The ejector doesn't work on the cassette and the cassette door is missing. So probably not much use to you.
Cheers.......Wayne

Allbones Officially Full-On Dubber

395 posts · joined Jul 2012 ·

#1000839
hulbyw wrote:Sorry to take so long Allbones, The ejector doesn't work on the cassette and the cassette door is missing. So probably not much use to you.
Cheers.......Wayne
Thanks for trying anyways mate, cheers 🙂