The DeLorean Owners Club UK Forum

Full Version: Original 81 Craig Radio wanted.
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
Pages: 1 2
Hi All,

Vin 4468 is slowly being tickled and beaten back to life by the expert hand of the excellent Chris Nicholson at P J Grady's.

And whilst I have been trying to keep it as orignal as possible (bar all sensible mods and updates), I noticed that the factory fitted Craig stereo is not present in my car.

Does anyone have a Craig Cassette/Radio (I presume this was the only factory fitted brand used?) that they would like o get rid of? Even a non working one is worth considering - as I plan to get it upgraded with MP3 port anyway.

Let me know if you do.

Thanks
Steve
They did switch to an ASI stereo later in the production run, however from the VIN you provided your car would have been fitted with the Craig stereo.

Mine is non-working, and I swapped it out long ago for a more modern head unit, but I still hang onto it because it's part of the car.
Mike

Thanks for the info Mike. Don't blame you for that, as I would do exactly the same thing. But if anyone else has one kicking around that they don't mind selling, then let me know.

Cheers
Steve
Shame you missed the one on Ebay lsat week! I think it went for £1.50!!!

Bear in mind that the FM tuner part of it will only find FM stations on decimal-odd numbers, it won't find (eg. 91.2 or 91.4). Apparently this was designed for US radio systems.

(That might be the wrong way round, but either way it's limiting on this country where stations can be on either even or odd numbers.

Apparently this can't easily be modified.

Also, the AM tuner only goes up in multiples of 10 so can't find any UK stations. (eg, 980, 990, 1000 but nothibng inbetween).

Having said that, I've always retained my Craig radio for preference.

Main thing to check is that the printed ribbon curcuit board linking the screen (which doubles as the cassette flap) to the rest of the circuit is intact, these are NLA.

Good luck!

R
Rich

Thanks for the advice. And Isn't that's always the way when you start looking for something? Well at least it shows that they do come up for sale now and then. I shall keep on scanning the Ebay adds then.

To be honest as long as it'll play the Ipod tape adaptor I have, then that's good enough for me. I really want it to complete the 'original' stock look of the interior. In my opinion it's an important feature that should be present.

Steve
moi aussi...

However, if no progress, there's always:

http://www.classiccarstereo.co.uk/class ... audio.html

You get the main radio body which fits through the central square hole, and the adjuster knobs which bolt through the two round holes are actually on flying leads. Stick the appropriate face-plate over the lot, and bob's your uncle.

However - has your central console been cut to enable a modern stereo to fit? The Craig, and these retro systems, need an unmolested central console with the square hole and two round ones, rather than all opened up into one long rectangular slot...
Rich

Very good suggestions there. I haven't actually laid my grubby mits on the D yet - Chris N has being doing all the hard work so far. So I'm not 100% sure if the console has been cut out or not.

I shall find out though.

Steve
I would be wary of forking out for a Retrosound head unit, they don't have particularly favourable reviews.

If the console hasn't been cut, buy one of these and keep the old console tucked away in your garage: http://store.delorean.com/p-7793-face-p ... radio.aspx

Are you set on sticking with the original radio? I upgraded mine in such a way that everything is reversible to stock/OEM (this included buying the above part so as not to damage the original). I have a lead that interfaces with the original wiring harness, made from the lead of an old Craig (not my original, that's safely tucked away) - it's not pretty to look at, but it does the job.

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]

That allows me to plug my head unit, directly into the original wiring harness on the car.

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]

I ended up buying the Pioneer DEH-4300UB purely on it's ability to change the colour of the display, luckily it has a colour option which blends almost perfectly with the rest of the console and doesn't look too out of place. It doesn't have a rear mounted USB port, but it does have one on the front, so I just use that and a low profile USB stick, does the job for me.
hi all

when i had my car, i also wanted the Craig in its correct place, to me a modern unit just does no go...

you can install a frequency shifter for the radio.
i found one (from Australia) that you could order with any freqency shift...ie by 1.

i used to fit plenty of Jap imports with one which i seem to remeber was by 10?. used to work fine.

what you could do...is get an electrician maybe to wire an mp3 player plug into the preamp circuit on the stereo.(like the one thats takes the signal from the head inside the cassette mechanism.). just needs someone who knows what the are doing!

i wire in a hidden cd/amp etc into stock speakers, and put diodes into the cable so as not to get any power back into the craig

i agree with you though...like if i had a 70's car i would be out my way to buy an 8 track for it!

steve
ex vin 1621
Quote:just needs someone who knows what the are doing!
There is a classic car radio specialist who fixes up/converts old car radio's to accept Mp3 inputs etc. Cant remember his name but he's always at the NEC and advertising in the classic car mags., I will see if I can find his details.
Chris
Rich Hanlon Wrote:moi aussi...

However, if no progress, there's always:

http://www.classiccarstereo.co.uk/class ... audio.html

You get the main radio body which fits through the central square hole, and the adjuster knobs which bolt through the two round holes are actually on flying leads. Stick the appropriate face-plate over the lot, and bob's your uncle.

I've had the 'Model One' installed in the D for over a year now... It takes a bit of effort to get it fitting properly, but the final effect is very pleasing.

Quote:I would be wary of forking out for a Retrosound head unit, they don't have particularly favourable reviews.

Can't say I've had any problems with mine. A couple of irritations, one being that if you pull the car battery it looses all your settings, which for a modern radio, aimed
at the classic car market, is a bit pants. The other that you can't turn the clock display off
Steve, have you seen this on DMC Talk?

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?6323- ... ean-radios
Some great ideas there guys.

The new retro radio is an interesting idea, and would solve a lot of issues I agree. Getting the sound system isn't obviously a mega urgent problem to sort out. But I think I still would like to get an original unit and get a specialist to convert it to UK radio and fit an MP3 jack as well.

The hunt contnues.

Thanks
See the DMC Talk link I posted above, a member there has done exactly what you are asking, and it includes modifying it to receive European radio frequencies.
Pages: 1 2