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Post by trombone on Jun 16, 2022 14:28:01 GMT 12
Hi everyone,
I notice that someone is selling (or hopes to sell)the power unit of what looks to be part of a Philco car radio in the vintage radio section of Trade Me. This unit is built by Dreco but has the Philco name and bears the designation AR6/7 4.T.
I'll make the leap and suggest that AR stands for Auto Radio and perhaps the numbers refer to the number of valves.
But the thing which interests me is that John Stokes in GAOR makes no mention of car radios made in N.Z. under the Philco name. He does mention Dreco building one model (page 85) but not that it was a Philco. Am I barking up the wrong tree here? Is there a chorus of "Of course it was a Philco - what else would it be?" ringing in my ears?Does any one have any further ideas on what set this part belongs to?
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Post by Peter Walsham on Jun 16, 2022 16:05:01 GMT 12
As far as I can remember, Dominion Radio (DRECO) did make (or assemble, under licence to Philco, USA) car radios to be fitted to Ford vehicles. Philco (USA) made OEM car radios for Ford, USA, so I can only assume that there was also a 'loose' arrangement between Dominion Radio & Ford (NZ) which remained in place until the late 1940's when Autocrat car radios were being made by 'Benson, Wills and Walker'. I am unable to find any information that states when Autocrat became an OEM manufacturer of car radios for Ford (New Zealand), but I do know that (as an apprentice in the very early 1970's) I was fitting Ford branded car radios (made by Autocrat) in to new Ford cars for the local Ford dealer. I have restored many Philco (USA) car radios for vintage Ford car enthusiasts, but have not seen (or worked on) a NZ DRECO made unit.
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Post by trombone on Jun 21, 2022 14:57:25 GMT 12
Hi Peter, Thanks for the info.Did you get a chance to view the Trade Me entry?Browsing on "Papers Past" under Philco car radio I got a lot of classified ads for Philco car radios but I think they were probably for American built sets. However one ad stood out.It was from Charles Begg in 1957 advertising new valve car radio sets.The ad showed only the head unit. Whether there was a second powersupply and amp section we cannot know.Perhaps by 1957 they had got all the works in one box!
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Post by Peter Walsham on Jun 21, 2022 15:26:10 GMT 12
I did have a look at the 'Trade Me' listing for the power unit. You could well be right about car radios being single units by 1957. Just to add a few more 'complications' in to the mix. One Autocrat service manual I have here shows an Autocrat single unit valve car radio (with a vibrator power supply) and the manual has a factory printed date 'Revised 17.11.64' written on it (Model - 513, Single Unit Auto Radio') (although I have no idea what revisions were done to the model 513 radio or circuit), yet another service manual (for an Autocrat, Model TRP-1, All Transistor Auto Radio') is dated 21.6.61!. . However, it certainly appears as though fully solid state car radios were beginning to be available in the very early 1960's. A manual for a hybrid (Model TM 6), using both valves (6 or 12 Volt anode supply) & 2 transistors in the audio stages is dated 20.2.61. Just having a collection of vintage car radios would be an interesting hobby all by itself!
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Post by trombone on Jun 21, 2022 15:29:27 GMT 12
Hi Peter, The plot thickens but also becomes clearer.Browsing again in "Papers Past " I have come across another Beggs ad ( Press 3rd Dec 1957 )which shows a range of Philco products including the car radio with its power/amp unit as well as the head unit.And it bears a very close resemblance to the product offered on Trade Me (at $80!)
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