8 Track tape player

[Michael J.]

After spending the day under the dash of one of my non-Corvette late '60s cars removing and fixing the AM/8 track unit, I got curious about what happened to Corvette in the thrilling days of 8 track players. It seems they didn't put any in until '77, a full ten years after other car makers were offering them, and then stopped in '82. Was the GM brass just that astute and knew that 8 track would never survive and thus waited 10 years to jump in, or what?

[Ralph S.]

Re: 8 Track tape player

I still have some of the 8 track tapes that came in the glove box when the cars were new.

[Paul O.]

Re: 8 Track tape player

Mike

Most of that had to due to the fact the Corvette radio was a Corvette only radio so when they started using a standard radio that other chevy or GM models used is when the 8 track became available.

[Michael J.]

Re: 8 Track tape player

Mike

Most of that had to due to the fact the Corvette radio was a Corvette only radio so when they started using a standard radio that other chevy or GM models used is when the 8 track became available.

That probably explains the very late start of new breakthrough audio technology for the Corvettes. Too bad, I think they are very cool, and did even then, bought a Muntz 4 track in '65. Something about listening to the Cream, Beach Boys, Jan and Dean. etc. on those tapes and radio/players, takes you back.....

[Mike E.]

Re: 8 Track tape player

Michael,
I posted this ad from Lear Jet who more or less invented the 8-track a while back. It's featuring a '67 Corvette, I have no idea how you would have mounted a radio like that in a C2.

My folks had a '68 Buick Electra with factory under dash 8-track.



Mike

[Michael J.]

Re: 8 Track tape player

That's great, Lear really improved the tapes and player from what Mad-Man Muntz had several years earlier. I guess they thought having a 'Vette in the ad was more attractive than a Buick, even if it wasn't an option for the 'Vette. I suppose you could have put one of these under the dash of the 'Vette on the passenger side, but not too attractive compared to the combined radio-8 track systems Philips, Philco, and others were putting out factory in the dash. Maybe your Buick one, and the ones GM put in Pontiacs and Olds in the day, were Lear?

[Michael G.]

Re: 8 Track tape player

In 1970, I mounted an 8 track in the glove box of my 63 coupe, effectively ruining the liner. Put stereo speakers in the "B" pillar and it sounded great. Remember, Corvettes were disposable then, so, damaging today's invaluable original interior parts to achieve "good" stereo sound was no big deal...

[Mike E.]

Re: 8 Track tape player

I forgot I had a couple of T/As with factory installed 8-Tracks. It was built into the console like this. If you didn't order it there was just a cubby hole there.





Mike

[Patrick H.]

Re: 8 Track tape player

I know of a couple of 72s, including mine, that had an add-on 8 track player mounted to the rearmost area of the emergency brake console. The previous owner of my car removed it and threw it away, but of course the holes are still in the console.

[Steven B.]

Re: 8 Track tape player

In the winter of '64-'65 the AM wasn't enough for summer cruising in the '57 so I bought a small reel to reel (about 12" X 10" X 3"), recorded some of my Beach Boys albums on tape, used two lengths of elastic and safety pins in the carpet to mount in front of the shift plate and drove------. Shut Down sounded real good while power shifting. 'Still have the recorder and the albums.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pYU0p6WZhU

[Paul O.]

Re: 8 Track tape player

Back in the day I had I think was Panasonic Quadrophonic 8 track player was state of the art in 1973 that is for an 8 track. I was glad to buy it because those cassette tapes were going to go no where. Now where did I put that 8 track tape deck and my Sony Betamax?

[Don H.]

Re: 8 Track tape player

When I put my 60 together in early 1974 I put an eight track in the center console between the seats. It was in there for years. Trivia question: What is an eight track adjusting tool? A match book! Don H.

[Mike E.]

Re: 8 Track tape player

What would really piss me off was some 8 tracks were recorded where the track change would fall in the middle of the song. The song would fade out for about second then you would hear...CLICK CLICK...then fade back in, that made me MAD, so I bought an 8 track recorder and made my own tapes off the LP.

Mike

[Paul J.]

Re: 8 Track tape player

What would really piss me off was some 8 tracks were recorded where the track change would fall in the middle of the song. The song would fade out for about second then you would hear...CLICK CLICK...then fade back in, that made me MAD, so I bought an 8 track recorder and made my own tapes off the LP.

Mike

I spent countless hours timing each song on the record, as well as the full track, then reorganizing the songs and gaps so they would fit best on a single 8 track cassett.

Paul

[Paul J.]

Re: 8 Track tape player

I know of a couple of 72s, including mine, that had an add-on 8 track player mounted to the rearmost area of the emergency brake console. The previous owner of my car removed it and threw it away, but of course the holes are still in the console.

On my 64 it was on the jack compartment cover between the seats. It was out of the way so my girlfriend could sit on the padded console.