GTfastbacker Posted December 29, 2023 Report Share Posted December 29, 2023 (edited) Good morning, Have you ever stumbled across an AM Bluetooth transmitter while browsing? To the surprise, the old AM tube radio in the old '41 Dodge works. I would like to let this play. The fact that the car has plus on the body and only 6V is bad for a cigarette lighter transmitter, but something can certainly be done with a voltage increase to 12V and a cigarette lighter socket isolated from the body? Maybe an AM-FM transmitter for 6V positive ground would also be an option, if there was something? Best regards Joe Edited December 29, 2023 by GTfastbacker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravisL17 Posted December 29, 2023 Report Share Posted December 29, 2023 I purchased a 6v to 12v converter for my car. Simple hook up, only4 wires. Pos and neg for 6v input, pos and neg for 12v output. I can't recall if the case of the converter needed to be isolated from the vehicle chassis. Then I purchases a double socket 12v power outlet with a plastic housing. Mounted the power outlet and converter under the dash so it wasn't visible. With the housing being plastic, it's insulated from the 6v positive chassis of the car. Then you can plug in your AM/FM transmitter or cell phone charger, etc. I think the whole set up cost me around 25-30 bucks?? I ran mine off keyed power so no risk of a parasitic draw. My car doesn't have a radio, so I use a small Bluetooth speaker and my phone for music. And I can charge both items using the set up I installed. Works well for me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solution nonstop Posted December 29, 2023 Solution Report Share Posted December 29, 2023 I have done a couple of different set ups. In my truck with no radio, I bought a blue tooth receiver and cheap speaker. $25 investment and I can play off my phone. On my Dodge and my Chrysler, I am using Redi-Rad to play through my radio and speakers. It uses a cord, but I like the sound quality, as it sounds more like an AM radio in these cars should. They were about $100 each. Sorry, neither was a direct answer for what you were looking for, but I am very happy with the results of each. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lepic56 Posted December 29, 2023 Report Share Posted December 29, 2023 Hi Gtfastbacker this is what I bought for my 51 Dodge.. did not installed it yet. 6 volts input to 12 volts, it is adjustable just in case it's off ( too high or too low) a bit on voltage, it is chinese after all!! lol,, It's about 2" long x 1 " wide.. I don't remember the 12v amperage coming out but I'm sure it's enough to power/charge a cell phone or small transmitter.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sniper Posted December 30, 2023 Report Share Posted December 30, 2023 I just used a portable bluetooth speaker for awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maok Posted December 30, 2023 Report Share Posted December 30, 2023 I've seen many FM bluetooth transmitters but none AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Posted January 11 Report Share Posted January 11 I’ve got a redirad (https://redirad.com) in my ‘47 convertible and it works real well, combined with a cheap blue tooth receiver transmitter plugged into it. However I just came up with the following setup for my ‘57 Caddy. The first three images show the AM transmitter I found on eBay. Seller details in the third photo, technical description in the second photo. It’s powered by a 9v battery which lasts a few hours of play time. The unit comes with a 110v to 12 adapter for home use. You will need to purchase a blue tooth receiver transmitter (last photo) to receive your audio broadcast from your phone, or use the mini phono jack to connect directly to your device. Price for the two devices set me back about $80 via eBay. I set these up in my caddy glove box and it does a pretty good job since the antenna is near the glove box. You might need to experiment with the antenna location for best reception. good luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTfastbacker Posted January 11 Author Report Share Posted January 11 6 hours ago, Mark D said: I’ve got a redirad (https://redirad.com) in my ‘47 convertible and it works real well, combined with a cheap blue tooth receiver transmitter plugged into it. However I just came up with the following setup for my ‘57 Caddy. The first three images show the AM transmitter I found on eBay. Seller details in the third photo, technical description in the second photo. It’s powered by a 9v battery which lasts a few hours of play time. The unit comes with a 110v to 12 adapter for home use. You will need to purchase a blue tooth receiver transmitter (last photo) to receive your audio broadcast from your phone, or use the mini phono jack to connect directly to your device. Price for the two devices set me back about $80 via eBay. I set these up in my caddy glove box and it does a pretty good job since the antenna is near the glove box. You might need to experiment with the antenna location for best reception. good luck! That’s a good thing. Redirad is in backorder so i will try this! Thank you for the great idea. Joe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTfastbacker Posted January 12 Author Report Share Posted January 12 19 hours ago, Mark D said: Mark, please can you provide a link for these Transmitter? Can not find it. Thank you so much Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Posted January 12 Report Share Posted January 12 Hi Joe, here are the two links; https://www.ebay.com/itm/134861943504?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=hrdjKF87SaW&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=zGDZdemVRjO&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY https://www.ebay.com/itm/334229858654?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=ugx4cnsnscm&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=zGDZdemVRjO&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bacelaw Posted January 12 Report Share Posted January 12 I've put this unit in two classic car radios now Mini Amplifier Board Bluetooth Amplifier 2.0 2X50W 5V-24V Audio Power Amplifier Module for Store Home Theater Speakers https://a.co/d/eLQJ7OB Give it power from the original radio knob, and wire it to your speakers - the little device is hidden under the dash, and uses your original radio knob to turn on. Couldn't be easier to have bluetooth music through your phone into the old speakers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonstop Posted January 13 Report Share Posted January 13 11 hours ago, bacelaw said: I've put this unit in two classic car radios now Mini Amplifier Board Bluetooth Amplifier 2.0 2X50W 5V-24V Audio Power Amplifier Module for Store Home Theater Speakers https://a.co/d/eLQJ7OB Give it power from the original radio knob, and wire it to your speakers - the little device is hidden under the dash, and uses your original radio knob to turn on. Couldn't be easier to have bluetooth music through your phone into the old speakers. That is what I did in my truck. Four wires - power, ground, and 2 wires for the speaker! Works great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tired iron Posted January 13 Report Share Posted January 13 I just did this as well. Really a great strategy that I learned right here from you folks. A couple of things I did different One, I gutted the radio (if anyone wants the electrical chassis and tubes for a 6V radio, PM me and it's yours) and was able to mount the device right behind the old volume control shaft and physically coupled to it, so when you turn the old radio knob on and up, the bluetooth unit turns on and up. Two, since the original sound was a single radio speaker, and I didn't want to mount speakers in the doors, etc. I took a sound bar (like you see for placing under a modern TV) and literally sawed it in half and chopped out the middle part with the amp (mine was broken anyways). Then I took the two remaining small boxes, about the size of a small brick each, and mounted them up under the dash on the R and L side hidden from view. The sound quality of the little boxes, which are usually tuned with a port, is far superior to using just a speaker by itself. So now I have great sound and everything still looks stock and that beautiful chromed monster radio left looking original. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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