Hi tech 60's style

[georgeE]

My neighbor stopped over last evening to check out the Lark. While sitting in the front seat he inquired about the lockable radio under the dash. I said it was so it could be removed to avoid theft which is what I was told. He pulled out the antenna and said that there must be more to it than that. So we took it out and took a look. Turns out it has a space for 6 C cell batteries and then becomes a take it anywhere transistor AM radio.
Well that was interesting in and of itself but at some point I had said that I hoped it didn't turn out that the car was like Christine from the movie and be possessed. Well lo and behold I turned it on and twisted the dial and a Doo- wop song comes on followed by another and another. I won't say the hair stood up on my neck but by this time his wife and mine had joined us and we were all a little creeped out. Turns out it was a local station playing a half hour of 50's tunes and my timing had been perfect.
I never listen to AM local or otherwise so had no clue. Here are a couple pics.

[BobPalma]

Yep; they were available as factory-installed optional equipment on some 1958 and 1959 Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles. They were called either Trans-Portables or Sportables. BP

[georgeE]

Bob
The date on the instruction manual is August 65 so it must be the new improved model.
It actually sounds pretty good . Doesn't work in the car as antenna is missing.

[BobPalma]

Bob
The date on the instruction manual is August 65 so it must be the new improved model.

True! I should have said the concept was available as optional, factory-installed equipment in those earlier cars. BP

[StudeRich]

Hey, it's ALL TRANSISTOR! Now that's some really High Tech. all right.

[8E45E]

Well, those aftermarket radios certainly weren't UN-popular at the time.

My uncle had a portable German-made SABA 'Trans-Europa' multi-band radio mounted under the dash in his 1966 Pontiac Parisienne. He actually ordered the car LESS the factory Delco radio, which would have been odd in a Parisienne as it was near the top-of- the-line Canadian Pontiac for that year, and most Parisiennes and Grand Parisiennes would have had at least an AM radio. If that car still survives, I bet the current owner must be wondering why someone would order a Parisenne without a radio (provided no subsequent owner added one).

Craig

[georgeE]

Hey, it's ALL TRANSISTOR! Now that's some really High Tech. all right.

Imagine! The entire workings of the thing would fit on the head of a pin now.

[Dan White]

A few years ago I took my son and two of his friends to school in my 50 Hudson. The boys were commenting about how it was like sitting on their Mom's sofa in the back seat, then one of the boys heard the radio playing and said "hey does the radio play old music too?"

[sals54]

That radio is awesome cool. I love it.

[57pack]

Remember a 50's Pontiac which also had a turntable as an option!

[Buzzard]

57pack
In the mid 60's I had a friend with a 1950 Ford Coupe with a turntable suspended under the dash on some sort of spring/dampening system. I don't recall where you stored the records or how you changed them whist in transit (with the steering and brakes of the era it must have been interesting).
Bill