Which Radio do all y'alls have in your 59 Plymouths

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

I had posted a comment to Tom Fox under the vendor section but it should go as a new topic. Tech support seemed logical to me.

I had noticed back in 2008, when looking at Tom Fox's beautiful Belvedere Convert, that his radio has Deluxe above his dial, mine says Plymouth and Tom's 59 SF car (also beautiful) has the Plymouth name like what I have and have seen others have.

I was wondering if anyone knew the difference between the 855 and 860 models and also, what does most people have in their cars, Deluxe or Plymouth in their radio dial face?

I also have a dash radio trim plate that has a wider opening for the dial and one knob hole on the right side and one on the left. What Model number went here? The opening for the dial is larger then the normal dial area on both radio's we all know. Was there a 3rd radio option like a Search Tune available too? Or was this just a dealer add on option?

What is the difference between the 855 and 860 models? Just the watt output on the speaker?


John Q.

[Nighthawk]

The "Deluxe" radio was an aftermarket radio that was dealer installed, the one that says "Plymouth" on it was factory installed....

Bob

[Faulkner]

John,

I take umbrage at your use of the phrase "all y'alls" in your subject line. Real Fildelfyan's know it's "youse guys".

Dan

P.S. 1 game out of first, after smokin' the Rockies and the Brewers!

[Forward Look Frank]

Hey Guys,
Here's the scoop on the '59 Radios. There were two radios offered from the factory and the dealer for '59 Plymouths the 855 and the 860. The 855 was the early model radio basically adapted from the 58 model. basically an 848 with a different faceplate. This radio was rated at a 1 watt output. It had four tubes and one transistor and was made by PHILCO (to the best of my recollection on the internals, I don't have the PSM in front of me). Around January or so of 1959 the 860 came out, it was completely redesigned and had three tubes and a two transistor output (again to the best of my recollection it may have had four tubes). It also had a knockout built into it where you could have feasibly put a hiway hi-fi or AP-1 socket in it (same socket for both record players). It was also rated at a one watt output. This radio was made by Motorola. Most Mopar radios in the early to mid 50's were made by PHILCO and after '59, for the most part, were made by Motorola. There were a few odd balls made by Bendix Corp for Imperials/Chryslers and the '60-'63 Electroluminescent dash radios. Now search tunes.... There was never a 59 Plymouth search tune made for Plymouths. Dodge had the option if you bought a '58 Search tune radio and bought the face plate adapter (listed in the accessories section of the '59 Parts manual). DeSoto, Chrysler and Imperial had the option for search tune. Now the dial issue...... All factory and dealer installed radios for '59 should have the "PLYMOUTH" script on their face. Anything other than that, it is aftermarket. Automatic radio offered 3 radios for plymouth in '59. A standard radio with a single speaker and no pushbutton tuning, a model with pushbutton tuning. and a DELUXE model with push button tuning and a rear seat speaker. I will try and scan the original ad for everyone to see when I get home. The deluxe model also had DELUXE on the dial face. Automatic radios were not a dealer option. The '59 accessories catalog gives the Mopar part number for the 855 or 860. I'm not saying it never happened. The automatic radio may have been "cheaper" to purchase than the factory radio to make a customer happy but I think that would be rare. Another little known fact... Automatic radio made aftermarket aluminum dash plates for our cars with and without clock. I have an NOS plate in the automatic radio box. The only way you can tell the difference between the Mopar and Automatic radio faceplates is that the bottom of the factory dash plate (where the screws attach the plate to the dash) is smooth anodized aluminum and the Automatic Radio plate carries the pattern of the rest of the dashplate. Automatic Radio matched the pattern for the dash plates perfectly (or bought the stamp from Mopar). I have a 855, 860, and an automatic radio deluxe to compare. The 855 and 860 dials if I remember correctly have different numbers on the dial (the easiest way to tell the difference without taking it out). Again, I will try and send pictures. In any case that's what I know. I hope this helps out. Also, just for grins, I'm building a '59 Search Tune radio out of spare parts. I will never claim it to be original or factory/dealer and I want to put that out there so there is no one looking for an elusive "super rare search tune" radio. Any questions, drop me a line.
Thanks.
Frank

[Nighthawk]

Just to update, "Deluxe" radios made by Automatic radio were available for aftermarket installation, and were more likely to have been installed by "Joes auto radio" or other shops like that that were common in the day, i should have put that in my post when i said that "Deluxe" radios were dealer installed....

Bob

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

John,

I take umbrage at your use of the phrase "all y'alls" in your subject line. Real Fildelfyan's know it's "youse guys".

Dan

P.S. 1 game out of first, after smokin' the Rockies and the Brewers!

Phillies cheat!!!!

We have beaten the Padres the last two games and we are right on your tail for the wild card berth! Be afraid be very afraid!

John Q.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Thanks Frank and Bob for the your Radio knowledge. I had no clue (prior to this thread) what the difference was between the 855 and the 860. Now I know. Thanks guys!

I do have in my basement Mopar grotto, one of the aftermarket kits (ebay 3 years ago) that 59 owners would buy if there car came with Radio delete or no radio. It does have one of those NOS dial face plate and it made for an aftermarket Motorola radio with the split volume tuner knobs on either side of the dial. I will dig it out tomorrow and take some pictures of it for all who would like to see one.

John Q

[Fins59]

Was going to post on this back in Sep but.... Anyway I have the standard AM radio in the dash. But awhile back I installed a AM/FM/CD radio in the glove box. Only drawback is I have to use remote to operate the unit. instead of just reaching to turn a button. But, ya know, I have not turned on/listened to the glove box radio all summer. I enjoy just hearing the engine and the nice low rumbling of the dual exhaust.
I know our old AM's can be converted but I guess that's not a priority right now.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Fins, Your set up is exactly what will live in my convert. And hopefully I will be like you again and just cruise and don't care if there is any tunes coming out of the speaker(s) ( will have a couple small ones tucked up under the dash or maybe in the kick panels)

John Q.

[Fins59]

I got mine hooked to 2 speakers in the rear package shelf. I got em covered with 6" chrome round covers. I picked these up at a swap meet. I think the "roundness" compliments the center piece of the trunk lid tire cover. Not original but a little personal touch here and there kind of makes it your own. And they add more chrome to the car

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

More Bling is good John Z.! No package tray for me of course with a vert but definetly don't want to put holes in the interior quarter panels. So under dash or kick panels will surfice for me.

John Z. did you fashion your own interior glove box or just modified the cardboard one?

John Q.

[Fins59]

I actually got it setting between 2 pieces of styrofoam. I spray painted the styrofoam black so it looks ok. Only thing I could think of at the time and it works so I left it that way.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

That is good thinking on using and spraying the Styrofoam. I was thinking of taking some thin gauge of Aluminum and forming a box that I could attach at the normal mounting points. And have a modern radio put thru it an opening. I would make the left side of this structure slighly recessed so the radio will be up front when you open the door.

The right side of the Glove Box will be normal depth for actual stuff to be placed there. I saw this once on an old Ford and it looked pretty good. Aluminum would be easy to bend/Brake up in a vice or between two 2 x 4's. Then just put some rivets in it for support. I guess I could coerce a friend to tig the corners if I bribe him right!

Have not done anything yet, just thinking....

John Q.

[Fins59]

Wow, where do you get all this ambition. Send me some
Correction, correction. I just went out and checked my set up. It is not 2 pieces of styro foam but 1 piece.
This styro foam is not the building material flat type...it is a piece of formed styro foam that once held a product (probably the radio, can't remember)
The radio is setting on/in the styro foam snugly with sides as high as the radio and the front cut out. On top of radio there is nothing (except my insuarance papers, registration and owners handbook.
You could probably start with a styro foam type holder and use that as a template/pattern for the final one.
When I bought my car the cardboard glove box insert was not in the best shape, but later when I acquired my parts car, discovered that one had an excellent insert, so that one found a new home in my SF.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

John Z. I have plenty of thoughts or aspirations/ambitions but sometime they are fleeting. And a lot of time they cost money too!. Good idea about using it (styro-foam) as a template to start with. I could also go to Hobby Lobby they have styro-foam blocks that one could carve out to the shape needed as a buck/form to what I need. I guess I better go find a radio that all this will be formed around.

My wife will flip out when I ask her to come with me to Hobby Lobby! Most of the time I just sneak in there to get some detail paint and small brushes with out her knowing.

John Q.