For all you wild and crazy kids out there wanting to play your rock music albums (the way they did originally in the 60s) while cruising, I thought you might like to see the latest addition to my 68 April Gold bird. This bird was born with a "tape player" and I'm super happy to have one back in it. I'll try to post a few more pictures of the install along with my research on these original music machines. I've been fortunate to find the correct brackets, cover, rivets, screws and instructions for it. My 68 Aegena Blue bird also came with an 8-track player and still has the original center console in it so I was able to use it to duplicate the location on this one. The speakers are from turnswitch.com and Howard Foulds restored all my radios and tape players. Howard also sells great harnesses he makes that match the originals.
1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 Convertible - April Gold/Deluxe Black Automatic 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 Coupe - Aegena Blue/Standard Teal 4 speed 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 H.O. Convertible - Alpine Blue/Deluxe Teal Automatic 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 Coupe - Autumn Bronze/Deluxe White 4 speed
Beautiful! I always wondered how long you had to take your eyes off the road to adjust all of those knobs!
I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure. I feel like I am diagonally parked in a parallel universe. 1968 400 convertible (Scarlet) 1976 T/A - 455 LE (No Burt) 1976 T/A New baby, starting full restoration. 1968 350 - 4 speed 'vert - 400 clone (the Beast!) 1968 350 convertible - Wife's car now- 400 clone (Aleutian Blue) (Blue Angel) 2008 Durango - DD 2008 GXP - New one from NH is AWESOME! 2017 Durango Citadel - Modern is nice! HEMI is amazing! 1998 Silverado Z71 - Father-daughter project 1968 400 coupe - R/A clone (Blue Pearl) (sold) 1967 326 convertible - Sold 1980 T/A SE Bandit - Sold
Very nice, my car also came with one but dealer installed as many were in that year. the player was missing but all the wiring and the kick panels with correct cutouts were there. would love any info you have. I located a 68 Camaro tape player at the swap meet that works good for only 125.00 which from my research shows exactly the same except the bow tie on the tape slot door. Needless to say I'm keeping my eye out for a correct plain door. By the way nice rare am/fm.
Thanks! The knobs are a challenge - a definite afterthought from the Engineering team especially with the location to the automatic shifter. Its a little better with a manual.
1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 Convertible - April Gold/Deluxe Black Automatic 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 Coupe - Aegena Blue/Standard Teal 4 speed 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 H.O. Convertible - Alpine Blue/Deluxe Teal Automatic 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 Coupe - Autumn Bronze/Deluxe White 4 speed
I'll post more details with pictures on the differences between a 67 and 68 player along with brackets and fasteners. I haven't been able to find much on this option so I've put some time into figuring out the details. I've seen post stating that the attachment is different on automatics vs. manuals, which I can't see how this is possible having all the correct brackets for both attachment options. It appears to me that if your bird has a center console the only option, given the limited space, is attaching the player to the center console. If you don't have a console than it attaches under the ashtray.
1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 Convertible - April Gold/Deluxe Black Automatic 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 Coupe - Aegena Blue/Standard Teal 4 speed 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 H.O. Convertible - Alpine Blue/Deluxe Teal Automatic 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 Coupe - Autumn Bronze/Deluxe White 4 speed
Excellent info thank you. Very detailed installation. Also did not realize there was a difference in speaker grills just assumed they were all made by the same company.
Original owner modified mine back in the 70s and it still works. I record modern music onto blank 8-track tapes, then download the album cover and glue that to the tape cartridge. People freak out when they see the tapes.
'68 428 HO M3 Monster, 4-on-the-floor! Need I say more?
Pretty cool thread from original to an 8 track that can record music.. awesome!
Cant wait for summer... 68HO4004spvert Sleddog Iowa
God Bless the men and women past and present that have served this country. Thank you. Support D.A.V. - it helps gives a life back to those who gave so much for us.....
They sell them at many of the big box stores. The most accurate screws and fasteners that I've found are at Heartbeat City Camaro. The ones at Firebird Central and Classic Industries are not as close to the originals but will work. Maybe it's becoming apparent, but I have a lot of unused parts from this addition....
1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 Convertible - April Gold/Deluxe Black Automatic 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 Coupe - Aegena Blue/Standard Teal 4 speed 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 H.O. Convertible - Alpine Blue/Deluxe Teal Automatic 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 Coupe - Autumn Bronze/Deluxe White 4 speed
Some additional info I have found on the speaker grills. The originals are thinner on one side verses the other, If you look from the top before installing you can see it. The thinner side goes towards the rear. the aftermarket set I bought from a upstate New York Camaro Firebird supplier looks just like the better one in the right of this post and is also built thinner on one side like the originals. Also from what I can gather from assembly manual info I have read the grills were painted the color of the kick panels.
This information matches what I've seen, too. The originals are tapered and they're painted to match the kick panels. It's a really cool options and it's great we're putting this out there for detailed restorations.
1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 Convertible - April Gold/Deluxe Black Automatic 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 Coupe - Aegena Blue/Standard Teal 4 speed 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 H.O. Convertible - Alpine Blue/Deluxe Teal Automatic 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 Coupe - Autumn Bronze/Deluxe White 4 speed