[ryanhewitt]

I finally acquired a factory 64 am radio. Could someone please point point me in the correct direction on how to install/mount it. I know it goes in from behind the mounting location, but does it use the dash and/or mount to brackets behind the dash.

I'm not wiring it, just filling the empty spot.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Big Dave]

There have been a bunch of radio install/removal questions in the last couple of days.

Once again the radio is held in place by the dash and a strap in the back on the passenger side. You have to pull the knobs off of the radio to gain access to the two brass nuts that hold the radio in the dash. The radio is spaced so that the facia of the radio is flush with the radio plate that bolts into the dash (you don't take that plate out normally, but to get the radio flush with the plate you might want to remove it so you can see more easily how close to flush it is).

The radio is spaced by using thin stainless steel flat washers (about 20 gauge thick) that are placed in front of and behind the radio plate (the ones in the front keep the knobs from bottoming out which could split the plastic knob if pushed on to far, and they also hold the thin brass up off the radio plate high enough to get a socket onto the nut (I use a quarter inch drive ratchet as these parts do not require a lot of torque to hold everything in place).

Finally in the rear of the radio case is a hole to secure the case and to ground it to the chassis. Sometimes static in the radio can be traced to a bad ground at this screw. To get to this screw you have to be a contortionist or pop open the glove box (I remove the door completely, and then unscrew the card board glove box from the dash using a stubby Philips screw driver. With the glove box removed you can now see, and stick your arm through the hole, to get to the radio rear mounting screw. Be careful as the factory left a lot of sharp edges on the stamped steel parts that make up the dash and the dash supports.

Big Dave

 

[ryanhewitt]

Thanks

Big Dave could you please post where the previous radio install threads are? I did a search in the forum and nothing came up that was relevant. I'm not really wrapping my head around how the radio is mounted on the front with the washers.

Thanks again for the assistance.

 

[dcairns]

The stock radio is held in place to the dash in three places. In the front, with the nuts on the volume and tuner shafts. The volume side is pretty straight forward, the tuner side has this dish shaped sheet metal bit that fills the larger hole in the dash, so you will need one of those if you don't have it. You can see it in this picture in the lower right, just behind the chrome bits. In case you are wondering, it is a filler piece, if you have the front/rear fader control, it goes in place of that. But those faders are not reproduced, last I checked and originals rare and expensive.

The third mount is a support bracket that goes from the under the dash to the radio. You could fashion your own, or get an original. The bracket is not reproduced either, so originals are also a bit pricey ($15-$20 if memory serves). In any event, you want the support there somehow, so the radio won't be bouncing up and down, stressing the pot metal shafts on the controls.

Here is one for sale on ebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/180876658356?lpid=82

 

[Big Dave]

here is what an AM/FM radio looked like installed in a 1964 Impala:

http://www.videovoom.com/VideosOfCars%20copy/images/Photos1964ChevroletImpala409179A/1964ChevroletImpala409179AFeatureRadio.JPEG

Please note that the knobs and the radio face are flush with the dash.

Here is what the front of a used radio looks like out of the car with one of the knobs missing (or it could have been removed to show you the brass nut on the shaft on the left hand side):

http://www.videovoom.com/VideosOfCa...A/1964ChevroletImpala409179AFeatureRadio.JPEG

Here is an ad one-Bay selling used trim rings to go behind the Knobs for those who lost theirs:

http://thumbs2.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mgmBgTrQaWM3W98_4JE44Aw.jpg

And of course if you lost your trim ring you may have lost your knobs so the nice guy on e-Bay is selling those also:

http://thumbs2.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mSwJbKziwyW6M2uLhsfxuQg.jpg

Here is a reproduction aftermarket radio showing you the knobs removed and the nuts and washers in front of the radio:

http://www.videovoom.com/VideosOfCa...A/1964ChevroletImpala409179AFeatureRadio.JPEG

Here is a copy of the Assembly manual that explains how to install every part that came on your car including the radio:

http://www.faxonautoliterature.com/...print-Impala-Biscayne-Bel-Air-etc-P10919.aspx

Here is the wiring diagram for your car:

http://www.perogie.com/!BuMICp!EGk~$(KGrHqEOKicEvMi8HVg(BL+UESjGuw~~_1.jpg
and the company that is selling it
http://www.perogie.com/wiringdiagrams.htm

Here is a brand new NOS dealer install packaged radio (probably an FM stereo upgrade) showing all of the parts you need to install a radio in your car except the hand tools.

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxN...z9,7y2BScTdFD7OQ~~60_35.JPG?set_id=880000500F

Note the washers.

Here is the 1964 Chevrolet Service manual supplement to explain what is different from your year compared to the 1961 year car:

http://www.faxonautoliterature.com/...-Shop-Manual-Original-Supplement--P14822.aspx

And here is a copy of the 1961 Shop manual you will need to completely repair your car:

http://www.faxonautoliterature.com/...print-Biscayne-Bel-Air-Impala-etc-P11041.aspx

Big Dave

 

[ryanhewitt]

A very big thanks!

Big Dave, thank you very much for posting all of this! I ended up placing the radio where it goes and everything became very apparent, minus the mushroom filler piece- was wondering what that was!

On a slightly different note, before my 64 radio I acquired a 63 as a gift. The 63 has a bracket that looks like it may have bolted to the ashtray housing. I went ahead and transferred the bracket, drilled a hole in the housing, and attached it. It may be "bad" in some people's eyes but it doesn't bother me, and now all 4 corners are supported.

Thanks again for the time and effort - I really mean it. I'm dealing with an issue on another vehicle, and have had ZERO replies to my questions.

 

[on1]

Sorry to bump an old thread but does anyone have a wiring diagram for the radio and speakers. The link above has expired and I have just about every manual available and none of them have the stereo system wiring. Thanks ahead of time.

 

[Oldog]

I know this an old post .. I am also trying to install a stock radio into the stock hole on a 1964 Bel Air 2/ sedan without air .. all I have is the radio w/ stems . ( I took the advice above and bought an original factory assembly manual )
Where can I get the “”dish shaped sheet metal bit that fills the larger hole “” ? Does it have a name ? Are there anything special about knobs ? I am not sure how the turner side attaches to the dash as the threaded part is behind the dash but I guess assembly manual will tell me thanks Dan