'57 T&C Radio seems to work, but no sound

[Pink T-Bird]

WooHoo! the radio works! No idea if polarity is correct.

 

[Gary Tayman]

The only time polarity matters is if you use more than one speaker. All newer speakers have a red or white dot on one of the terminals, ir a plus sign, or one pin bigger than the other, or something similar that signifies polarity. A speaker made on 1957 may not have such marks. But gain, doesn't matter.

 

[Pink T-Bird]

Thanks for your help Gary!
So now maybe I'm going to push my luck, but can anyone tell me how do I hook up the automatic volume control? I have about 10-12" of lead coiled up and hanging from the jack input on the radio. Does it go to the distributor or maybe the tachometer? It does not seem long enough to reach either of those areas. The car has a Pertronix rather than points if that matters.

 

[Gary Tayman]

The Volumatic runs to the distributor. You need the original ignition for it to work.

 

[Pink T-Bird]

Thanks as always Gary. I can go pick up a set of points and condenser tomorrow. Does this lead run to the coil (-) terminal to pick up the rpm? Or is there a special connector and circuit under the distributor cap? Will I need a shielded lead to extend this wire to the distributor or will any copper wire work?

 

[Ward 57]

I believe it goes onto the negative terminal of the coil. No, just a wire will not work. There is a resistor or something in a cardboard cover to regulate something. I. sure somebody else knows the exact reason. The correct wire is available from multiple suppliers.

 

[Pink T-Bird]

I believe it goes onto the negative terminal of the coil. No, just a wire will not work. There is a resistor or something in a cardboard cover to regulate something. I. sure somebody else knows the exact reason. The correct wire is available from multiple suppliers.

Just to finish off this thread - I forgot to come back here and read what it said.

I connected the volumatic reproduction cable assembly without first changing my ignition from Pertronix back to points & condenster. Fried the radio immediately - no output, nothing at any of the pushbutton presets, and the signal seek goes forwards and backwards forever but cannot find any station. So Volumatic cannot work with Pertronix.

See the new thread about Radio Repair vs Conversion 😡