Later model Ford 8 track in my 72?

[4sp72mach]

Hi, 

I 've gotten the opportunity to buy an 8 track player of later 70's date.

The guy who sells it claims it didn' t fit his 69 Mustang. Bezel hole was to small.

The part number on it says D8AF-19A168-AA

So the question is, did the radios grow during the 70's making them non compatible backwards?

Will it fit my 1972?

 

[JimB73]

Very likely that it is a different size. The D8 part of the part number would indicate it is from a 1978 Ford but probably not a Mustang as I believe there should be a "Z" in the part number for Mustang model. There were lots of changes on the Ford models during the 70's and parts were changing all the time.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

What is the measurements of the player? I have several can measure and compare.

When you got the AM/8 Track they cut the top out of the radio opening all the way to the chrome edge. AM and AM/FM did not have the larger opening.

Measure the face, total width of the radio, depth and thickness. I have mine out right now can measure.

There is a special bracket on the back of stock AM/ 8 track that slides over a bracket in the back of dash.

Like the one on this AM/FM.

The wiring is also different. Most big cars had rear speakers so there will be connections for the rear speakers also. This AM/FM was out of a big car so has an extra slide bar for the rear speaker balance.

https://ibb.co/D47yRmJ

[/URL]







You will probably have to cut out above the radio.

https://ibb.co/D47yRmJ 

https://ibb.co/D47yRmJ

 

[4sp72mach]

What is the measurements of the player? I have several can measure and compare.

When you got the AM/8 Track they cut the top out of the radio opening all the way to the chrome edge. AM and AM/FM did not have the larger opening.

Measure the face, total width of the radio, depth and thickness. I have mine out right now can measure.

There is a special bracket on the back of stock AM/ 8 track that slides over a bracket in the back of dash.

Like the one on this AM/FM.

The wiring is also different. Most big cars had rear speakers so there will be connections for the rear speakers also. This AM/FM was out of a big car so has an extra slide bar for the rear speaker balance.

https://ibb.co/D47yRmJ

[/URL]







You will probably have to cut out above the radio.



 

 

 


Oh I never realized that the bezel was different with 8 track. That makes it a no go. 


Thought it would be an easy swap..   :-/ 

 


Thanks for the help!

 

[secluff]

4sp72mach, since the AM/FM and AM/FM with tape were more plentiful in the full size Fords. there is a greater chance of  running into one of those for sale vs the Mustang version. The black plastic piece on the front was marginally larger on the tape version so the 71-73 Mustang used a larger radio trim bezel (18842) than the AM or AM/FM version. I have both versions in my parts stash but unfortunately don't have them with me at the time to measure. I can tell you that when placed side by side they are so close you could barley tell them apart.

Will not try to drown you in all the part numbers since the engineering number changed every year but the part number didn't!  The D8AF-19A168-AA is actually a  D4AZ-18806-C. The engineering number changed every year to reflect the current  model year being produced at the time the radio was installed. So D3AF. D4AF, D5AF, D6AF, D7AF,D8AF were all D4AZ-18806-C  radios. It was eventually replaced by E1AZ-18806-D in 1981 and discontinued in 1987.

Ford did use Philco and Motorola radios during the 70's and 80's but your D8AF version is a Philco.

   The 69-70 Mustangs were a little tighter fit in the radio area and did not use a 18842 panel like the 71-73 Mustangs did. So the newer model radio would have been a tough fit for 69-70 Mustang.

If the D8AF radio can be obtained at a decent price you could still try to make it work if you were looking for a close to OE look. You will  end up with a radio that has a front/rear balance, but I have seen them used since the 71-73 Mustang AM/8 Track can be a difficult find!

Good Luck with your project.    

 

[donkost]

Take this with a grain of salt (needs further research), but I seem to recall someone posting in the past that used a AM/FM/8-track from a Mustang II and it fit into the '71 to '73 Mustang opening.

 

[rackerm]

Not to sidetrack the 8 track discussion, but does anybody recall that the predecessor to the 8 track was a 4-track. The 4-track cartridge looked essentially the same as the 8-track but the tape drive wheel was part of the player instead of in the cartridge. The 4-track cartridge had a hole in the case where the wheel should be. When inserting a tape into the player the wheel would flip up into the hole in the case. Apparently, they decided with 8-tracks they could make it more reliable by eliminating one more moving part and incorporate the drive wheel into the cartridge instead of in the player. I have never seen another one of these anywhere. I am wondering if anyone here has?

 

[rackerm]

Here are a few pictures of the mid-70s AM/FM 8-track. The knobs align with the stock 71-73 mustang radio bezel, but as stated earlier they are a bit taller so the top black trip (below the chrome strip) has to be removed from the bezel in order for it to fit. It then looks perfectly stock. There are guys who will retrofit these old radios with more modern internals to make them better than new.

 

[4sp72mach]

Thanks to all of you guys for straitening this out!  ::thumb::

Buying the unit wont be a waste of money then, just need to modify my original am/fm bezel. 

Thanks, Nik