Late 80's ICE

[Jonny TVR]

I want to buy a period cassette radio for my 89 testarossa. I believe that the cars weren't supplied with radios so owners could put their own choices in at the time. Which was the coolest brand/ spec at the time? any suggestions.

[9xxNick]

I've seen Porsche 911s and BMW M5s of the early 90s with Alpine units in. In period, I also had a Panasonic in an E30 which was decent but probably not regarded as the last word in sophistication. All units had tape players which are obsolete in quality terms now of course.

I imagine period units can now be updated for DAB if desired.

[generationx]

It must be the Alpine with the 6 big green square buttons? I had a mate who put them in every car he had, they can control CD changers too. I was a Kenwood man - maybe a good match too as they glowed orange in the dark?

By the way: Testarossa? So cool...

[Getragdogleg]

Phillips was often a hot thing to have back in the 80s, I remember seeing my first Manta GTE in 1986 and the dad of the kid that owned it was showing off his car and the upgraded Phillips radio cassette an ac650.

[bunchofkeys]

Late 80's AudioLine, from the Book of Dreams, for the win!

[Rozzers]

In period the best cars would have Alpine or Nakamichi if fitted post production.

Most brands did good high end products, but the two above never made any really cheap kit.

[Reciprocating mass]

[Getragdogleg]

Rozzers said:

In period the best cars would have Alpine or Nakamichi if fitted post production.

Most brands did good high end products, but the two above never made any really cheap kit.

Alpine is a good shout, I tend to associate them with more 90s high end stuff though, certainly aftermarket. I remember the days of the huge "Alpine" sticker in the back of the boy racer Novas !

If you want some fun while researching this you could watch some of the periods Bond films, the cars often featured (product placement) aftermarket stereos. Sometimes even closeups so they could show it operating a gadget (really show you the product).

[Jonny TVR]

Thanks guys.

I like the look of this one but it seems a bit pricey.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-1990s-Alpine-72...

It has to be cassette rather than CD as the testarossa has tape storage in the centre console

Edited by Jonny TVR on Wednesday 18th November 14:00

[generationx]

That's the kind of thing. If you select the right one you can get the Alpine 6-CD changer and hide it somewhere like behind a seat or in the luggage area. Perfect 80s/90s action!

[Yertis]

Wouldn’t it be a Blaupunkt of some sort at that time? Not cheap now either. Blaupunkt, or at least whoever owns that brand now, have brought out a unit visually nearly identical to the ‘famous’ 1980s Toronto unit, but fitted out with modern gubbins to play mp3, DAB etc, about £350 I think.

[Jonny TVR]

I still have a CD changer in my 2003 range rover and remember them from many other cars. With the testarossa I will just stick with the head unit.

[Jonny TVR]

I don't really want an updated one with all sorts of compatibility. I want a genuine old one that will play some old tapes that is appropriate for my testarossa

Edited by Jonny TVR on Wednesday 18th November 14:43

[Getragdogleg]

Of course, if you wanted to be really extravagant you could track down a period correct Becker radio/tape player.

They were high end and expensive even then.

[Dapster]

Rozzers said:

In period the best cars would have Alpine or Nakamichi if fitted post production.

Most brands did good high end products, but the two above never made any really cheap kit.

I can't find an original UK price list but a quick swizz on the web shows that the brochure cars (LHD market, probably Italian spec) had Alpine units. I can see from his vid that Harry Metcalf has a Nakamichi single CD unit in his one.





I'm pretty sure that UK Ferrari's came with a head unit fitted.

Mercedes, Porsche and BMW required you to stick your hand in your pocket and Blaupunkt and Becker were the no 1 choice for them.

[Jonny TVR]

Thanks.

Mine has an alpine CD head unit that may have been fitted from new. I believe that you or the dealer had to order one to be fitted and it wasn't an option. May be wrong. Probably a good alpine cassette unit would be best

[Scrump]

Nakamichi

[Dapster]

Just checked a Mercedes price list from 1991. A Becker single disc CD player head unit was a £3,100 extra. In 1991!! That's nearly 7 grand inflation adjusted and more than a 3rd of the price of a new Merc 190!

[2172cc]

The earlier Boxer usually had a Pioneer radio cassette fitted like this with a graphic equaliser

but that style maybe a touch outdated for your Testarossa.
The F1 team was sponsored by Pioneer in 1991

so would have thought something from their range at that time would have been more appropriate

[AMGSee55]

This looks better value...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Old-School-Alpi...