Radiomobile 500T

[richard btype]

Is anyone familiar with the Radiomobile 500T model? it comes with a small amplifier as well as the radio head. The amplifier appears to sit directly on top of the radio unit but it does not appear to me that there is sufficient room below the dash to accept this? :?

[cactusman]

Not seen a 500T but like many radios of the time the amp module connects to the main radio via a lead and plug. You can usuqlly unbolt the amp from the main radio and locate it below in the space between the gearbox tunnel and bottom of the radio proper. If left on top it might foul the cgar ash tray. You might be lucky though and have enough space.
Note that it is for positive earth cars. Connect to negative earth and you have a dead radio. It is hybrid with valves in the radio and germanium transistors in the amp. You can still source the valves but the germanium transistors will be hard to come by....trust me as a valve amp enthusiast I know.

[budmarston@aol.com]

I will use a 500T radio in my positive-ground 1961 E-type.

As we know, the 500T is one of only two 'Optional Extra' radios listed in the J30 spare parts publication, so clearly sufficient room must available to install it.

You might want to contact Tadpole Radio in Great Britain. Tadpole restored my 500T may be able to provide some additional insight on the use of a 500T in the E-type.

[richard btype]

Julian

You are correct about lead and plug and fortunately all is working ok.

Budmarston, do I gather you have yet to fit the radio following repair?
it is the fitting layout that I'm trying to work out - the speaker/radio housing is correct and has the correct mounting brackets in place, it is where to place the amplifier that is the taxing part, from all I've seen so far it sits onto of the radio and requires 60mm space and that is without wriggle room, seems like there is under 40mm when taking into account the soft rubber hose...

[budmarston@aol.com]

My 500t has not yet been fitted. Will be installed several months from now. A professional restoration facility will do the work.

Sorry!

[Fixed Head]

Richard, the amplifier unit is mounted remotely, not on the radio itself, though exact location may have varied. On my very early LHD OTS the amplifier for the original Smiths Radiomobile is mounted on the floor under the forward lip of the driver's seat(!) in front of the small crossmember. This is a well-preserved unrestored car with original interior, and this amplifier location has not been changed by anyone. -Mark

[richard btype]

Mark

That makes more sense, however the leads I have would not be long enough . However that aside, the important part is that the amplifier was not sitting above the radio as there just isn't enough space and so will look for an alternative location.

Thankyou most helpful

[andrewh]

on my original radio fitted to the car when I got it, the unit was "His Master Voice" which I believe was a former name of Radiomobile. The amp was behind the drivers seat with a speaker, just left in the luggage space (FHC). Car supplied by Henleys London through a satellite dealer in south London called Coombe Bridge Garage. I don't know whether it came from the factory like that or was a dealer fit.

[richard btype]

I love these quiz type questions!

I guess the only way one would know is whether the radio was mentioned on the original sales invoice? but I suppose the invoice would have been raised by the dealer so could still have been a dealer fit.

Or how were the dealer to factory orders made, are there any in existence, they would be a fascinating discovery?

One needs to be able to speak to an original employee - I wonder whether Norman Dewis would know?.

At that time Radios were not a regular installation and one can see this from the number of cars available with the radio aperture uncut. Also that lovely USA Opalescant Dark Blue FHC sold by Etype UK had a radio fitted with the Jaguar logo and I've never seen such a radio before or since, if anything that might have been a Jaguar factory fit - pure speculation of course?

What did you do with your His Master Voice (my own is also HMV) package Andrew? sounds as if it didn't get refitted? but the location position sounds a better one than ahead of the seat cross member - but that car was an OTS so of course would not have had the storage unit available...

[bopperd]

My car, 876024, was factory equipped with a Radiomobile 600T radio. The benefit of this model is that no external amplifier is required - the power output section is self-contained. The 600, 600T, and 602 sometimes come up for sale on eBay. It is cosmetically very close to the 500T, and if you wanted to be particularly devious the faceplates are likely interchangeable.
Ray McPhail owns 875343 and his Canadian car was equipped with an AutoAire radio, a two-piece affair with separate power amp. I know the power amp was installed under the dash next to, or behind, the glovebox. I will be visiting him and his car in a week or so and I will try to take photos of the power amp installation. I believe that any power amp mounted on the floor or behind a seat was put there by an impatient installer and not by the factory.

Cheers,
Dave

[Fixed Head]

Dave, don't be so quick to dismiss the underseat amplifier as non-factory or the product of a sloppy installer, there is precedent for this and behind the seat Radiomobile amplifier installation in other jaguar models. And while the location of Ray's (non-factory) AutoAire amp unit may offer suggestions for a modern restoration, it says absolutely nothing about where Jaguar might have mounted an original Radiomobile amplifier in 1961. -Mark

[bopperd]

Mark,
I have no experience with radio installations on other Jaguar models, and my comments are directed only at an e-type installation. You yourself seem to be somewhat alarmed at the power amp being installed on the floor in front of the driver's seat in your car. I can't think of a more hostile environment for any electronic device. If it was installed there by the factory, I can well imagine that they thought better of this practice later on.
I am perfectly willing to concede that Ray's AutoAire radio, while European-made, was probably installed by the dealer in Ontario. I bring it up only to show that installing the power amp under the dash somewhere can be done. I also believe that Jaguar must have supplied some sort of installation instructions for two-part radios to dealers who were required to install them, since they had never before even seen these cars. If that is true, then it makes sense that recommendations on power amp placement were common to all dealers, and based on the experience of factory technicians. Richard is stating that the short length of the wiring connecting the power amp to the head suggests that the power amp, in his car anyhow, was installed somewhere near the head.
I will not argue your conviction that the placement of the amp in your car was done by the factory. I happen to think that's a bad place to put it, and believe that on Richard's car it was originally under the dash - somewhere. It would be wonderful if someone located factory instructions to dealers on how these radios should be installed.

[richard btype]

How marvellous would that be to find a Jaguar instruction leaflet - if such a thing exists!

The 500T unit I purchased on the well known auction site so there is no proof this came out of an e type, therefore the short lead is no indication on position.

In fact I spoke with CMC about this and they mentioned that for example on Mk 2's the amplifier was mounted in the boot, so I have decided to explore the most suitable practical location and the thoughts that have so far come to mind: 1) above the footwell, against the bulkhead on the passenger side, 2) in the storage section behind the seats, 3) to the right of the spare wheel.

with no 3 being the most favoured option by extending the connector, speaker and power cables.

I see no value in trying to shoe horn below the dash (outside chance) as it is difficult enough to fit the centre console with just a radio fitted and it is so easy to mark the vynide during the process.

Apparently, back in the day the owners could be caught out with this Valve/transistor unit if for example they stopped to take a picnic with the radio playing in the background. They drew so much current through the valves that the battery would go flat in a very short time! and no mobile phone to call for help?

I don't know if anyone has tried to re paint their metal casing? but the colour looks suspiciously like 'army green' which is the colour the paint shop thought also.

[Heuer]

As far as I am aware no radios were fitted at the Factory (maybe some by special request or customer collecting car from Browns Lane) hence the following SB:




You may be able to figure out where the two part radio went by referencing the parts list but as it was a Dealer fit the location would have been down to the individual service department. Note the amplifier unit had a bracket #8489 and a cover #8511 suggesting it was visible or easily accessed from the passenger compartment.

[Fixed Head]

You do all realize, don't you, that when the Service Bulletin refers to trimming felt from under and behind the heat sink, and possibly trimming the carpet, that they are talking about an underseat amplifier location. There is a very large heat sink across the top of the amp (see photo on the fourth page of the factory fit thread,) not on the "control unit" itself.

[richard btype]

Personally I did appreciate it is the amp that would heat, and hence why the void to the right of the spare wheel would be a good prospect as on my car there is no felt etc..

Thanks for finding that bulletin David - although I do now have the disc have yet been unable to open it!

[JD-JAG66]

Can somebody confirm whether the big "spades" on the rear of the amplifier. One with 6-12V written next to it, the other one with an earth symbol, need some wiring attached?
I cannot find back any wiring that would need to be attached....but then I have been known to be wrong.
Tried to insert an image... couldn't succeed... sorry.

[richard btype]

Just as my closure as to where to fit the amplifier, I found a nice space just below the glove compartment in the dashboard, after removing the millboard there was just enough space and avoided the need to lose cabling behind the upholstery from the front to the rear of the car (with my original intention) to install in the spare wheel well.

[bopperd]

I agree that behind the glove box is a much better location than under the seat or in the boot. That is precisely where the amp for the Autoaire radio in 875343 was installed.