Modern radio conversion review - Aurora Design

[Dan Szwarc]

A typical Radio restoration for AM/FM for a 60s Lincoln is $450+ just to clean and refurbish. Converting to modern guts for the same price is probably a wiser decision.

[LincolnShire]

Barry finds the schematic for the original system and works from there. Again, shown in the YouTube video of my unit refurb/upgrade.

[kdtbird]

Just to let everyone know I contacted Gary Tayman. I have a 76 Mark IV with the quadraphonic 8 track. This conversion won't work for a quadraphonic system. It is 2 channel stereo only.

[burnski]

Nice. I picked up a RetroSound radio and modified my original 64 radio to put the new guts into the old chassis. It looks like the OEM radio when its off, then when I turn it on it lights up from behind. Check out my build here: http://www.thelincolnforum.net/phpbb3/v ... =2&t=50680

[LithiumCobalt]

Miraculously, the Town&Country feature started working and worked flawlessly all the way to and from the Annual Lincoln Homecoming at Hickory Corners, so I dunno. Still planning to send back for him to add Bluetooth so will have him adjust at that time if needed.

[siglumous]

Here's an update on my Aurora conversion project. Like Nick, I had researched various options for upgrading the audio in my two '69 sedans and landed on the Aurora product. I liked the idea of upgraded audio with the ability to connect to bluetooth, USB, or regular old RCA connectors, and keep the original look. Rick's Radio Conversion was the nearest Aurora dealer to me (about 150 miles) so I decided to use him. Rick was fantastic: communicative, responsive, helpful for any questions/concerns I had, and did a great job.

It was a real education for me, just like many of these projects. Here are some things to pass along that I learned about the audio options available in a '69 Lincoln.

There were four main radio options on 1969, with a further option of adding 8 track tape to three of them, as listed here:

1) AM Mono Radio. The radio unit has an integrated power antenna switch, a front/rear fader control, and a bass/treble control knob. There is one front speaker (mounted in the center/top of the dash) and two rear 4x10" speakers (mounted in the left and right side of the rear package tray).
2) AM/FM Signal-Seeking Mono Radio. The radio unit has an integrated power antenna switch, a front/rear fader control, and a bass/treble control knob. There is one front speaker (mounted in the center/top of the dash) and two rear 4x10" speakers (mounted in the left and right side of the rear package tray). Interestingly, the FM was NOT stereo!
3) AM/FM Signal-Seeking Radio with Tunnel-Mounted Stereo Reception Adapter. The radio unit has an integrated power antenna switch and a bass/treble control knob. The adapter converts the FM signal to stereo and provides left/right balance and front/rear fader controls for the speakers. There are four speakers--two 5.25" in the front kick panels and two 4x10" in the rear package tray.
4) AM Mono Radio/Stereo-Sonic 8Track Tape System. The radio unit has an integrated left/right balance and a bass/treble control knob. There is a separate antenna switch which is located at the middle of the dash near the map light, just above the main ashtray. There is also a separate front/rear fader switch mounted under the driver's lower dash, by the knees (you'd have to know it is there as it’s a tiny little knob that is not visible). There are four speakers--two 5.25" in the front kick panels and two 4x10" in the rear package tray.. .
5) On top of all of that there was a Stereo-Sonic 8Track Tape System option, which I believe was only dealer installed. Could be wrong on that—may have been available from the factory too. It was a unit that was mounted on the transmission tunnel, just under the main ash tray. Not sure how any speaker configurations worked with this one and if the dealer would add the four speakers if the base unit didn't already have it.

There were two speaker configurations available from the factory: the 4-speaker setup (for the stereo configurations) or the 3-speaker setup (for the mono configurations). The factory wiring diagrams show these as two separate wiring harnesses that would have been installed during production. Most cars came with the 3-speaker wiring harness. Depending on the radio option, there may have been further special wiring required: a harness to handle the tunnel mount system (for options #3 and #5 above), the fader switch for the AM/8Track system (for #4 above), and the antenna switch for the AM/8Track (for #4 above).

After researching all that, it seems overly complicated. I think it has to do with the fact that the ’69 was the end of the model run. Lincoln was trying to be competitive by adding features without making significant changes to components that were being end-of-lifed, while waiting the major 1970 remodel. Plus the stereo adapter unit and wiring are not covered in the standard wiring diagrams.

So, back to my project. One of my sedans has the AM/8Track (#4, above) and the other has the AM/FM Signal-Seeking Stereo Radio with Tunnel-Mounted Stereo Reception Adapter (#3, above). Both have the 4-speaker set-up, from the factory.

I got the radios back from Rick last week. I had been expecting to just plug the rebuilt radios right into the original wiring harnesses—plug and play. After trying a few things out, looking at the new wiring coming out of the units, going back and forth to the car, researching on the internet/TLF, looking at the original wiring diagrams, and then going back to talk to Rick, he convinced me to lay new wiring. That sounded terrible at first, but after thinking about it, it's not really that bad (I believe). I wouldn’t have to cut any stock harnesses…but also wouldn’t be using any of the original wiring.

He schooled me on all sorts of ins-and-outs on grounds, power, old wiring, distortion, OHMs, speaker technology, new wiring, informing me that if I used the original factory speaker wiring I would lose 75% of the power and only get about 11 watts, 8 watts RMS, to the speakers, etc. That convinced me to pull new speaker wiring to each of the four speakers (simple). He advised me to carry my radio ground and bring it as close to the battery's ground body mount as possible. He also advised me to get power to the two power leads from their own separate power sources at the fuse link/fuse box (two power leads: one for the new Aurora board and the other for either the relay that operates the T&C on the one unit or the power circuit for the 8Track on the other unit). But I think I'll get power and ground right near the radio even though he advised me otherwise. If there are any issues, I’ll consider the power/ground wiring he recommended.

Rick also shamed me for thinking I could use the original speakers. 50 years old, low tech to begin with, and dried out/useless as he said. So I’m going with identical sized replacements using Kenwood KFC-415C (4x10”) in the rear and Pioneer TS-A1370F (round 5.25”) up front. That way I won’t have to modify anything for the install/mounting.

I’ll provide an update once I receive the speakers and get them installed. If anyone has any advice on what I could/should have done differently, or any errors in my understanding, I'd love to hear about it.

Here are the Youtube videos Rick posted of his work and the radios.
https://youtu.be/JeX12Xd_WRE (this is a mid-fix update that explains some of the T&C fixes)
https://youtu.be/O0OD66bWRK0 
https://youtu.be/bNXyb2POby8

[LithiumCobalt]

A brief word of warning on these conversions to consider....

When I first had this conversion done, I opted not to install Bluetooth. I soon determined that was a mistake given the USB input does not recognize iPhones, only generic types of flash memory. I finally got tired of this and decided to send the radio back to have Bluetooth substituted for the USB function. When Gary called me, he gave me the unfortunate news that the only way he could make the change was to change out the mainboard at a significant additional cost. He went on to explain that when Aurora first came out, the goal was backwards compatibility so that you could potentially swap any new features onto an old board. Well, times have changed and so does technology. Turns out, backwards compatibility is no longer a consideration and advances of new features is way more important (understandable). With that, his initial estimate was that it would be an additional $275 to swap out the main board and then $170 for a Bluetooth add-on. After paying over $600 initially, I thought this was outrageous. He also could not get replacement parts as he orders them as he has a need - no additional inventory - so after the next iteration comes out, the old stuff is apparently no longer available. After he opened up my radio, he realized I indeed had the newer board already so no need to swap it. Moral of the story, get the features you want the first time around because as soon as they decide to go to next iteration, you can't go back. I happened to be lucky that he used the latest board in mine not even a year ago. The cost of technological progress, I suppose.

[TonyC]

Well, it's really cool that someone out there can do a conversion to the old radios and keep them looking original, however costly the job is. I think that, if I had a '68 model, I would probably utilize their services just because of the oddball configuration that makes it impossible to install a later head unit without it looking ghetto. Of course, in such a setup I'd have to buy an old add-on, under-dash cassette player to splice into the radio, which would probably make for a major clutter if the hypothetical car already had a stereo splitter installed.

Frankenstein's dash already makes it difficult to find a head unit that will fit, but not impossible. The one I got off E-Bay last year fits just right; thankfully, the original manufacturer made the shaft adjustments to spread out at just the right span. On top of that, last week I had to take it out because on my trip to Florida I heard a wheel starting to scrape inside, telling me that the cassette mechanism needed attention. I fixed that and also managed to fix a years-long problem with the AM band: I started with trying to adjust the trimmer screw, which did help, but then I ended up having to remove a booster cable I installed some years ago because the cable separated when I took out the antenna cable. That meant plugging the antenna lead directly into the head unit, and when I did, the AM signals came in strong, clear, and with virtually no engine noise. Now I can bring in a Salina AM station even in Manhattan, which was impossible until last week. Now my aftermarket stereo system works perfectly with all its features. It was a lucky break--pun alert!--that I ended up having to remove that booster part when its wires broke; I just wish I had thought about doing that job before I went to Florida.

---Tony

[Steve K]

IMHO conversion of the original head units is too costly when available technology is now so relatively inexpensive and with the source of tunes shifting further and further to streaming vs. any type of storage (tape, cassette, CD, USB, etc).

10 years ago I opted for a hidden audio setup using a Pioneer head unit mounted just under the ashtray (no modification of the car) and used a Y connector for the antenna lead because my original AM/FM radio works very well. I hid a pair of speakers under the dash (which was facilitated when I had the dash out for other repairs, and I used a dremel to cut out the metal under the faux grate on the passenger side of the rear shelf giving me four good speakers in addition to a new speaker in the original speaker position on the dash. Since then I have replaced that head unit with a newer one that is hidden under the seat and has bluetooth so I now can use AM/FM/CD/USB/Bluetooth/Sirrus - and with the bluetooth the ability to stream from my iphone and use all the Apple apps such as hands free calling, navigation etc too.

But as technology and sources of sound on portable devices such as both android and IOS phones etc continues to improve, we are rapidly reaching the point where quality sound can be had with nothing but a couple of duplexed bluetooth soundbars. I did not buy a great one but I did get one that I use in my beater truck. I got it more to play with it and trial it's functionality than anything else. Today, were I feeling the need to upgrade the audio in my Lincoln, a better quality one of those is all I'd use. No wiring to do other than getting 12 volts to it, easy to hide, hand's free phone, and the source goes wherever I go in the form of my iphone. I believe we are in the infancy of modern wireless portable sound. I can listen to virtually anything broadcast on a radio, plus podcasts, talk radio, etc. etc. etc. I listen to a lot of audio books while driving, and it's so cool to be able to let my phone automatically connect to whichever car I'm driving and pick right up where I left off.

One caveat. I have no desire to have a sound system that rattles the fillings in the mouths of people three cars away at a red light. With what I already have, I have more volume and fidelity available than I would ever use and personally I don't think my ear can differentiate a quality difference in the sound from that in guy's cars that have a whole trunk full of subwoofers, amplifiers, and so on. Maybe others can and if that's the goal, then none of my solutions will cut it. I have the truly fabulous Revel Audio w/ Sync 3 sound system in my 2018 Continental that has about a gazillion speakers and at the volume I listen to, I would not pay the price to come anywhere near duplicating what's in the modern car even.

So, I just toss that out there. Want contemporary audio, out of sight, with unlimited sources (including your own tunes library) just install a really nice bluetooth receiver/speaker system in your car. I've even put an echo Dot in the cup holder (fits perfect) so I can control the entire sound system I have by voice control. Pretty cool and WAY less expensive to do than any of those original radio conversions. The one thing that I am watching for is an elegant option for heads up display of the iPhone . They have them, but they are getting better and better and less and less obtrusive. Once added, your phone can competently also replace a built in Navigation system while giving you all the other on screen info you may want (weather, traffic, channel, etc. Think any app brought into play with Siri or Amazon Echo (or it's competitors) with voice and visible in full color in the location on your windshield of your choosing.

So for me, I want my classic car's original radio to work like it did in 1964, and I want all the other bells and whistles in a reasonably priced, easily hidden, and portable accessory system.

My 2 cents and I'm off my soapbox

[LithiumCobalt]

Definitely more than one way to skin a cat. I considered going the radio in the glovebox route, but then thought, I’d be hacking up my glovebox to do it and running all kind of new wiring. The under seat install is an option, but then you’re still running new wiring all over and it’s easily spotted if you’re looking for it. I wanted something that appeared and functioned totally stock. So, for me the only option was converting original unit to modern guts. The originals are all 50+ years old, woefully inadequate technology for today. I learned the hard way that I should have included the Bluetooth option as that opens up endless possibilities with streaming. In a week or so, my radio will arrive back from the shop with that capability. So, in the end, probably the more expensive route, but it all hinges on what your goals are with such an upgrade.

[TonyC]

Well, on a '67, it's just as easy to put in a more-modern aftermarket cassette head unit, as long as the shafts will adjust to 6&1/4" spread. It doesn't even really matter if the head unit has only wiring for two speakers; if the car has a factory stereo setup with the four speakers and fading knob under the dash, a two-channel unit will work perfectly front and back, left and right. Of course, if said head unit has four-speaker setup already built into it, then you can remove and stash the original fader knob. Below is a shot of Frankenstein's current head unit.

Of course, the tricky thing is filling in the gaps in the dash, since aftermarket units will not be quite so fat as the original one which had the antenna buttons built in. But a little craftsmanship, some cardboard, aluminum foil, paint and needle-nose brushes, and Seal-All contact glue can come up with a nice filler solution (again, example below). And, another thing is, converting to a more modern head unit will require either splicing in a separate antenna switch, or replacing the antenna with an aftermarket automatic one if the head unit happens to have a connection for an automatic antenna (most don't, but again, a little craftsmanship with a soldering iron and a test light can remedy that).

---Tony

P.S. If you're really adventurous in being crafty, it's possible to do another conversion to an aftermarket: Night-time backlighting. That is one thing that always bugged me about aftermarket head units--no backlight to plug into the dash lighting. With a bag of miniature 12-volt bulbs that I got from an E-Bay seller, and some spare wiring from a failed rear-defrost setup, I was able to install dash lights into the radio so the dial and the tape compartment light up nice and green with the rest of the dash at night, even with the unit itself off, just like a factory unit. It looks so much better than having just blackness giving the whole dash a lopsided look at night.

[siglumous]

Well, got my Aurora upgraded radios installed in my '69 sedans this past two weekends. New speakers, new speaker wires, and the upgraded units. The only complication was the deeper thickness of the rear speakers which required longer mounting bolts (and a trip to Home Depot). It sounds awesome, looks stock, and uses all the same controls for balance/fader/etc that the original one has, so I'm happy.

The bluetooth integration is perfect--was able to instruct Siri to make a call and was talking away like I do on my 2016 allroad. The radio reception is great. The sound fidelity and power are great. The real kicker was that I able to pop in the Creedence tape on the 8-Track unit and hear that, which probably hasn't been working for over 20 years. I highly recommend an Aurora upgrade to anyone who wants modern circuitry and features with a stock look.

[LithiumCobalt]

Still rocking my Aurora Design converted factory radio. Works perfectly. Aurora apparently has a new board out that has HD radio.

[CaptainDave]

Can someone please identify the wires coming from my stock 1966 AM/8-track? One 3-plug connector has green, red & yellow; the other 3-plug has white, orange & purple; the 2 prong has black & dark blue. There was a thicker black cable that plugged directly into the back of the unit, which I assume was for the antenna. Thanks!

[action]

It isn't easy when you don't show the whole picture. And the year is unknown.

The three wires could be -
Power to the radio only hot when ignition switch is in accessory or on
Power to the lights only hot when headlights are on
Ground?

The other grouping of wires is to speakers.
Left
Right
Front and back

>>>>>>>Action