Wonderbar repair

[ncwitte]

I have a Wonderbar radio for my '63 98 that I'd like to get overhauled. A Google search reveals a slew of guys doing these radios. I'm interested in finding out whether anyone out there has any recommendations. In particular, who did you use? Were you satisfied with their service? How quickly did they get the radio done? Were their prices reasonable? What was included, and what was not included? Any surprises?

Thanks in advance.

[Texascarnut]

Originally Posted by ncwitte

I have a Wonderbar radio for my '63 98 that I'd like to get overhauled. A Google search reveals a slew of guys doing these radios. I'm interested in finding out whether anyone out there has any recommendations. In particular, who did you use? Were you satisfied with their service? How quickly did they get the radio done? Were their prices reasonable? What was included, and what was not included? Any surprises?

Thanks in advance.

Went through the same search about 4 years ago for the radio in one of my '62 Starfires, which is still working. Finally decided with there really being little on AM radio these days I wanted to listen to I dropped the idea and stuffed an AM/FM receiver in the glove box and split the antenna lead so both radios can function from the antenna. Did the same with the speaker wiring. One of these days I may upgrade on that idea with a radio with an MP3 player adapter or possibly just feed the existing AM/FM with a Satellite Radio receiver.

[ncwitte]

It's funny; when I am driving my Firebird, I'm fine with Chris Cornell or Alien Ant Farm or whatever, but when I am driving the 98, I kinda like the golden oldies station, and I like how it sounds on the Wonderbar with the factory speaker. What's wierder is that my kids are getting to be the same way.

Anyway, I want the radio to work really well. It's a compulsion with me.

[Texascarnut]

Originally Posted by ncwitte

It's funny; when I am driving my Firebird, I'm fine with Chris Cornell or Alien Ant Farm or whatever, but when I am driving the 98, I kinda like the golden oldies station, and I like how it sounds on the Wonderbar with the factory speaker. What's wierder is that my kids are getting to be the same way.

Anyway, I want the radio to work really well. It's a compulsion with me.

Hey that's not weird. My kids in their mid twenties would rather listen to the oldies from the '50s and '60s than the tripe on most radio stations these days. One is even somewhat hung up on big band music of the '30s and '40s. Beyond that, there is something that is just "Right" about driving a vintage car with the music of its era playing through the radio (or something).

I don't have a manual on the radios in '63 Oldsmobiles, but I think they are 100% transistor and not much to go wrong unless it just goes 100% dead from a power transistor failing. If it doesn't sound right it might be the speakers need new cones. There are people who rebuild old speakers. Age, heat, dust, and insects can tend to make a mess out of speaker sound quality.

[rocketraider]

An AM-FM radio is a better investment than fixing a Wonderbar, but that's me. We have a good local AM oldies station, but you get 15 miles out of the city AM radio here is gospel, talk and sports, none of which I can stand for very long.

63 was first year for Olds AM-FM and 63-64 radios are identical except the knobs. They're not common as dirt, but they're not complete unobtainium either. Have the front and rear speakers reconed (we've been using a guy in Jackson MI) and use a factory reverb system and you'll enjoy your car.

[ncwitte]

I've thought about used replacements, changes from factory, and so on, but I've decided that what I want most is to have my original AM Wonderbar radio working perfectly. I have an FM converter so if I want FM I have it, but I like the Wonderbar. I like telling my kids' friends that it has motion-controlled tuning, then wave my hand at the radio while I hit the foot button and watch their eyes turn into dinner plates. Usually I can get them flailing at the radio (it's old so it's a bit finicky, you know). Anyway, I want to use that radio, and I want it working perfectly.

No used radio is going to work any better than mine. Capacitors dry out, and these parts just age and need to be repaired or replaced.

I think I am going to use this guy. He sounds like a cranky jerk, but he seems to know his stuff.

http://www.wonderbarman.com/

I am interested in finding more about the person who does reconing in Jackson, since that's pretty close to me. Who is that?

[ncwitte]

Originally Posted by rocketraider

An AM-FM radio is a better investment than fixing a Wonderbar, but that's me. We have a good local AM oldies station, but you get 15 miles out of the city AM radio here is gospel, talk and sports, none of which I can stand for very long.

63 was first year for Olds AM-FM and 63-64 radios are identical except the knobs. They're not common as dirt, but they're not complete unobtainium either. Have the front and rear speakers reconed (we've been using a guy in Jackson MI) and use a factory reverb system and you'll enjoy your car.

One other question: where can I find the factory reverb? That does seem to be unobtanium. I can't even find anything in the dealer facts book, shop manual or owners manual about it.

[Oldsfan]

The Reverb option may have only come out in '64. I dunno - I sold all my '63 and '64 reference materials. But if you can't find it in your stuff, then it probably wan't available in '63 (at least at the start of production). But I'm sure it would all interchange - if you could find it.

In response to an earlier comment about transistors. I don't know what newer Wonderbars are like, but my '62 has tubes. The standard radio that year was all transistor, but they still had tubes in the Wonderbar. I had a '63 Wonderbar that I stole a part out of, but I forget if it had tubes or not.

Paul

[hialeah56]

You guys would probably hate this, but I took the og radio out of my 56 and gutted it out. Then bought a regular two knob digital radio bought on ebay for about $6 stripped it off its case and inserted it in the 56s radio case. Works like a champ only thing is you have to make sure the the tunning knob is also the am/fm switch when pressed in(not all two knobs are like this) and that if you want your push buttons to work you have to get a little creative . BTW I do have another stock radio.

[hialeah56]

also just upgrade to a wonderbar face

[ncwitte]

Originally Posted by Oldsfan

The Reverb option may have only come out in '64. I dunno - I sold all my '63 and '64 reference materials. But if you can't find it in your stuff, then it probably wan't available in '63 (at least at the start of production). But I'm sure it would all interchange - if you could find it.

In response to an earlier comment about transistors. I don't know what newer Wonderbars are like, but my '62 has tubes. The standard radio that year was all transistor, but they still had tubes in the Wonderbar. I had a '63 Wonderbar that I stole a part out of, but I forget if it had tubes or not.

Paul

"Except for a rectifier tube in the signal-seeker circuit, the radio is now fully transistorized for instant reception and long life." So says the '63 Facts Book. That's consistent with your '62 being a tube unit.

[Starfire61]

The place is called Jackson Speaker Service. I used them to rebuild the speakers on my '62 Starfire & they did a great job.

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/...ed/645654.html

I almost used that Wonderbar guy, but the more time I spent reading his site, the more I thought he sounded like the Unibomber.

Instead, I used Barry Dalton, the Antique Radio Doctor. He's done a couple of radios for me.
He's a super-nice fellow, has reasonable rates, & a very fast turnaround. He's in OR. Drop him a line when you have a chance:
radiodoc@rvi.net

Chuck

[ncwitte]

Originally Posted by Starfire61

I almost used that Wonderbar guy, but the more time I spent reading his site, the more I thought he sounded like the Unibomber.

Ok, now I'm rolling on the floor. Maybe I just like abuse, but I agree that he seems to have an attitude. Also, I can't stand websites that play MIDIs.

Thanks for the recommendation. I will check Barry out. I'd rather not have to put up with the delay and ranting if I can avoid it.

Norm

[rocketraider]

Pretty sure Verb-A-Phonic was available in 63 since I've pulled a couple of them out of 1963 cars. May have been a late-year option like power locks in 64.

If you decide to keep the WB, try to find yourself a Sam's Photofact service guide. Photocopy it and send it with the radio to the repair shop; that way you/they know they have the correct service info.

I "inherited" a 66 98 LS with a cantankerous Wonderbar that would not lock onto any stations and would quit seeking only if you shut the ignition off. Between that and the power trunk, my teenage friends could always find something to screw with on that car.

[ncwitte]

Originally Posted by rocketraider

Pretty sure Verb-A-Phonic was available in 63 since I've pulled a couple of them out of 1963 cars. May have been a late-year option like power locks in 64.

I thought that, too. Of course finding such a unit is probably a bit of a challenge. I assume I would be looking for a switch, an amplifier, and a bunch of wire?