1972 442 radio options

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Old Mar 6, 2024 | 09:02 PM
  #1  
woodeye3's Avatar
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From: WI
1972 442 radio options

I'm looking for some advice about what options there are for a radio that looks OEM but has some features like todays radio. BT' USB etc.
I found one that's pretty expensive, $700, I'm wondering if any one has had any experience.
Also is there a way to get better reception than what the windshield antenna produces.
Thanks'
Old Mar 6, 2024 | 09:18 PM
  #2  
woodeye3's Avatar
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Should have read 442. sorry It was dark where I was typing
Old Mar 7, 2024 | 06:01 AM
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Do some googling. You'll find things for much less than $700, depending on what features you want. Here's a couple of options from Crutchfield. They have more at their website. I'm sure Amazon has options as well.

Regarding the antenna, I would put the radio in first and see how well it does with the existing antenna before installing anything new. If you end up using a bluetooth or USB connection to listen to music on your phone or by satellite, you won't use the antenna much, anyway.




Old Mar 7, 2024 | 06:11 AM
  #4  
Olds64's Avatar
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Have you considered installing a modern radio in the glovebox or under the dash. That's what I did in my 71 98.

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...1-98-a-112090/
Old Mar 7, 2024 | 06:26 AM
  #5  
70sgeek's Avatar
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I have the Retrosound Laguna in my dash along with an Alpine KT-445U amp mounted in the glovebox - excellent combination, especially if you spring for a quality speaker combination (I have Alpine coaxial R2-S625 in a pair of repro speaker-enclosure kick panels and Morel Ultra 5.25" coaxials in my convertible armrest panels).

Antique Auto Radio also makes a retro-look bluetooth stereo unit which mimics the original Oldsmobile radio appearance - nice piece but really pricey and it doesn't sound as good as the Retrosound (in my opinion, I've tried it). Here's a pic of the AAR unit below. Current price via Classic Car Stereos site is $865 but possibly lower elsewhere if you search the web.


Last edited by 70sgeek; Mar 7, 2024 at 06:29 AM.
Old Mar 7, 2024 | 10:57 AM
  #6  
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I have this one, it ran around 650. It looks stock but has the features you want BT, answer phone, has aux in, and I think an amp option. I just wanted a stock appearing radio that could do BT so on the occasion I’m not listening to the exhaust, I could have some tunes. It’s also great for hands free phone calls.

if stock appearing is not a requirement, as mentioned above, there are some great aftermarket’s that fit or do the suggested remote mount of a modern unit.

I reserve my serious sounds for my daily drivers. The exhaust is my favorite tune in this car 🤪


Old Mar 7, 2024 | 12:02 PM
  #7  
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If you have a good working radio (AM or AM/FM), you can add an auxillary input pretty easily. Here is a thread I made when I did this to the radio for my hardtop.
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-radio-161300/
At this point, I pretty much only listen to Amazon music through my phone, so I plug a bluetooth reciever into the 1/8 audio jack to play my phone through the factory radio.
I have done this in pretty much all of my cars at this point:

68 Toronado - factory FM stereo
72 holiday coupe - Factory FM stereo
66 chevelle convertible (red one) - factory FM radio
66 chevelle convertible (turquiose one - still restoring) - factory FM radio
64 chevelle wagon - ractory AM radio
64 Impala - factory AM radio
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