Please help! I need some technical assistance with a 1964 full size Olds factory AM/FM. Is this radio stereo or mono? I have the ability to purchase an AM/FM radio factory radio. Are these AM/FM radios exactly the same for 63 and 64, if not what's different? Besides the radio ***** looking different for 63 and 64 are they interchangeable? My 63 Dynamic 88 has a factory AM radio, is the plug in the back of my radio the same as the AM/FM If not, what would I do to make it work correctly? I really don't want to alter my car by cutting wires. And last, what is the off-white wire running along the right side of both radios with a plug at the end of it? Is it for the rear speaker? I don't know because my AM radio doesn't have a speaker in the back of the car. I would appreciate the help. thank you, Anthony

 

It would be mono. Theoretically, your radio plug should be a radio power, a ground, and the front speaker out. This should stay constant. All Olds radios of those years were wired for two speakers. The speaker out is actually behind the tuning **** and is jumpered to just the front speaker unless you have the fader **** known as the biphonic rear. It was a potientiometer between the front and rear outputs, which that extra wire is. Pull your AM radio and make sure the FM has the same harness and physical size. I forget if that was a model change year.

Should be a bracket in the back, and two nuts over the shafts in the front. And the harness.

 

Koda, thank you for getting back with me so quickly. I just took a look at the radio under the dash. The back of the radio has 3 male prongs. The plug only has 2 wires going into it. It has a green wire to 12V for power. Next is a single white wire going to the speaker, I am assuming the speaker is grounded by the metal dash. and the 3rd space on the plug doesn't have anything in it but the paper tag on the radio says ground in that area but the plug has nothing in it. The wire that you are talking about that is behind the tuning **** is that the one that I said runs down the entire right side of the radio starting at the front of the radio and it's white and has a female plug? Could that be the rear speaker wire/plug?
I have a 1963 Oldsmobile accessory pamphlet that I am looking at right now. In it they offered 3 radios. First AM/FM radio. Second is a "Super Deluxe AM Radio" and that is a Wonder Bar and third is a "Deluxe Radio". The Deluxe Radio is the one in my car. It does not have front/rear fader on the tuning ****. I wish I knew how to send you a picture, but this site is a little difficult to navigate thru. I'm looking for a paper clip but can't find one. Anthony

 

Could be the radio is grounded elsewhere. Yes, that side wire is rear speaker. So, to insert a picture, hit the little button that has a couple mountain peaks at the bottom and the sun in the top left. If you hover over it, it will say upload. It will allow you to attach pictures.

 

If you don't see a ground wire wouldn't the ground be the metal dash to power the radio? When I add a rear speaker to this radio would that one wire go to the speaker (that's the wire with the plug coming out of the side of the tuner of the radio) that we are talking about and there won't be a ground wire, (like the front speaker, no ground wire) the ground is the speaker mounted to the sheet metal of the car like the front speaker. Since there isn't a fader ****, I am to believe the sound would be equal providing the speakers are the same and there will be no adjust. front to back. Let me know if what I just said is incorrect. I'm attaching a picture of the 3 radios in my accessory booklet. Thank for showing me how to attach pictures on this site and thank you for all your help. Greatly appreciated.

I'll have the guy who's selling the AM/FM radio send me a close-up picture of the back of the radio where it plugs in to get a better idea what's going on.

 

You've got most all of it.

The speaker thing, there is ONE output on the radio, and it's a hole in between two others vertically. There is a C shaped jumper connecting it to the output on the back. The output on the side is disconnected on both ends, at the front, and it's not plugged into anything. You can, for *****, connect the jumper to the other speaker wire, I've done that on the bench, and then it works, and the main one does not.

I do not know what difference connecting them does compared to using the biphonic adapter in terms of volume or impedance. There may be a resistor in that adapter. However, connecting them at the front would be the same as splitting the single plug at the back off to two speakers. Those biphonic things are easily found, I recommend you use one. Chances are, you will want to up the back speaker a bit and you won't know that until you are in the car.

 

The factory radios and speakers grounded through the body. There is no separate ground wire. Stereo was not an option in 1964. There was an optional rear speaker and optional reverb (the prehistoric precursor to stereo). The rear speaker had a fader rheostat that was installed on the LH ****.

 

Joe, thank you for getting back with me. Thank you for clearing that question up on the radio ground. That's what I thought because I followed the 1 wire saying speaker in the back of the radio to the speaker itself and there were no other wires going to the speaker. Koda has been helping me understand this also. My radio is a deluxe Radio. Olds offered 3 radios at that time. AM/FM Radio, AM Super Deluxe with wonder bar and the radio I have, a Deluxe Radio. The Super Deluxe radio is the only radio with the control on the tuner **** with the speaker front/rear control. I am looking to buy the AM/FM radio that's listed on eBay. I DO NOT want to alter my car in any way if possible by cutting wires to fit this AM/FM radio. Is that possible? I am also looking to possibly do a radio conversion. What is you opinion on that. The AM/FM on eBay doesn't work and need a total overhaul anyway. If I do a conversion, I will have to buy 4-ohm speakers because I've been told the 10-ohm speakers that my radio was designed for won't work with the conversion. Are the 1963 Oldsmobile radios the same ad the 1964 radios besides the radio ***** and are those **** interchangeable. Joe, when you get a chance can you please take a look at the texts Koda and I have been exchanging. This way you will know more about what I am trying to accomplish. Thank you for all your help.

 

Hello, Koda. I am having trouble understanding what you are saying in your last text. It went over my head. I believe you said if I hook up that rear speaker wire (the wire with the connector running along the right side of the radio from the tuner ****, the front speaker will no longer work the rear will work alone. Then you mentioned a Biophonic adaptor. Are there different compacity Biophonic controls? Is that a rheostat with a control. I don't know what wire that would be attached to. I don't understand what or where the "C shaped jumper is connecting to the output on the back. Please speak in layman terms. I know very little about electronics. Joe Padavano is also trying to help me. When you have time, please take a look at the text between Joe and myself. Koda, thanks again for all your help, Anthony
PS: Attached is an eBay listing of a radio similar to mine.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/20445625961...nc%3AAQAJAAAA0

 

Joe attached is a radio similar to mine. Thanks

https://www.ebay.com/itm/20445625961...nc%3AAQAJAAAA0

 

Ok, so at the front of the radio is three holes. The blue hole is where the speaker signal comes out. From the factory, there is a metal jumper between the blue hole and the green hole, it is red in my picture. The green hole is connected to a wire that goes back to the main plug. The white hole goes to the rear speaker wire. It is normally not plugged in.

If you get a biphonic adaptor like seen here, it plugs into all three holes and splits the blue signal to white and to green and allows you to adjust it.

 

Do you have a "fader" on your old AM radio?
If you do, it can be swapped on to your new AM/FM radio.
The 1963 and 1964 radios were identical, except for the *****.

 

OK, thank you I finally understand. That Biophonic Adaptor is specifically made by Oldsmobile for that radio to have the ability to adjust the volume between the front and rear speakers. Like you were telling me all those radios have the ability to have the fader for front to rear speakers. And that off white wire with the connector running from the front of the tuner **** along the right-side to the back of the radio is the rear speaker wire. My last question is, can I up pick one of these Biophonic Adaptors used or do you recommend buying only NOS. Koda, I want to thank you for all the time you spent helping me and thank you for that valuable education. If you didn't have the pictures along with the text, I never would have understood. The whole thing that makes it work is the Biophonic Adaptor. Anthony

 

I may have a " biophonic adapter " in my stash.
I will look in my shop this afternoon, and let you know.

 

Thank you, Charlie, the only thing is it needs to be from a full size1963. The 63 & 64 **** look very different as you know. The chrome **** with black writing needs to be in excellent condition. The chrome face of my radio is perfect If not, there are a couple of Biophonic Adaptors NOS for sale on eBay. Thank you for getting back with me. Looking forward to hearing back from you as to if you have one in great condition. Thanks, Charlie, Anthony

 

I looked today, but there isn't one on my old AM radio. Thought there was.
If you can grab an NOS one off E-Bay, do so.
This is a good one;
NOS 1963 OLDSMOBILE SUPER 88 98 DELCO RADIO REAR SPEAKER FADER CONTROL 7282054 | eBay

This part will fit 63 & 64.
The **** is a separate part.