Subject: Re: [TR] MGA radio

From: Greg Lemon <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 20 Jun 2026 20:48:01 -0500

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> Dave,
No specific information, but some general.  I bought a few old radios like
this on eBay and flea markets over the years.  The survival rate (working)
was surprisingly high, but this one, if in an exposed car is likely DOA.

Sears, course, didn't make their own radios, but manufacturer can often be
tracked down if there is a model number, or better yet made by sticker or
stamp on the unit.

I have not utilized the services of a radio repair shop for old radios like
this, but have looked into it.  Usually the capacitators go, they are
pretty generic and easily replaced.  Rest of the radio internals, like a
modern computer, based on available or swap out does the same thing
components still available.

Cost of fixing may exceed cost of finding equivalent working or already
repaired (lots on eBay, like a lot of stuff old car radios used to be cheap
on eBay, like $15-30 bucks for a nice working one, not so much anymore).

That said I think period correct radios are a great addition to old cars,
testing is simple, there is a power and ground (usually black) and two
speaker wires that are usually joined together or twinned, on a cheap radio
like this polarity to the speaker doesn't make a difference.  Some of these
old radios aren't polarity sensitive, some are, some have a polarity
switch.  If it is in an MGA from long ago pretty safe bet it was in a
non-converted positive ground car. Oh, and the antenna hookup, which has
been universal for a long time.

Hope that is of some help.

Greg Lemon
TR250

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<div dir=3D"auto"><div dir=3D"auto"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><blockquote =
class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid=
;padding-left:1ex"><div lang=3D"EN-US" link=3D"#0563C1" vlink=3D"#954F72" s=
tyle=3D"word-wrap:break-word"><div><p class=3D"MsoNormal">Dave,</p></div></=
div></blockquote></div></div><div dir=3D"auto">No specific information, but=
 some general.=C2=A0 I bought a few old radios like this on eBay and flea m=
arkets over the years.=C2=A0 The survival rate (working) was surprisingly h=
igh, but this one, if in an exposed car is likely DOA.=C2=A0=C2=A0</div><di=
v dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Sears, course, didn&#39;t make t=
heir own radios, but manufacturer can often be tracked down if there is a m=
odel number, or better yet made by sticker or stamp on the unit.</div><div =
dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">I have not utilized the services o=
f a radio repair shop for old radios like this, but have looked into it.=C2=
=A0 Usually the capacitators go, they are pretty generic and easily replace=
d.=C2=A0 Rest of the radio internals, like a modern computer, based on avai=
lable or swap out does the same thing components still available.=C2=A0=C2=
=A0</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Cost of fixing may e=
xceed cost of finding equivalent working or already repaired (lots on eBay,=
 like a lot of stuff old car radios used to be cheap on eBay, like $15-30 b=
ucks for a nice working one, not so much anymore).</div><div dir=3D"auto"><=
br></div><div dir=3D"auto">That said I think period correct radios are a gr=
eat addition to old cars, testing is simple, there is a power and ground (u=
sually black) and two speaker wires that are usually joined together or twi=
nned, on a cheap radio like this polarity to the speaker doesn&#39;t make a=
 difference.=C2=A0 Some of these old radios aren&#39;t polarity sensitive, =
some are, some have a polarity switch.=C2=A0 If it is in an MGA from long a=
go pretty safe bet it was in a non-converted positive ground car. Oh, and t=
he antenna hookup, which has been universal for a long time.</div><div dir=
=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Hope that is of some help.=C2=A0</div=
><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Greg Lemon</div><div dir=3D"=
auto">TR250</div><div dir=3D"auto"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><blockquote c=
lass=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;=
padding-left:1ex">
</blockquote></div></div></div>

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