72 Volvo144 GL ( granluxe) radio offered by volvo

[dk13]

HI , anyone have any idea on what was the 8 track radio offered for the 71 to 73 GL models which uses fuel injection . I have seen volvo 8 track radio , but not sure which was offered by volvo for this particular model

[142 Guy]

I have a 1971 142 E (what the GL was called in North America). I have the original Volvo accessories brochure from 1971 and that only shows an AM/FM radio with 5 preset tuning buttons.

I don't have any recollection of ever seeing one that was integrated with an AM/FM tuner for the early 140. There was not a lot of space in the dash of the up to 1972 models where the radio was mounted. There was this stereo accessory bulletin which came out in 1973 which shows a really ugly radio / 8 track player.

https://volvo1800pictures.com/docume...3_group_50.pdf

That 8 track / radio might have been for the 1973+ 140 which had the revised 240 like dash with the radio mounted in the center. There was a slightly less ugly 8 track / radio which came out for the 240 (attached).

[volvobysea]

Hi

I had a 1974 registered 144dl( big bumper) with the revised dash and it was fitted with an 8 track radio/stereo. So I can confirm the comments made by 144guy that an 8 track was not fitted to the earlier 144 models.

[davidthu]

As I understand it this is the original 8track installed at delivery to my 1971 144 Gl (electronic FI, Overdrive, gold, Leather seats) and I been careful to leave it original.

I also have a white 144 GL 1973 (electronic FI, Overdrive, Leather seats) and its factory radio is a standard casset player. I've seen a couple of 8 tracks in the early cars, but am told thery were rare and expensive.

[142 Guy]

This made me curious so I did dig out and review my 1971 sales brochure. The pictures only show a radio; but, in a single line of text on the very last page of the brochure it states

"AM and AM/FM radios as well as AM/ Stereo tape players."

So, it looks like a tape player was available in 1971; but, only with an AM radio (which yours appears to be). The Mitsubishi ATP-7016 would appear to be a match. The interesting thing is that all the Volvo supplied radios had Volvo logos on them. Since the radios were locally installed by the dealer, perhaps the Volvo distributor in Oz sourced their equivalent model radios directly from Japan?

[davidthu]

This is the standard radio as I understand it. It would make a good 8 track replacement perhaps to get FM.

It's hard to understand what was done when. The radio/tape in my car (as well as AC) are in the owners book as being dealer delivered. In the end I'm not sure if it mattes much which radio happend to be fitted to the car when it was sold, most people change them over at some point anyway. Especially as these cars have never really had any finacial value over time. Its a pity, given they are such nice cars to drive.

[142 Guy]

In North America, I believe 'no radio / blank trim plate ' was the 'standard radio'. Even an AM radio was an upgrade. The radio in your post was the optional AM/FM radio shown in my brochure.