Delco 8-track with Modern Amp + Speakers? *

[JohnnyZ]

Currently my ’78 Z28 does not have any audio equipment installed. I’m looking at finding an old Delco 8-track and then wiring in some off the shelf speakers and maybe an inexpensive amp.* I’ve been reading up and it appears the old Delco’s are 4 ohm while modern electronics is 8 ohm.
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Where should I start to look to get this all done? Has anyone done it? Do I just need a few resistors of a fuse and all will be well? Will my local Audio guy know what I’m talking about?
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Thanks
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[1971CamaroGuy]

The cheapest way to do it is to get a amplifier with hi-level inputs and wire the speaker out from the radio into the amplifier.....then run your speakers to the amplifer. Just get a set of good 4 ohm speakers that are matched to the amplifier.

Most modern amps can do this,For digital music, you can use an IPod, IPhone, or mp3 player through an fm modulator.

just keep in mind the limitations is going to be the 8-track unit itself.

[Twisted_Metal]

^ That should work.

Many FM modulators are mono.
I tried two different ones and they were horrible.

I now use a cassette adapter with my MP3 player and it actually works quite well!
WAY better than a cheap FM modulator.


I don't know of anyone making an 8-track to MP3/CD adapter.

Unless you have someone add a plug interface to the head unit..... You might have to take this route for an external player.

[Gary S]

All the old Delco radios I've worked with, AM, AM-FM, 8 track, or cassette have 10 ohm outputs on their amps, not 4 ohm. Using 4 ohm speakers would get you dangerously close to damaging the output amplifier from excessive current.

[JohnnyZ]

Originally Posted by Gary S

All the old Delco radios I've worked with, AM, AM-FM, 8 track, or cassette have 10 ohm outputs on their amps, not 4 ohm. Using 4 ohm speakers would get you dangerously close to damaging the output amplifier from excessive current.

Alright - so the Delco is 10 ohm out? What type of Speakers do I need? I don't even know what an OHM is.

[JohnnyZ]

Originally Posted by Twisted_Metal

^ That should work.

Many FM modulators are mono.
I tried two different ones and they were horrible.

I'm not worried about the iPhone. I plan to pick up a pile of 8-tracks

[Gary S]

Originally Posted by JohnnyZ

Alright - so the Delco is 10 ohm out? What type of Speakers do I need? I don't even know what an OHM is.

The only 10 ohm speakers I've ever found in the past 40 years were the GM Delco speakers. If you can't find 10 ohm speakers, use 8 ohm ones.
And, if you put a separate amp on the old radio, the speakers need to match the amp, not the radio. Then, you need to match the input of the amp to the 10 ohm impedance of the output of the radio.

[2ndgenhunter]

Just get a Line level convertor. You run you speaker wires into one end and it has RCA outputs on the other end to run a modern amp. They work pretty good for the app you are doing.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...22-194815427-2