In-Car Record Players

Discuss other problems here.
Forum rules
By using this site, you agree to our rules. Please see: Terms of Use
Wes
Minor Fan
Posts: 280
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2024 2:40 pm
Location: UK
MMOC Member: Yes

In-Car Record Players

Post by Wes »

Hi

I recall my dad saying he used to fit in-car record players to high end Astons & Facel Vegas in the 60's. But ive never seen one until now :-)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/267464796588 ... R9Td3pX_Zg
---------------------------------------------
1964 Morris 1000 Traveller
User avatar
svenedin
Minor Legend
Posts: 4789
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2014 9:27 am
Location: Surrey
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by svenedin »

What a wonderful thing and positive earth too!

I wonder how it works to stop the stylus skipping around?

In my youth we used to take my portable wind-up Decca gramophone out in my Morris. We could only use it when the car was stationary and we would belt out 78 rpm records from the 1920's. I had a "trench" model gramophone in a leather box from the WW1 era. I still have it actually but the leather has seen better days and the hinges fell off years ago.

Stephen
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.

Stephen
Wes
Minor Fan
Posts: 280
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2024 2:40 pm
Location: UK
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by Wes »

Since getting my 64 Traveller a little over a year ago I've been collecting some "accoutrement", as Henry Cole would say, pertaining to its manufacture date of October 1964. One of which is this little battery powered portable Record Player :D
Attachments
Screenshot2.jpg
Screenshot2.jpg (226.87 KiB) Viewed 47735 times
---------------------------------------------
1964 Morris 1000 Traveller
User avatar
geoberni
Minor Maniac
Posts: 5241
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2017 11:19 am
Location: North Leicestershire
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by geoberni »

Wes wrote: Mon Jan 26, 2026 8:25 am Hi

I recall my dad saying he used to fit in-car record players to high end Astons & Facel Vegas in the 60's. But ive never seen one until now :-)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/267464796588 ... R9Td3pX_Zg
I had to look up what a Facel Vega was.....(every day's a school day :wink: )

The concept of the in-car record player was, of course, from the American Motor Industry in the late '50s.
As usual, a bit like VHS or Betamax in the 80s, there were different ideas competing, including specific vehicle discs.
It all had a very short life because of 8 Track Tapes arriving in the mid '60s.
There's a good blog giving the basics here: https://www.lelandwest.com/blog/listing ... rs-in-cars.
Basil the 1955 series II

Image
Wes
Minor Fan
Posts: 280
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2024 2:40 pm
Location: UK
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by Wes »

geoberni wrote: Mon Jan 26, 2026 9:46 am
I had to look up what a Facel Vega was.....(every day's a school day :wink: )

The concept of the in-car record player was, of course, from the American Motor Industry in the late '50s.
As usual, a bit like VHS or Betamax in the 80s, there were different ideas competing, including specific vehicle discs.
It all had a very short life because of 8 Track Tapes arriving in the mid '60s.
There's a good blog giving the basics here: https://www.lelandwest.com/blog/listing ... rs-in-cars.
Spent a good portion of my childhood being driven about in an Facel HK500 :-)

I like that they made special long playing 7" discs just for these players
---------------------------------------------
1964 Morris 1000 Traveller
les
Minor Maniac
Posts: 9699
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2002 12:00 am
Location: kent
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by les »

Interesting thread. Here’s my 60s Radiomobile cassette recorder/player, it clips to a plate fitted under the dash.
IMG_3959.jpeg
IMG_3959.jpeg (759.38 KiB) Viewed 47664 times

Wes
Minor Fan
Posts: 280
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2024 2:40 pm
Location: UK
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by Wes »

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassette_tape

Cassette's only developed in 1963 so maybe a bit early for an in-car player circa Late 1964 :-)
---------------------------------------------
1964 Morris 1000 Traveller
Wes
Minor Fan
Posts: 280
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2024 2:40 pm
Location: UK
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by Wes »

Wes wrote: Mon Jan 26, 2026 11:08 am https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassette_tape

Cassette's only developed in 1963 so maybe a bit early for an in-car player circa Late 1964 :-)
1968 apparenley.

On a bit of a tangent i had on of the early Sony portable CD players with a 3.5mm jack plug to dummy cassette adaptor for the car. Skipped like no ones business!
---------------------------------------------
1964 Morris 1000 Traveller
myoldjalopy
Minor Legend
Posts: 3523
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:32 pm
Location: Kernow
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by myoldjalopy »

I don't think mine's gonna fit, somehow...... :lol:
Peter21 - expert complete.jpg
Peter21 - expert complete.jpg (75.24 KiB) Viewed 47589 times
Wes
Minor Fan
Posts: 280
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2024 2:40 pm
Location: UK
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by Wes »

Oh I dont know...
Attachments
Screenshot2.jpg
Screenshot2.jpg (192.44 KiB) Viewed 47526 times
---------------------------------------------
1964 Morris 1000 Traveller
simmitc
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5098
Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2004 9:43 am
Location: Essex
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by simmitc »

Be OK in a convertible, just so long as it isn't raining.
michael4
Minor Fan
Posts: 176
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2024 9:32 am
Location: West Sussex
MMOC Member: No

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by michael4 »

I remember an in car record player in an upmarket mini.

45s only, you slid them in and hoped for the best.

The best was really not very good.
myoldjalopy
Minor Legend
Posts: 3523
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:32 pm
Location: Kernow
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by myoldjalopy »

simmitc wrote: Mon Jan 26, 2026 2:59 pm Be OK in a convertible, just so long as it isn't raining.
But the wind resistance would slow you down big time! :o :lol:
User avatar
svenedin
Minor Legend
Posts: 4789
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2014 9:27 am
Location: Surrey
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by svenedin »

myoldjalopy wrote: Mon Jan 26, 2026 5:20 pm
simmitc wrote: Mon Jan 26, 2026 2:59 pm Be OK in a convertible, just so long as it isn't raining.
But the wind resistance would slow you down big time! :o :lol:
I am chuckling at the thought of this. The enormous sound trumpet sticking out with shouts of "hold it steady, the record's skipping!"

Stephen
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.

Stephen
myoldjalopy
Minor Legend
Posts: 3523
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:32 pm
Location: Kernow
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by myoldjalopy »

See this, about 1.09: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DApVaY3Fs8c Don't know where the horn is though, maybe comes through into the dash area :wink:
User avatar
geoberni
Minor Maniac
Posts: 5241
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2017 11:19 am
Location: North Leicestershire
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by geoberni »

myoldjalopy wrote: Mon Jan 26, 2026 5:37 pm See this, about 1.09: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DApVaY3Fs8c Don't know where the horn is though, maybe comes through into the dash area :wink:
I was expecting The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine I remember it being re-released in the 1970s....
:lol:
Basil the 1955 series II

Image
myoldjalopy
Minor Legend
Posts: 3523
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:32 pm
Location: Kernow
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by myoldjalopy »

Yes, it reached no.2 in the charts in 1975. It did not manage to dislodge Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody from top position....
michael4
Minor Fan
Posts: 176
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2024 9:32 am
Location: West Sussex
MMOC Member: No

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by michael4 »

Time to sing along...if you are old enough

https://board.mmoc.org.uk/download/file ... w&id=30176
Attachments
Screenshot 2026-01-08 at 13.58.51.png
Screenshot 2026-01-08 at 13.58.51.png (815.12 KiB) Viewed 46718 times
Wes
Minor Fan
Posts: 280
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2024 2:40 pm
Location: UK
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by Wes »

Top two singles when my car first hit the road:

1. Always something there to remind me, Sandie Shaw
2. Pretty Woman, Roy Orbison

Not bad :-)
---------------------------------------------
1964 Morris 1000 Traveller
User avatar
Bill_qaz
Minor Legend
Posts: 2261
Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2022 7:31 pm
Location: Oxfordshire
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: In-Car Record Players

Post by Bill_qaz »

Monster Mash would of been on the radio at Cowley as mine rolled off the line :lol:
Regards Bill
Post Reply