Panasonic Cockpit Radio

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dishdude

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I just discovered the existence of this ridiculous car stereo! This is the coolest and dumbest thing I have ever seen. I could see it in the back of a conversion van, but how is the driver going to change the station or adjust the volume while driving? Did anyone have one? It appears they were sold in the very early 80's.

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The "post-dawn" of miniturization .....saving the Earth by using less...but still giving the consumer complete control.

An ad equally associated with LIFE or Playboy magazines. Way cool!
 
It was a overhead mount. Very cool stuff. Never saw one in person though.

Chromium tapes, those were the best.
 
Originally Posted by PimTac
It was a overhead mount. Very cool stuff. Never saw one in person though.

Chromium tapes, those were the best.


Or how about the TDK Metal Alloy Reference Standard tapes. Those were awesome! I remember them being $10 a piece!
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I remember those. They were pricey. Having a good tape was essential for recording albums so you could store them. Records were being made super cheap in those days. Remember how flimsy they were?

I was using Maxell tapes mostly.
 
Originally Posted by dishdude
but how is the driver going to change the station or adjust the volume while driving?
Just as easily as texting while driving.
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Originally Posted by PimTac
I remember those. They were pricey. Having a good tape was essential for recording albums so you could store them. Records were being made super cheap in those days. Remember how flimsy they were?

I was using Maxell tapes mostly.


Maxells were the best imo. They never lost their "highs" while TDKs always did. Seems like TDK's would slowly lose treble while Maxells never did.

Oh yeah! I remember how thin the vinyl was on albums from the 80s. I have several that have that orange "The Nice Price" sticker on them haha!
 
Now I want to try listening to Rock Me Amadeus recorded on a Maxell metal tape through a cockpit radio mounted in a Fiero. ...‚...‚...‚
 
Originally Posted by dishdude
Now I want to try listening to Rock Me Amadeus recorded on a Maxell metal tape through a cockpit radio mounted in a Fiero. ...‚...‚...‚


Wearing an Izod with the collar turned up,rocking a mullet,and stone washed jeans
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Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
Originally Posted by dishdude
Now I want to try listening to Rock Me Amadeus recorded on a Maxell metal tape through a cockpit radio mounted in a Fiero. ...‚...‚...‚


Wearing an Izod with the collar turned up,rocking a mullet,and stone washed jeans
grin2.gif



...‚...‚...‚...‚ a mullet! ...‚...‚...‚...‚
 
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
Originally Posted by dishdude
Now I want to try listening to Rock Me Amadeus recorded on a Maxell metal tape through a cockpit radio mounted in a Fiero. ...‚...‚...‚


Wearing an Izod with the collar turned up,rocking a mullet,and stone washed jeans
grin2.gif



The Fiero had speakers in the headrests, don't forget to use bass blockers as you wire them in.
A satin embroidered "Pontiac We Build Excitement" jacket completes the look.
 
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
Originally Posted by PimTac
It was a overhead mount. Very cool stuff. Never saw one in person though.

Chromium tapes, those were the best.


Or how about the TDK Metal Alloy Reference Standard tapes. Those were awesome! I remember them being $10 a piece!
[Linked Image]




Isn't that the version that has ceramic mounting for the pressure pad?

That being said Compact Cassettes ARE making a comeback like Vinyl is!

I remember seeing one of those cockpit units installed on a Datsun 260z we got in trade at our Honda dealer, it fit that car perfectly. Like it was designed for it.
Panasonic was such an innovative company back then too, very close or on par with Sony!
 
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The stereo ad that I will never get out of my head featured Mike Love from the Beach Boys and Jan Berry from Jan & Dean and showed up in Rolling Stone sometime in the late '70s.
I think it was for a receiver and featured Jan smiling and Mike appearing to talk as the held the thing between them...the caption from Mike was something like, "It has the great sound I want and is simple enough for Jan to use."

Cmon, really??!?!!?

For those who aren't familiar with Jan, he suffered severe head injuries in a 1966 car wreck and had to deal with brain damage and partial paralysis for the rest of his life. Ironically, he crashed not far from the "Dead Man's Curve" in Hollywood that inspired a hit Jan & Dean single.
 
Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi
For those who aren't familiar with Jan, he suffered severe head injuries in a 1966 car wreck and had to deal with brain damage and partial paralysis for the rest of his life. Ironically, he crashed not far from the "Dead Man's Curve" in Hollywood that inspired a hit Jan & Dean single.


The story gets even more strange. Copied and pasted from Wiki:

*In Berry's absence, Torrence released several singles on the J&D Record Co. label and recorded Save for a Rainy Day in 1966, a concept album featuring all rain-themed songs. Torrence posed with Berry's brother Ken for the album cover photos.*

I have that album and I swear it looks EXACTLY like Jan on the record cover photos!
 
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi
For those who aren't familiar with Jan, he suffered severe head injuries in a 1966 car wreck and had to deal with brain damage and partial paralysis for the rest of his life. Ironically, he crashed not far from the "Dead Man's Curve" in Hollywood that inspired a hit Jan & Dean single.

The story gets even more strange. Copied and pasted from Wiki:
*In Berry's absence, Torrence released several singles on the J&D Record Co. label and recorded Save for a Rainy Day in 1966, a concept album featuring all rain-themed songs. Torrence posed with Berry's brother Ken for the album cover photos.*
I have that album and I swear it looks EXACTLY like Jan on the record cover photos!

I missed that!
Did notice on wiki that Jan was in a coma for over two months after his crash....I had no idea it was that bad.
 
I thought that cockpit setup was COOL!!! But, I didn't have the money to buy one, they were high dollar.
 
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