Here's how to identify E-Body Radios. With permission from Greg Ward I share with you everything you'll need to know to identify an E-Body radio. Greg's website can be found here:
http://www.wardsclassiccarradiorepair.com/ (http://www.wardsclassiccarradiorepair.com/). He's one of the leaders in E-Body radio restorations and these are his photos and knowledge he is sharing with us.
First, All E body radios will have the antenna port located on the bottom of the radio. C & B body and Truck radios will have the antenna port on the back or the side, never the bottom. Antenna port on the bottom is a feature unique to E body radios only. The next unique feature can be seen when looking at the front of the radio. Notice in the pictures below, the front metal face of the radio. Look toward the bottom. In the lower corners you will see two small "platforms" extending outward, with the alignment pins in the middle. Notice the "platform" on the left is a rectangle shape, and the one on the right is a square shape. ALL E-body radios have this feature, and ONLY E body radios have these. This is the easiest way to identify a true E body radio. It does not matter if it is an AM, AM 8-Track thumbwheel, AM FM Thumbwheel, or AM FM knob style. If it's an E body, it will have a small rectangular platform on the left, and a square on the right. Study the pictures below and see exactly what you just read. Commit that fact to memory, and you will be ok at the swap meet, or e-bay .
Here we have a 1970-71 AM Radio. Notice the station preset buttons are Chrome. ALL 70 , and most , if not all 71 radios will have chrome buttons.
Next up, we have a 1970 AM 8-track. This radio is unique to 1970 only. This is the only year an 8-track was available in an E body. Part number 2884 610 .Also notice, this is AM only. There never was an AM FM 8-track available for E bodies, ever. Period. Those AM FM 8-track radios you see on e-bay are in fact C body radios.
Now we have a 1970-71 AM FM Radio. Notice this is a thumbwheel radio. All 70-71 E body AM FMs are thumbwheel style. There are actually 2 different model designes, however, they are visually identical from the front. The 70 model used a Phillips radio, part# 2884658 and 71 used the Motorola unit you see here, part # 3501050, easily identifiable as the 71 unit by the cassette lead on back. All E body AM FMs as well as AM 8-tracks are stereo units, and require a 3 speaker dash and crossover box (located behind glove box/ we service these as well). Notice the Antenna port is located on the bottom of the radio. This holds true for ALL E body radios 1970-1974. Also note the unique location of the mounting bolt holes at the bottom front of the radio .
Pictured above is a VERY RARE 1971 AM Radio with cassette lead.
This is a 1972-74 AM Radio. Notice the black preset buttons. Chrome buttons were found on 70-71 Only. Also please note, although the AM FMs and AM 8-tracks were thumbwheel designs in 70 (71), the AM is always going to be a knob style radio 70-74.
And finally, we have a 1972-74 AM FM Radio. Knob style, with black buttons of course. And there you have the entire E body radio lineup, from 1970-1974.
This is a 1970 8-track bezel. This particular one is correct for Barracuda. Notice the "character line" which follows the contours of the character line found in the dash pad. The Challenger bezel lacks this feature.
Again, thank you to Greg Ward for sharing this information and allowing us to learn the finer details of the E-Body radios. Greg's website is
http://www.wardsclassiccarradiorepair.com/ (http://www.wardsclassiccarradiorepair.com/)
Greg is friendly and very knowledgeable. Definitely recommended if you need anything radio related.
Also, Here's an internal link to more info on E body radio options.
http://forum.e-bodies.org/index.php?topic=348.new#new
It was really nice to be able to quickly and easily reference this thread to see that both these rare "E-Body" radio faces were incorrectly being sold as E-Body.
[ebay]172525443875[/ebay]
[ebay]182450920875[/ebay]
Here is a shot of my 70 Challenger one for reference and comparison.
JS27
The mounting bolt hole locations are key and the quickest way to check for fit.
If the holes are not there, the radio did not come from and E-body but another model of Mopar.
Another tell tale sign I look for on the AM 8-Tracks is the location of the antenna socket. When you're facing the radio it should be on the bottom right towards the rear of the radio. I'm not sure if that's true for the other year and model radios too.
Quote from: Cuda Cody on February 10, 2017, 02:30:05 PM
It was really nice to be able to quickly and easily reference this thread to see that both these rare "E-Body" radio faces were incorrectly being sold as E-Body.
[ebay]172525443875[/ebay]
[ebay]182450920875[/ebay]
I have found many incorrectly labeled "e-body" parts for sale and always check here - invaluable information and help here
Interesting, so apparently the AM/FM radio I thought was from my 70 Vert is not since it has the antenna outlet on the back (not the bottom. I've never installed it, had actually hoped to find a radio delete panel but no luck so far. So it will go into the "downsizing" box to sell ;)
Thanks for the examples
@Cuda Cody (https://forum.e-bodies.org/mlist/cuda-cody_1)
Quote from: 70vert on September 16, 2023, 08:41:35 AM
Interesting, so apparently the AM/FM radio I thought was from my 70 Vert is not since it has the antenna outlet on the back (not the bottom. I've never installed it, had actually hoped to find a radio delete panel but no luck so far. So it will go into the "downsizing" box to sell ;)
Thanks for the examples @Cuda Cody (https://forum.e-bodies.org/mlist/cuda-cody_1)
Contact member
mccannix when looking for a radio delete panel :twothumbsup: