Topic: Radio Delete

[the1970mach1]

Hello,

Almost the same question as the one about the painted wheels.
In my understanding a AM radio was standard for a orderd or not pre orderd car.
I have seen a few cars with a radio delete panel and I was wondering, was it an option to remove the radio ( like it says radio delete ).
Or, was a car from factory deliverd with a radio and by delivery ( dealer pre check ) removed and the bezel replaced by a radio delete bezel / panel ?
also here, what would the buildsheet or marti repport say. Nothing, or just...

So, I'm building / restoring an 1970 sportsroof that will be made into a plain jane sleeper.
I hear you think, this is a concours forum and we need only concours stuff, agreed. The job is to save it from the scraper and make a nice sportsroof.
I have a NOS radio delete panel ( very proud piece to own ) !

another interesting one I believe

[J_Speegle]

Radio delete was an option (cars had their radios installed at the factory) so they needed to know at the plant to leave the radio out and install the block off plate. At this point the antennas would not have been installed so to conflict with having a hole in the fender like they did on later years. On the later ones there was an antenna hole block of plate also

With that said 69-70 radio delete panels are very difficult to find (been looking for about 8 years so far - need one for my 69) Think I might have to make my own but too many other projects right now

[the1970mach1]

i know, it was a damn hard nut to crack.
I have started to make on my self, but will never be an original.

Have you got by any chance a marti repport of a car that had this option ? any idea how that discribtion would be ?

the problem with making a panel you self is that is has an chrome edge and it has leather like finish that is hard to make... plus the corned piece with the mustang logo is a hard one...

[the1970mach1]

Here is my Radio Delete panel.
For obvious reasons I decided to put a watermark on them, sorry for that.

woops, all gone...

[rockhouse66]

Radio delete was an option (cars had their radios installed at the factory) so they needed to know at the plant to leave the radio out and install the block off plate.

Jeff - why would you need a "delete" option when the radio was a price adding option?  Seems to me if you didn't pay for one, you didn't get one - no "delete" required???  I would say that a car without a radio in the option list (like on a Marti report) simply didn't come with one (not "deleted").

[PerkinsRestoration]

Jeff - why would you need a "delete" option when the radio was a price adding option?  Seems to me if you didn't pay for one, you didn't get one - no "delete" required???  I would say that a car without a radio in the option list (like on a Marti report) simply didn't come with one (not "deleted").

  Jim, you are correct, The radio block off plate is standard equipement when no radio is ordered.

[J_Speegle]

Jeff - why would you need a "delete" option when the radio was a price adding option?  Seems to me if you didn't pay for one, you didn't get one - no "delete" required???  I would say that a car without a radio in the option list (like on a Marti report) simply didn't come with one (not "deleted").

Just a poor choice of words "Radio delete was an option" as it was a choose but but not an "option" listed on the order forms. Guess our usage of "radio delete plate/panel" is an incorrect term also    Not sure what the right name for it should be since there was no radio in the car to delete. Maybe we should start calling it a "Filler Plate for cars without radios"

[midlife]

Jeff - why would you need a "delete" option when the radio was a price adding option?  Seems to me if you didn't pay for one, you didn't get one - no "delete" required???  I would say that a car without a radio in the option list (like on a Marti report) simply didn't come with one (not "deleted").

This kinda reminds me of the floor mat options over the past 3 decades or so.  Since they were always optional, I wanted to buy a car without them.  Since every car was delivered with them, the dealers refused to remove them and lower the price on the car.  I never got the dealer to see it my way, however...

[the1970mach1]

but that was kind of the question in this topic.
so basicly, if there was not been spoken of in the dealer agreement or a non preorderd car, they would standard leave the factory with an AM.
So only when I choose NOT to put a ready in it, the radio delete panel would be installed.
in my opinion the Delete in "Radio Delete Panel" says something about deleting the radio from the list of options, rather then deleting the radio out of the car. In that case, the delete is still a good word for this part...
but, now this forum has a buch of evidence to keep and thats nice enough.

[rockhouse66]

they would standard leave the factory with an AM.

No, I don't think so.  Not unless you ordered one and paid extra for it.

[Andrew@MagMustangs]

I'd Call it a 'Non-Radio Heater Control Bezel" 

[70cj428]

I' call it "REALLY REALLY hard to find" !

[the1970mach1]

any idea ( wild gues ) how many 69 / 70s where sold without a radio ?

[J_Speegle]

any idea ( wild gues ) how many 69 / 70s where sold without a radio ?

Nope - we would have to pay Kevin Marti some research time to see that number.

[midlife]

any idea ( wild gues ) how many 69 / 70s where sold without a radio ?

You can deduce the number from Marti's "Mustangs by the Numbers".  In 1969, there were 299,821 Mustangs.
251,361 had AM radio
14,415 had AM/FM
12,673 had AM/8 track
Total radios: 278,449

Thus, no radios were 21,372!