1969 Panasonic 8 track player with FM radio adapter

[Friendly Scientist]

I may not have a Panasonic flip clock, but I'd say this thing I'm presenting is arguably rarer than any Panasonic flip clock. (Or so I've seen on eBay)
Some time ago, I picked up an aftermarket Panasonic 8 track car stereo model Cx-807SU with an exclusive FM radio adapter, which is a Panasonic CJ-81REU.
Along with some rockin' tapes! Can't go wrong with Foreigner, Beach Boys, Grease, and Boston! But the main attraction....
Viola! Golly this thing's heavy! And massive for a typical underdash. Nothing but a typical 12 Volt car cigarette lighter will bring this beast to life! Although the rubber band was stiff and breaking apart, I was able to find a replacement!
Fun fact about this cute radio is that the FM adapter only works for THIS particular unit because of unique gold pins that match the pins inside the unit! Also it's super cool with the shiny mirror on the back. Last but not least...
Icing for the electronic nerd cake! The caution sticker on the back is in good condition and in Japanese. Double whammy!

With a "local" meetup of 100 miles away and some "effective" bargaining tactics, I'd say I stole it for less money than a nonfunctioning Panasonic flip clock would sell for on eBay.
But yeah, the three separate knobs for volume, tone, and balance along with a rotating program indicator wheel makes an interesting setup! Also I love the tapes too, especially the Grease tape. ^^

[Performa]

Now that is a beautiful machine!

I can honestly say I've heard of adapters for 8-track, but never one that turns the 8-track player into a radio. That's a fascinating little device you've got there! Thank you very much for sharing this!

[Friendly Scientist]

Thanks Performa , I appreciate it!
From what I can tell, this seems to be an early model for aftermarket underdash 8 tracks. This one would be a perfect match if you have a car that has an AM only radio.

I've also seen 8 track radio inserts that have BOTH AM and FM abilities. You'd insert the adapter in the 8 track and you can switch AM or FM on the adapter itself! Haven't seen one in person, although eBay does have some now and then.

Alas, the radio inserts soon became obsolete as aftermarket 8 tracks came WITH FM radio abilities for your AM radio car. At the same time, you see aftermarkets with both AM and FM radio abilities.

Now I'm not implying that there's a new hobby for ye, but 8 tracks are a fun hobby that has yet to be spoiled by "Yuppie Generation 2.0" as they did with vinyl and cassette.
Now imagine Guardians of the Galaxy featuring an 8 track mix tape instead of cassette. Prices for 8 track players and tapes would skyrocket faster than Thanos can snap his fingers!

[Performa]

I've often thought about getting into 8-track, but there isn't much available around here for it on the secondhand market. I get most of my stuff from thrift shops, flea markets, and Craigslist deals, and it's pretty rare to find anything 8-track around here at all- might be a regional thing though too.

If I was going to get into the 8 track game though, what would you suggest I keep an eye out for, or go looking for? I can certainly fit another component into my stereo stack!

[Friendly Scientist]

Oh dear, if I were to open a whole can of worms to you, might as well give you a reliable can opener.

I personally have no preference towards the brand of the 8 track. They can be the high quality Panasonic or the cheaper but reliable Craig or Realistic. For an 8 track player alone, I keep my max level to 15-20 dollars as those need receivers to have a loud sound, and 8 tracks do get LOUD AF

For an 8 track/AM/FM stereo receiver, expect to pay slightly higher, but I try not to pay no more than 30-35 dollars for one. I can get away with paying 25 bucks, but alas, I always risk waiting for Half Price Day. Good receivers are Craig, Realistic, Panasonic, Emerson, or RCA to name a few. Keep in mind that these things are heavy and large!

Or you probably prefer a record, cassette, 8 track, radio combination! Expect to fork over $40 to $100 depending on who's selling it, functionality of each music format player, and what brand you're looking at. JCPenny makes good combination consoles!

If you wanna go Guardians of the Galaxy and record your own "Awesome Mix Vol. 1 or Vol.2, then an 8 track recorder is for you! Caution: Depending on store, these usually command the highest prices. I've seen outrageous ones priced at 100-200 dollars, but hopefully a clueless Goodwill employee prices it at 50 dollars of less. The Akai and Pioneer 8 track recorders are the two highest quality recorders one can get in the 8 track world. These elusive pieces are priced so high that even I didn't want to invest THAT much in a hobby.

(Also, I'm assuming the sales tax would be included in the prices. An afterthought as I realized Oregon doesn't have sales tax, but steep income taxes XP)

But above all else, DON'T FORGET TO CHECK THE HEAD BRACKET!!!! Why? Because that's how one should buy that 8 track or forget it existed. There are 2 types of brackets that hold the head in place. Metal and plastic. The metal head bracket can usually indicate whether an 8 track player is good quality or not. The plastic heads have a notorious tendency to break/crack, resulting in something called "Crosstalk". Crosstalk is when two songs play at the same time because the head is not in its proper place.

[Friendly Scientist]

If I was going to get into the 8 track game though, what would you suggest I keep an eye out for, or go looking for? I can certainly fit another component into my stereo stack!

Oh, and I forgot. Always keep an eye out for portable 8 track players. Some come with radios or some fold out to 2 speakers! Portables are unique and interesting without compromising too much on sound quality. Although they're not nearly as portable as a cassette tape player, they are definitely more portable than the 45 rpm players one can carry around!

As far as tapes themselves go, pay for what you want to listen to, and don't pay no more than one dollar for tapes you don't really listen to. Who knows? Carrying a bunch of tapes you don't listen to are good "blanks" to record onto! Or to sell if its a popular artist. I've seen many people put the Carpenters, Louis Armstrong, and John Denver tapes in the record pile!

Lemme know if you get any tapes. Chances are, the silver tape that connects the tape together will fall apart after 40+ years, so don't be quick to toss em away! They're definitely repairable! And I'd get rid of dry and crumbly sponges on the 8 tracks, they can fall apart and the pieces can clog inside your player if you decide to play them. 8 track players don't eat their tapes as often as cassette players do! Although 8 tracks get a bad rep for tape eating. :/

I wish you the best of luck friend, it's a fun hobby ^^

[Performa]

Thanks for all the info and insight! I appreciate it! I've been doing some digging, and I have a source for tapes- a hipster record store in De Pere Wisconsin (just outside of Green Bay) sells them for $1 each, so when I get going I've got an avenue for the tapes. Now I've just got to find something that'll take 8-Track tapes around here that works. So far I've only run across one machine that was sold "as-is/not working" and I passed on that- not sure that I want to leap into this totally blind, though I can't imagine it'd be any more difficult to fix than most vintage electronics.

I'll keep you posted as I move ahead! Thank you again for your insight!

[Friendly Scientist]

No problem! I'll let you know more as soon as you update me! ^^

As for the 8 track tapes, a buck a piece ain't that bad, I usually avoid the country, religious, or "boring" tapes, but they make good tapes to record over as those are in minty condition. For the rock, easy listening, popular music tapes, they're more worn, but hey, I still go for those. You can tell a tape is worn or not by the obvious lines on the tape itself. Make sure the tape is brown on top when you buy it. If it's black, then chances are the tape is flipped over, which is not the end of the world! You'd just have to open it up ^^

The "as-is/not working" ones are usually a gamble, and I usually bring a test tape with me to insert into the player. If you hear a motor running, that's a good sign the motor ain't fried up! Most likely than not, the belt inside dried up and fell apart after 40+ years with 30+ years of disuse. Solution? Use your own rubber bands! If you do, don't forget to post pictures up here! ^^

[Friendly Scientist]

More on the player:
Get it if there's a return policy from the store, if it's a Goodwill, then go for it. If it's some small, independent store and they don't accept returns, buy at your own risk. Although you do have a much bigger chance of succeeding than using the same money at a casino or lotto ticket lol

Performa Stay awesome and don't stress!

[Performa]

More on the player:
Get it if there's a return policy from the store, if it's a Goodwill, then go for it. If it's some small, independent store and they don't accept returns, buy at your own risk. Although you do have a much bigger chance of succeeding than using the same money at a casino or lotto ticket lol

Performa Stay awesome and don't stress!

True that! I ran across a really nice Zenith machine today that was a combination record player and 8-Track machine at Goodwill for $15. The downside is it's a whole console unit, and it's ridiculously huge. The quest continues, but I'm sure I'll find something sooner than later.

[Friendly Scientist]

True that! I ran across a really nice Zenith machine today that was a combination record player and 8-Track machine at Goodwill for $15. The downside is it's a whole console unit, and it's ridiculously huge. The quest continues, but I'm sure I'll find something sooner than later.

Ooh, Zenith machines are good quality, and 15 dollars is honestly a very good price!

But yeah, depends on how much space you can afford to give. Alas, this is what I'm always lacking whenever I see something awesome and try to get it. Space (or lack thereof) is always on the back of my mind no matter what.

Anyways, those console units are also HEAVY, but did it come with a dust cover? Dust covers are usually super hard to find in good condition. Many times they are cracked, heavily scratched, or just plain missing. Also replacing the 8 track belt isn't a walk in the park. It's like buying an exotic car. Super cool looking that'll get your attention, but heck of a pain if you need to get one up from the dead.

As for me, I'm focused on car stereos as they are smaller, lighter, and easier to enjoy once you hook on up. Also easier to sell on eBay as you'll get much more $$$ for a working one.

But best of luck to you my friend, one will definitely come up before you even know it. They seem to pop up when you least expect it ^^