Help checking out 510 AM/FM radio

[dgi]

I've been reworking the interior of my '72 510 trying to return it to as original as possible.

 

I want to use an original Hitachi KM-1420BA AM/FM radio. That is the one with 3 AM buttons and 2 FM buttons. Fortunately, I have two of these units... one that was supposedly removed in working condition years ago and another that is a JY find. I don't know that either one works.

 

I know nothing about radios, etc. so, how can I test these units out before attempting to install in the car? Can I just hook up to a power source outside the car and if so how do I rig it up?

 

Here are the external connections for the KM-1420BA

Antenna connection

Chassis ground wire (black)

Power source wire (blue)

Speaker wire(s) - one gray, one gray/blue.

 

Thanks for your advice.

dgi

[dvboth]

yes hook it up with a speaker, it will not work without an antenna plugged into it! i beleive they make a speaker now that will fit into the original hole on the dash?

[qwik510]

Yes. Hook it up to a 12V battery or other 12V power source, hook up a speaker and you can even use a piece of wire or a wire coat hanger for an antennea. If you use wire, strip the end of it before you put it in the antennea hole.

[dgi]

Thanks guys.

 

One question on speaker wires... I'm assuming 1 wire to each of two speakers, the speaker grounded with a separate wire, correct? And one speaker to test will be fine?

 

If I'm correct, I'll get right on testing these two as soon as the weather breaks a bit. Got 8 inches of snow here in the piedmont area of NC and the garage is NOT heated. Brrrr!

[qwik510]

Thanks guys.

 

One question on speaker wires... I'm assuming 1 wire to each of two speakers, the speaker grounded with a separate wire, correct? And one speaker to test will be fine?

 

If I'm correct, I'll get right on testing these two as soon as the weather breaks a bit. Got 8 inches of snow here in the piedmont area of NC and the garage is NOT heated. Brrrr!

 

Most old Datsun radios were not stereo, they were monophonic so the speaker wires that are there are the speaker positive and the speaker negative. If you are hooking up 2 speakers to the radio, twist the speaker positives together and the speaker negatives together and then hook them up to the speaker wires from the unit. If you are not sure which lead is the positive or negative on the radio unit, just hook them up both ways and see which way sounds best. You will not damage them by tying it.

 

You only need one speaker to test then unit though.

[elmerfudpucker]

Most old Datsun radios were not stereo, they were monophonic so the speaker wires that are there are the speaker positive and the speaker negative. If you are hooking up 2 speakers to the radio, twist the speaker positives together and the speaker negatives together and then hook them up to the speaker wires from the unit. If you are not sure which lead is the positive or negative on the radio unit, just hook them up both ways and see which way sounds best. You will not damage them by tying it.

 

You only need one speaker to test then unit though.

 

I thought they was common ground. one to speaker + one to ground. Dont hold me to that tho.

[Unclejesse88]

I would just hook up the one speaker. Running them both in parallel makes the impedance 2 ohms instead of 4, and I'm not sure how well that old radio would handle that. You could hook your one speaker up either way, it just won't sound right the wrong way. With this old of a radio though, I doubt you'd be able to tell. Usually hooked up the wrong way provides less bass from what I'm told