Old car - new Technology

[BAR]

With used cars, the first areas that people refurb … [are] wheels, tires and audio systems.

So many here on this forum have ambitions to update wheels, tyres etc to improve looks and / or handling.

Again so many 'lust' after the anitquated and inefficient Becker products from the 70's.

Elipse (in the USA) makes a dashboard device that has a CD player, GPS, an iPod connection and a DVD player that connects to screens in the back of the vehicle.

So why not toss the Becker for improved quality sound and extra functions - I invite your opinion.

 

[BenzBoy]

Or simply update to the new Becker Mexico...
Are we getting DAB radio soon? What is it? What will happen to our old radios?
Regards,
Benz-Boy

 

[E200K]

For me, part of the enjoyment of owning a twenty-year-old car comes from the fact that everything is as original as possible. Replacing the Becker for some modern sound system doesn't really have any appeal to me.

 

[abl567]

Easy solution, install the Becker in the dash and wire it so the On control powers a modern head unit concealed under a seat or in the boot and operated by a remote control. All Beckers can be easily modified to operate this way, I've seen 2 or 3 of these set ups and they work really well.
Best of both worlds

 

[E200K]

Easy solution, install the Becker in the dash and wire it so the On control powers a modern head unit concealed under a seat or in the boot and operated by a remote control. All Beckers can be easily modified to operate this way, I've seen 2 or 3 of these set ups and they work really well.
Best of both worlds

True, for many people that's probably a great solution. This may sound silly, but for me it's all about enjoying the "time capsule" experience of owning and driving an older car. At the risk of sounding really silly, fitting a hidden modern unit somehow seems like cheating.

 

[Martin280s]

I try to keep my car as original as possible and go to great lenghts to do so. Although, I did have the 'authorised' adaptaion done so I can connect an Mp3player to the Becker. It is discreet and efficient too.

 

[s class]

Hey, I even listen to The Eagles in my W116. Hip Hop just doesn't work when you are surrounded by fine German leather and wood.

 

[Nütz]

Hip Hop just doesn't work when you are surrounded by fine German leather and wood.

Many a lyric about leather and wood in hip hop.

 

[Styria]

Hi guys, this is a really good subject to discuss, disagree on by telling them to go to buggery, or you listen and look politely just in case there is another side to the story of originality, personal enjoyment, what others may think...need I go on. Generally speaking, however, I say it is up to the individual - sitting on that fence ? No way. Let me explain.

As a rule, I prefer not to deviate from original - if I can help it. Unfortunately, the all black Becker Mexico Cassette Radio fitted to 6.9s (supposed to be better quality) as original equipment does not fare too well in the 'beauty stakes' - does it ? Sometimes, and it seems to depend from car to car, you can get reasonable sound and reception from them - in fact, reception can be surprisingly good. I'll find a picture in due course. So, what is the alternative ?

When I bought 'Gleaming Beauty', it had a Chinese made Tenvox Cassette Radio fitted. You know, nothing special, worked and looked okay, but did nothing for me. So, when I had a few spare dollars up my sleeve ( say about $2k. - silly boy), I decided to splash out big on the most expensive Pioneer unit at the time $1.2k - but, but , have a look at it - fake timber, great name, discreet looks, remote control....



It still stacks up today (on looks), sound okay with the help of Pioneer amplifier in boot of car - very neatly fitted and wired up, plus six speakers inside the car, and a Pioneer CD stacker, again in the boot.

So, it was the timber look and sheer monetary extravagance that made me to buy in preference to getting back to original. With my Astral Silver 6.9, a very original car (still for sale with all faults and warts - if you can find them), I wanted to stay original, but the black Becker Mexico had the little lid for the cassette missing, but I wanted to install a Mercedes unit, albeit from a different era - 1991 to be precise......



Neat and tidy, very good quality, looking quite attractive and badged Mercedes Benz - very important !....tell your auntie

Okay, haven't got original but, overall, I have come up with some very satisfying alternatives.

As a matter of comparison, you may also look at the interior layout of the Statesman we own with all its fake wood but, nevertheless, some very nice styling features on what is, essentially, a high class Motor Car - nine years old.



Regards Styria

 

[GreaseMonkey]

For what it's worth, both my daily cars, an '84 280E and an '84 190E have their original 'Becker Grand Prix Electronic', and original aerials, and they both work well enough as FM radios, although the one in the 280E has better reception.
I have a black front Becker Mexico that came out of my '80 280E that used to work well and sounds good until it developed a whistle, but I will get it repaired.
The reason I would prefer to get an original pin-stripe Mexico for the Crayford is just that I am restoring it to original and plan to keep it that way with only a discreet plug for the ipod.
I may also fit one in the SLC if one comes along, only because, again, that is a mint original '76 model and would probably be best kept that way now most have gone the big alloys route to blingdom.
My only real questions re expensive in-car hi-fi are;
first, how much can we really get from listening in the car, bearing in mind we are probably driving and music or whatever should be at a level where it is entertaining or even relaxing, but not so loud we can't hear anything else.
Second, if listeneing to the radio, there are only so many ABC stations around, all the rest are commercial and who really wants Harvey Bloody Norman shouting at you every ten minutes anyway?
Cds are ok, I even have a new in-the-box unopened stereo with cd changer I never got around to fitting as I have now got so used to the convenience of taking the ipod from one car to the other.
I know others have criticised the sound quality of the ipod, but I find it quite good enough for in car use, if not as good as my home hi-fi.
It is like the argument over whether we should spend thousands on a Plasma TV or a LCD screen, when in reality there is still b*gger-all worth watching on there?
I am damn sure not buying a $5k 'Home Entertaiment' package from Harvey, just so I can go home and watch his ads even bigger and louder, in between more Bert Newton and Red Symonds rubbish.
Chris M.

 

[Michel]

I just returned from a week up the coast (boy.... was it needed !!!)

Driving there and back in a Hyundai Santa Fe (courtesy of Hyundai Motor Cars Australia) fitted with an iPod connection and an MP3 (via memory stick receptacle) reader, I found listening to my choice of music fabulous.

That is one of the reasons I fited the late model Sony AM/FM/CD/Memory Stick player in the 690SEL.

MY choice ....
My music...

Each to his own

 

[Styria]

Hi Grease Monkey, as far as your two cars are concerned, I am with you 100% of the way, especially as far as the Crayford bodied car is concerned.

On the other hand, for your 450SLC, you could consider the Becker Electronic unit as fitted to the 380SL and SLC's onward. I mean, the quality of those units ought to be up to par, although again I am not all that fond of the styling. Too mathematical...1,2,3,4,5 etc.

The earlier, striped units are fine, and attractive, but I think they are more suited to the 108/109 range, although I am well aware that the 116 range came fitted with them as well. It is up to the individual.

Music, the type I like (and I am versatile, you know, oompah, oompah with keg of beer in hand) and that's got to be loud - plus, if loud enough, you can't hear the rattling, thrashing, and gurgling from "Gleaming Beauty" when on the move. Plus, Latin American, Texas Tornadoes, Freddy Fender, Bellamy Bros, why they all sound twice as good when the volume is double. Another to come to mind - Sarah Brightman, wonderful orchestral work and Andrea Berg, Germany's darling and someone to die for - even in the car. That's me. Styria

 

[-bb-]

I can understand the reasoning behind keeping the original radio, but because my 6.9 currently has a Kenwood cassette unit that was fitted before I owned it, I am going to install a modern CD/USB/Bluetooth unit.

Apart from that fact that I dont have one, there is no point going back to the original radio when I mostly listen to recorded music and podcasts.

I find most broadcast radio boring these days, something I hope digital and satellite radio (if we ever get it) will fix with a wider range of programming. That said, on demand streaming radio over a 3G internet connection might also me coming to yur car in the future (http://www.theage.com.au/news/digit...o-a-world-first/2009/01/07/1231004091554.html).

 

[E200K]

...
I am damn sure not buying a $5k 'Home Entertaiment' package from Harvey, just so I can go home and watch his ads even bigger and louder, in between more Bert Newton and Red Symonds rubbish.
Chris M.

Do you ever watch the UK show called "Grumpy Old Men"?

 

[GreaseMonkey]

Do you ever watch the UK show called "Grumpy Old Men"?

Of course, the whole series was all about me!
C.M.

 

[GreaseMonkey]

Music, the type I like

Texas Tornadoes, Freddy Fender, Bellamy Bros, why they all sound twice as good when the volume is double. Another to come to mind - Sarah Brightman, wonderful orchestral work and Andrea Berg, Germany's darling and someone to die for - even in the car. That's me. Styria

Now you're talking!
Texas Tornados a full-on party, if you like all that stuff, I have some other rarities by Doug Sahm and Flaco Jimenez I may be able to pass your way.......
C.M.

 

[Styria]

Now you're talking!
Texas Tornados a full-on party, if you like all that stuff, I have some other rarities by Doug Sahm and Flaco Jimenez I may be able to pass your way.......
C.M.

Flaco Jimenez I have heard of - in fact, I am fairly certain that I have got some of his music on both Real Player and iTune. A lot of my music has been downloaded from Bear Share, with 877 files on iPod which was a real boon during my recent overseas trip. I'll have to check out the other guy you're talking about. Regards Styria

 

[BenzBoy]

Flaco Jimenez I have heard of - in fact, I am fairly certain that I have got some of his music on both Real Player and iTune. A lot of my music has been downloaded from Bear Share, with 877 files on iPod which was a real boon during my recent overseas trip. I'll have to check out the other guy you're talking about. Regards Styria

Good God man!!! What ever happened to a string quartet in the back seat while you drive? Bloody ipods, nano-machines and the like!!! If I didn't know you better Styria, I would think you were a person who walks around with a set of buds stuck in his ears and an ipod dangling off his belt...
This is what you need:




More information here:
http://ookworld.com/hiwayhifi.html

Regards,
Benz-Boy

 

[GreaseMonkey]

Flaco Jimenez I have heard of - in fact, I am fairly certain that I have got some of his music on both Real Player and iTune. A lot of my music has been downloaded from Bear Share, with 877 files on iPod which was a real boon during my recent overseas trip. I'll have to check out the other guy you're talking about. Regards Styria

The original Texas Tornados was Doug Sahm, Augie Meyer, (both previously of the Sir Douglas Quintet), Freddy Fender ("Before The Next Teardrop Falls") and Flaco Jimenez, the superstar of 'Conjunto' the northern Mexico style of accordion playing and has recorded with many other big name acts.
Sahm and Fender are both no longer with us, but all of the four above names have recorded some of the best in Tex-Mex music.
Chris M.

 

[Styria]

Hi BenzBoy, well, you do know me well but, in all honesty, my Nano i-Pod, saved me on my long plane trip - plus, of course, a young and delightful Austrian lass from Vienna that decided to make Taiwan her further 'educational' home for the next two years.

Regarding music and the Texas Tornadoes, one needs to be clear that not everyone appreciates this kind of Tex-Mex music, sometimes sung in English and part Spanish. Freddie Fender (yeah, I think he passed away about four years ago), was an absolute master at it and these various songs are simply vibrant and full of good melody. I am also a huge fan of some Mexican music, although the Mariarchi band (combo) I find a bit hard to take.

If we speak of classical music, string quartets, concertos for oboe and harpsichord, I am quite at home with music like that as well. Even Opera gets in on the act, but I stop at the real heavy stuff by Wagner and his Othello that I went to at the Opera House in Graz as a fourteen and fifteen year old. We were just 'snotty nosed' kids, but still appreciated some of the light hearted Operettas like La Luna, Die Fledermaus (Strauss' masterpiece), The merry Widow et al. Half time was always magic - walking aound the internal promenade with all the 'well to do peoples' with suits and evening dresses, with glass of wine in hand puffing away at the "SMART" brand of cigarettes. It sure was different then, but they are very dear memories for me. Shedding a tear, Styria - and at the moment, we're not going to talk about the Nightclubs and afternoon tea performances that us fifteen year olds were so fond of, with always the veritable "SMART' cigarette hanging out from the corner of our lips Also, in those days, James Dean was huge - we all wanted to be like him..