HMV Radio

[achandler]

Can anyone tell me what the model HMV Valve Radio was fitted to the Rover P4, up to around 1958? This is the radio with the speaker to the side of the verticle tuning scale and knobs, rather than above them. I would also be interested in where I might find technical information about them, too.
Many thanks

[paul williams]

Hi Adrian,
hope you are well, I presume you mean this type

http://www.rover-forum.thersr.co.uk/vie ... aa1f#p2387

if so I will have a closer look at it, I still intend to restore it as a winter project.

paul

[achandler]

Hi Paul,
Great to hear from you, and hope you and your folk are keeping well.
Yes, your radio is the type I meant. I have been offered one for my P4, but will need to find technical advise for restoring it. I understand from some literature that there should be two parts, the section visible and another box of gizmos hidden away somewhere behind the dash. I might be dished there as I am not sure that both my bits are present!

regards

[paul williams]

Adrian,

yes we are all well thanks. You are correct, the radio comes in two sections, the one in the photo contains the tuner section and loudspeaker, the other part, the blackbox, contains the powersupply, the audio amplifier and other bits. Both sections contain the relevent valves and if I remember correctly there is a circuit diagram inside the blackbox bit. The radio works for either positive or negative earth and tunes the long wave and medium wave AM using either the tuning knob or the presets. I am still seriously considering modifying the one I have to be a single box tuning FM.

Hope that helps, if you want some more info or pictures let me know, there have been a few appear on ebay recently and in fully refurbished condition, but unmodified tend to sell for about the £80 mark

Paul

[achandler]

Thanks Paul, that certainly clarifies things a bit, though I still dont know what model it is. I have seen them quoted as Radiomobile 4220, but they have an HMV label on them, so I have to assume either they were built by one company or the other, under licence, or that Radiomobile and HMV were actually the same company!
All very confusing for an old sailorman!
I like the idea of converting it to FM, though surely,that would require transistors etc, which would probably reduce the really marvelous mellow sound the old sets had.
Many thanks

[achandler]

Well I have bought the set, which is complete with both boxes and connecting cables. Praise be, it also seems to work, at least on the bench, I have not fitted it yet.
Next problem, just where are you supposed to fit the amplifier and power unit?
It must be within 2 feet of the control box and loudspeaker,(fitted in the dashboard) as the connecting cables are no longer, but I am totally baffled as to where there is sufficient space. The power and amplifier unit box is fitted with two triangular brackets on each end which are obviously designed to be attached to a bulkhead or someother firm part of the car.
My set is slightly different from the UK version as instead of 4 push-buttons marked MW, and the 5th LW, mine are numbered 1 to 5, from the top, and the tuning scale would seem to indicate it is MW and SW.
Next question, the top knob centre is obviously ON-OFF and Volume, but the lower chromed catch has a 4 stage "click", what is that supposed to do? The bottom knob changes the Tuning. All a bit baffling when I dont have a users manual!
Incidently my bottom knob is missing, anyone got one? I dont think our local equivalent of Halfords, out here in New Zealand stock them.

[Neal P2]

Hi
I had an HMV fitted to a P4 may years ago - the valve box was fitted to the right hand side of the dash up on the lower shelf that ran across (behind the handbrake), I seem to remember having to carefully cut the hessian type material to gain access - I can't recall how it was held in place though.
The 4 stage 'click' catch you mention used to alter the tone of the sound.
- sorry I can't remember exactly how the box fitted - but Hope this helps

regards

Neal

[achandler]

Hi Neal,
Thanks for your reply. There is no shelf in my P4, and if I attached it to the underside of the panel under the instruments, I would be grave danger of kicking it every time I get in the car. This has me totally baffled, as short of taking the dashboard out, the box wont fit through any of the recognised holes, ie into the glove box. The only place I have not really investigated yet is the space behind the instruments. Not too confident though.
This set is a Rover approved accessory, so you would think fitting it, without having to dismantle the car, should be fairly straightforward!

[Rubythursday]

It fits in the space behind the instruments, you have to cut the felt away to reveal the hole and then it can be manouvered into place by pushing it up through the hole and then twisting it sideways. I found it easier to remove the mountings from the box and refit them once it was in the hole.

[achandler]

Thanks, I will see if I can persuade it into the space behind the instruments.
regards