Plus 2 radios

I have an early Plus 2 (50/0183) and the radio is three inches deep. It’s a Pye , doesn’t work, but I don’t know if it’s dead or just don’t like the frequencies in this country. Any ideas?

Original radio in Britain was a Philips Turnlock. They change hands for silly money by the rivet counters (modellers slang for perfectionists) They give lousy reception as any period radio did in a fibre glass car. Lotus went to extreme measures to make a radio work in GRP with suppression and screening of everything electrical. but to no avail. At any speeds above tick over forget it. I’de keep hold of the Pye, it may have been an alternative after market fitment for the American market and may have some value.

In the meantime I have 150 watts of Kenwood with no requirement for suppression or screening. When I go to shows I change the removable front for a period AM/FM radio front which keeps the rivet counters at bay.

Gordon

so you managed to fit a kenwood head unit into the standard slot? how does the retro face attach itself to the kenwood unit?

I was a little vague. The Pye was installed in Britain, it’s a long wave, medium wave, I’m not sure that’s the same as US am/fm. No one I’ve been able to find over here has a model that’s shallow enough to fit in hole and then there’s the + ground to consider. I put a Pioneer in my Elan S3 (hot wire to the case) and it worked fine until the seat frame rubbed the insulation off the antenna lead and set fire to passenger side carpet in traffic! I finally got pulled over, got the seat pushed forward, and was beating the fire out with my wife’s dry cleaning, smoke is rolling out of the windows. This kid runs up and says, “I think your car’s on fire.” I said, " No, this is my smoking jacket."

Now that is funny. What did your wife have say about it?
Sorry for the fire and the damage, but I don’t always laugh out loud.
Thanks for the laugh, Sarto

I purchased a “Secret Audio” radio. The head is quite small and short depth. The remote box that has the radio is of course much larger.

I have yet to install the dash intoi the car an.d install the remote box. I am unsure where it will fit. I am tentatively thinking in top of the passenger footwell.

Bob

The Secret Audio radio looks very nice.

I would get one except they only work on the USA system of odd only FM frequencies. Shame.

Does anyone now if they can be reprogrammed to UK spec?

I also purchased a secret radio and installed it in the boot just behind the back panel and hung the speakers boxes that they offered on the inside behind the seats. I use the remote to select the stations and left the dash with it’s plug blank in place. I’m thinking of hinging the dash blank with push/release type thing? so that when it is up it shows the control part of the radio.
The radio works fine even with just the 2 rear speakers.
When I get some time i’ll finish it and post pictures

Sarto

A modern Kenwood fits into an Elan OK as there is lots of room behind the dash. Not so the +2 which is very restricted. I made an aluminium frame which holds the unit in place but it protudes from the dash by about an inch. See my photos on Rhubarb +2 postings. The old period front I cut from a knackered radio and bent the metal front so that it clips into the slot at the front of the Kenwood. Static and non functional it’s only for show!

Gordon

Sarto, The dry cleaning was history, the carpet survived, herself has left, she’s on her 4th now, he’s with the Oklahoma Highway Dept. so work is steady! Happy ending!

I installed my dash today. It appears that the secret audio cable that connects the head of the radio to the box is long enough to locate the box behind the rear interior panel. It will be out of sight and not taking up any leg room.

Bob

On the Pye that I have, also plus 2, you have to get the frequency selection correct, right knob outer I think, then fine dial with inner right knob–the buttons work to slide dial to preselects–works fine with antennae. What looks like antennae wire is speaker wire with sheath to one pole and center lead to other pole–not stereo. Gordon Sauer, TX

Hinging the dash radio blank with a push-release latch as suggested by Sarto is a brilliant idea. I’ve seen an Elan glove box door rigged this way and it is very slick. The 12’ cable that connects the head unit to the radio box should be long enough to go anywhere on the car.

I’ve never had a radio in my S2 so I haven’t had experience with interference - I don’t even know where the speakers are supposed to go. Is it possible to flush-mount two speakers in the rear bulkhead, or do the strut towers get in the way? From other posts in this thread, it appears that modern radios make interference a thing of the past - true? What about an antenna? Will the “hidden antenna” offered by the Secret Audio folks work well in our plastic cars?

I have the dash out now for refinishing and rewiring, so anything is possible.

I installed a universal power antenna. It is not that much larger than the original manual antenna and will extend with the secret audio radio is on and vice versa.

Gordon, I’m assuming you are in the USA,right? Was the radio for the US market, or does it matter? My +2 is the ‘home market’ version (rhd) and I haven’t found anyone who can tell me just what the difference is between the UK’s LW-MW and the USA’s AM/FM. Is it frequency or modulation?

Bob, I installed the custom speakers that Secret Audio makes with the Bose type bass sounds. I attached them on the back panel behind the seats. Rotoflexible, the towers are not in the way.

Bob you must be better than I at reading the instructions. I installed a manual antenna as it was easier for me to figure out.

I’m still looking for a spring or gas hinge for the radio dash blank to hide the radio controls. When I get one that works I will post a picture and the source.

Sarto

I spent some time yesterday on the Rockler woodworking website looking for hinges. It looks like we need a minature version of a hinge for a frameless inset cabinet door, but I couldn’t find one. (I also couldn’t find the push-release catch but I know someone I can ask about it.) I was thinking of making a simple hinge by drilling the bottom sides of the blank and inserting thin rod or piano wire, and cutting matching grooves on the back of the dash with some means of retaining the rods. But it sounds like you may want to hinge the blank at the top rather than the bottom.

It also sounds like you bought the Custom Autosound “Undercover” speakers which appear to be surface mounts - correct? I was thinking of speakers that would flush-mount into the bulkhead with just grilles showing.

Hi Andrew,
You are right about the speakers. Originally I wanted to place flush mounted speakers in the back panel. But I went for the bose type sound instead.
My Volvo has a cup holder lid that if you push it, it raises up and to close it, just push it back down and it locks. There has to be latch that can be used and handle the weight.
The rod is a good idea. Setting the hinge so that when the blank plate is closed it fits flush. A hinge could work either way, top or bottom, I like the top better, I think. A screw on hinge would be great as long as it does not have to do any wood work to the dash, if possible. Could be a little business.
Mine came with a flip down bracket for under the dash attachment which I have missed place and still looking for it. It should give some ideas about attaching the controls to the radio blank.
I fused the radio directly to the battery in the boot, keeping the radio away from AM engine interference. I also use a manual flush antenna purchased anywhere. I have a new dash so making all of the attachments while the dash is out will be alot easier.
I will have a Afican rosewood dash for sale soon, made by Randy at Prestige auto wood. The picture shows the glove box hinging with a cord.

I’ll let you know what I find.

Sarto



Beautiful dash! I am in the process of refinishing mine in straight-grain mahogany. After all the work I’m putting into it, I may wish I had sprung for a burl or exotic wood…

I have attached a photo of the power antenna installed in my +2. The wiring is incomplete as I am waiting for the padding and carpeting to complete the installation.

Bob