FAQ

Classic Car Radio Repair

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Can you sell me a set of knobs, connectors, belts or cosmetic parts?

Sorry, this is strictly a repair shop and I don't try to also function as a parts supply house for
many reasons. Due to the volume of repair jobs I receive, there just isn't time to do the
required research to find parts for non-customers. Also, I don't want to be the bad guy who
has to charge you $50 or more for a set of original knobs, which is the going rate for many
vintage models. An original connector for some units easily fetches $35 or more - which I
think is ridiculous, but that is what I see them going for. Your best bet for finding such items
is eBay, where you can likely buy a nonworking unit for less than you would pay for the parts
if you purchased them individually. Keep looking, and you'll eventually find the needed parts.

I'm having my car restored and need my unit back as soon as possible

Unless your unit is already working properly and you're sending it in for a tuneup and very
minor repairs, I am unable to guarantee fast turnaround. You simply can't rush quality, lifetime
guaranteed work on a unit that is 30, 40 or 50 years old. Many units need the circuit board
completely stripped, cleaned and rebuilt with new components, motors taken apart and fully
serviced, or the entire unit taken apart piece by piece to perform various procedures. At
Classic Car Radio Repair, we do complete, old time quality repair and restoration work. This
is much different than simply replacing a part and giving the unit a quick test, and my quality
will be very noticeable when you get your unit back in your car. I do try to give priority to
jobs coming from auto restoration shops - but every job is just as important as the last one.

Do you need the model and serial numbers to work on my unit?

These numbers are extremely helpful, but I can also use your car's make and year to find the
required service information. If I can definitely verify your unit's model, I will add a label on
it for future reference. If it's an "orphan" unit (model, car make and year unknown), I can
still probably repair it, but it may take a few weeks of research - please be patient on these!

Are you interested in purchasing units?

At this time, I'm not buying radios for repair and resale from private parties.

HI, this is Steve - how is my radio coming?

For all status inquiries, please include your name, address, radio model, year and make of
car it's going into, and approximate date you sent it in for repair. The jobs tend to run
together, and I get too many to remember your unit by first name alone. Remember that
this is a nationwide repair service, and there are likely many Steves with units on my shelf.

What model was installed in the '68 Thunderbird (or other make)?

In some cases, several different models went into the same year and make of car, depending
on many circumstances. I can usually provide many possibilities, but only very seldom can it
be definitely established exactly which model radio was installed in which automobile. I do
provide this free service, but it shouldn't be interpreted as the sole authority on the subject.

Do you ever get a unit that cannot be fixed? If so, what happens to the money I prepaid?

In rare cases, a part is no longer available. If I'm not able to locate a suitable replacement
in a reasonable amount of time, your full payment is refunded minus the shipping cost to
send the unit back to you. The customer pays shipping both ways in all cases, including
units returned for warranty work - I might add here that my failure rate is LESS than 1 per year.

How do you fix _____________?

If requested, I can provide a full description of all work performed when I return your unit.
As most problems can be caused by many different things, I do not try to answer this type
of question until I've had your unit on my bench, and it is fully repaired and ready for return.

What is your typical turnaround time?

At this time, my turnaround on most items is 4 to 6 weeks, with some units taking as long as
3 months depending on age, condition and repairs required. Generally, the older and
dirtier a unit is, the longer it takes to repair. If the outside is covered with rust, it's a safe
bet that the circuit board will be full of corrosion also, which will take longer to repair.

Is there any way to put a rush on my unit?

I really try to not to do this because it is unfair to other customers. In very rare cases, I
will make an exception depending on your circumstances, my current workload and a few
other factors. Rushing a job will incur substantial extra cost, and ONLY guarantees that
your unit will be next - it does not guarantee any particular turnaround time unless this
is previously agreed on - and it depends on your description of the problems with the unit.

What forms of payment do you accept?

Being extremely conscious and watchful of identity theft and other various online scams, I
do not participate in any methods of online payment. Thus, I will never ask you for any type
of sensitive financial or bank information. I accept checks and money orders only. This may
prove inconvenient to some customers, but I believe it's better to be safe than sorry.