8 Track Tape Player

[Karnevil]

I have been gifted a new old stock Motorola 8 track player.
I want to fit this into my Stag purely for nostalgia really,as a kid being driven around in the car that started my infatuation with the Stag the 8 track really fascinated me!
I read in the fitting instructions that the inserting and ejecting of the tape switches the unit on and off and therefore the unit itself requires to be wired to a permanent live.
Now does this mean connected directly to the battery on a fused supply or just via an ignition switched live?
I'm thinking it must be the direct to battery option as having the tape stop whilst playing may cause damage to it.

I doubt I will be driving whilst having the tape playing anyway as the radio is being converted for ipod and I guess I will be upgrading to a Retrosound bluetooth unit as I have fitted in the TR7,just want the 8 Track for display purposes as it were.

If the answer is direct to battery is it worth fitting an extra fusebox somewhere to supply power as I will also want to be fitting USB charging points and a supply for a Sat Nav.

How many of you still have an 8 track fitted?Do you still use them,or as I am intending,just have it for a period show piece?


Hopefully the restoration work will soon be finished on my car and I can get my hands on it but it looks as if I will not be able to drive it straight away as I will be recovering from my heart by pass op which I will be having on 16th April so looking like June before I can drive it properly
Still that is plenty early enough for a shake down before my trip in it to Classic LeMans in July

[richardthestag]

first good luck with the Operation

For a modern radio with electronic presets and stuff it would need a constant fused live, like from the any of the brown wires but then with an inline fuse close to where you take the feed from....

For something like an 8 Track take the feed from one of the white wires on the back of the fuseboard and add an inline fuse, It will work with the ignition key in position 1. helps then that with the key removed the battery drain will NOT be via the head unit.

If you want to listen to it when parked up in the camping at Le Mans then go for a fused supply from a Brown wire as per modern radio.

Just make sure that the in line fuse is as close to the brown wire as you can get it

[Karnevil]

first good luck with the Operation

Thank you,I'm sure it will all be fine they seem very routine nowadays !

For a modern radio with electronic presets and stuff it would need a constant fused live, like from the any of the brown wires but then with an inline fuse close to where you take the feed from....

Yes I was wondering about this as the converted,Radiomobile IIRC,is of course analouge and has no constant for the memory and I do not want to be flattening the battery all the time as it seems a pain to change the Stags battery once ruined,I keep the TR7 on a conditioner,the same with the motorbike,so will be getting one for the Stag too!

For something like an 8 Track take the feed from one of the white wires on the back of the fuseboard and add an inline fuse, It will work with the ignition key in position 1. helps then that with the key removed the battery drain will NOT be via the head unit.

Ideally I would not want to be tapping into the existing loom.For the TR7 I made up a patch lead using the correct Lucas Rist connectors,from Autosparks,to supply the switched and constant power for the radio.

If you want to listen to it when parked up in the camping at Le Mans then go for a fused supply from a Brown wire as per modern radio.

Just make sure that the in line fuse is as close to the brown wire as you can get it