Original Radio

[pete57]

Hi chaps, I'm a newby and have just bought a nice white 1990 325i convertible. It is spoilt by a huge Ministry of Sound head unit in the most garish blue and silver. I would like the car to be completely original and have the original radio/cassette that would be bought with the car from new. Does anyone know what model radios were fitted in this car and if so has anyone got one for me to buy? Speakers sound rubbish. Can these be upgraded without modifying door cards etc. Also what was the original aerial like. This one has a black plastic coated one about a foot tall. I'm sure this is not original.
Hope to be an active member. I live in Nottingham. Pete

[stonesie]

I think mine has the factory radio and its a bit dated to be fair, it's a pull-out one from before the era of removeable face plates and takes tapes... I cant remember the last time i saw those for sale in HMV so you would be limited to radio.


When my new one arrives you can have this one if you want it.

[bry]

I have a VDO CD413 - not period (think these were blaupunkt) but looks the part

[B7]

1989 / 1990 pioneer and blaupunkt were on the option lists.

They even listed a Pioneer m series cd multi changer as well......for about a grand!!!! I have the 1989 options list in my car. I'll dig it out and list the models for you. occasionally some appear on eBay

Speakers are standard 13cm fit although depth can be an issue. A good upgarde is to source a pair of the original tweeter pods which replace the mirror covers.

I'm running an early mid 90's pioneer which looks period with a period Alpine spectrum analyser playing through apair of amps (alpine and pioneer) connected to 4 sony custom fits and the aforementioned tweeter pods with infinity tweeters fitted. Sound quality is okay but withou a big custom install I can't expect more. However, originallity in looks is more important to me. Another reason for the head unit is that, being an early P series , I've been able to latch it up to a pioneer iPod unit which allows the iPod to go in the glovebox and be contrilled by the head unit

Welcome by the way.

[snoops]

One of my dads old 325i SE's came with a Pioneer Radio/Cassette with a 10 Disc CD Changer

[bss325i]

Most radios and arials were dealer fitted before delivery. My 325i sport had an Alpine pull out cassete player and a pair of alpine front speakers fitted from new and i've just put these both back in after removing a new alpine cd head unit i had in there fore a while.

Blaupankt seems to be the most common manufacturer used but anything period would be ok imo.

[toby]

Something like this.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=006

Check out the ICE section too as there are some radio threads in there too.

[bss325i]

Something like this.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=006

Check out the ICE section too as there are some radio threads in there too.

Not period but would still look fine.

[e30topless]

I have this one if interested? it's the dealer fitted one from my 1989 se

[pete57]

Thanks guys. Thats great advice and very quick. I have just aquired a Pioneer pullout cassette radio and was told it was from an E30 but I wasn't convinced at the time but reading your messages I think it probably is. I am very interested in linking my ipod to this and a little more advice on how to do this would be appreciated. Where would be a good place to source tweeters to replace the mirror covers?
Thanks for all the offers of your old units. I'll have to see if this one works first.
I am about to take the tow bar off this if anyone wants one.
Thanks for welcoming on board. Looks like I will need lots of guidence? I'll try and get a picture up soon.

[Jeepster]

Personally I would be looking at Nakamichi or Becker units, they have that 80's look to them as well as being of good quality.

Nakamichi goodness

[B7]

Thanks guys. Thats great advice and very quick. I have just aquired a Pioneer pullout cassette radio and was told it was from an E30 but I wasn't convinced at the time but reading your messages I think it probably is. I am very interested in linking my ipod to this and a little more advice on how to do this would be appreciated. Where would be a good place to source tweeters to replace the mirror covers?
Thanks for all the offers of your old units. I'll have to see if this one works first.

Tweeter covers. Put a wanted ad in the wanted section on here, see what comes up. eBay also throws them up occasionally escpecially from the states.

Linking an ipod to a pull out pioneer is not gonna be easy as it probably won't have a cd control function and if it has, it'll be for an M series changer. You need a P series unit to take a pioneer IB100 ipod unit. You could use an FM modulator with your pull out unit but the performance of these is often not great.

The options list from April 1990 lists the following (exc of VAT):

Blaupunkt Cambridge at £418
Blaupunkt Melbourne at £468
Blaupunkt Grenada at £498
Blaupunkt Montreaux at £619
Blaupunkt Toronto at £648
Blaupunkt Memphis at £798

Pioneer KEH 5100B at £460
Pioneer KEH 4000 RDS at £513
Pioneer KEH M5000B at £563
Pioneer KEH 9000 RDS at £713
Pioneer DEH 55 CD Player at £715 (this was part of the "Component" pre amp range so you had to add an amp to this.)
Pioneer KEX M800 + CDXM70 Multi Play C.D at £1275 (again the M800 was part of the "Component" pre amp range so you had to add an amp to this.)

None of these Pioneers will take a pioneer ib100 ipod controller

You could have a stalk equaliser (IIRC this would have been a blaupunkt as Pioneer never made one) at another £192

Amplifiers:
Blaupunkt BQA 107 at £156
Pioneer GM 41A at £117

Heres my set up which altough not original does look kind of period with it's bulky black design and tape deck. It dates from about 1995 i think. The amps are hidden well out of sight and this was pre tweeter fitment. The ipod fly lead is also out of sight (all controlled by the head unit).

[bss325i]

Most radios and arials were dealer fitted before delivery. My 325i sport had an Alpine pull out cassete player and a pair of alpine front speakers fitted from new and i've just put these both back in after removing a new alpine cd head unit i had in there fore a while.

Blaupankt seems to be the most common manufacturer used but anything period would be ok imo.

My Alpine.

[B7]

Most radios and arials were dealer fitted before delivery. My 325i sport had an Alpine pull out cassete player and a pair of alpine front speakers fitted from new and i've just put these both back in after removing a new alpine cd head unit i had in there fore a while.

Blaupankt seems to be the most common manufacturer used but anything period would be ok imo.

My Alpine.

Thats the same model as my mate had fitted on his new royal blue 325 back in '89. He had his fitted at car sounds in epsom.

[Niiick]

The rubber aerials fitted by the dealers were Bosch Autoflex aerials and they are still available, a far more elegant solution than the shorter thick universal items.

If an electric aerial was fitted it would be a Hirschmann, available with both chrome and satin black finishes. These are also still available.

[harry_p]

also remember that back in the 80s bmw were famour for making virtually everything a cost option. i'm guessing a lot of people only opted for the fitment kit, or radio preparation, and sourced their own units elsewhere, probably for a lot less money.