After a number of years ... Finally finalized CB Radio and Amp

[Caddylackn]

We got into the CB craze in the 70s after watching Smokey and the Bandit and watching the movie Convoy like everyone else. My mom had a Realistic 40 CB put into her new VW Sirocco. It was the CB model that had the big channel dial onto the hand microphone so you could flip through channels and talk with the same hand. We used to listen to truckers on road trips but me and my sister were always afraid to say anything to them, except once we said "hi".

I have a vintage chrome faced under dash 8 track player that I am going to put in my truck under the dash. I also have a vintage ball compass on the stand for the dash, and my CB player, which I am going to try to mount overhead. Got to find room for all my vintage accessories. Still looking for a vintage steering wheel knob. I have some vintage Grote cab lights that need installed after I repaint the top.

['68OrangeSunshine]

I had a Realistic TRC-421 w/a pre-amp noise-canx mic, a Motorola remote speaker above the rearview mirror, and a PA speaker behind the grille. I had a Sanyo AM/FM/Cassette [recorder] receiver. No buttons, but great DX analog tuning on FM. Tape deck was good, I played the hell out of it. I also had a 2 channel amp and Jensen speakers. With C90 tapes, I could get 1 LP on each side, with some extra time that I'd dub interesting singles onto.
When I rebuilt the pickup. I took all that stuff off.

[body bolt]

I have a TRC-421. Those are really good little radios. Was your mic also Realistic? I may have the same one. I put a Sanyo AM/FM cassette in my girlfriend's Karmann Gorilla.

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

I had a Realistic TRC-421 w/a pre-amp noise-canx mic, a Motorola remote speaker above the rearview mirror, and a PA speaker behind the grille. I had a Sanyo AM/FM/Cassette [recorder] receiver. No buttons, but great DX analog tuning on FM. Tape deck was good, I played the hell out of it. I also had a 2 channel amp and Jensen speakers. With C90 tapes, I could get 1 LP on each side, with some extra time that I'd dub interesting singles onto.
When I rebuilt the pickup. I took all that stuff off.

[body bolt]

The CB craze was the same time the microcomputer scene started and I went that route. Most of the techs I worked with were heavily into CB radio and linears. Your mom's sounds like it was a Realistic 'One Hander', TRC-461? My original plan was to install one of those. When I was a kid I remember going into the Western Auto in Terrell, Texas and looking at the girls on the suicide knobs.

Originally Posted by Caddylackn

We got into the CB craze in the 70s after watching Smokey and the Bandit and watching the movie Convoy like everyone else. My mom had a Realistic 40 CB put into her new VW Sirocco. It was the CB model that had the big channel dial onto the hand microphone so you could flip through channels and talk with the same hand. We used to listen to truckers on road trips but me and my sister were always afraid to say anything to them, except once we said "hi".

I have a vintage chrome faced under dash 8 track player that I am going to put in my truck under the dash. I also have a vintage ball compass on the stand for the dash, and my CB player, which I am going to try to mount overhead. Got to find room for all my vintage accessories. Still looking for a vintage steering wheel knob. I have some vintage Grote cab lights that need installed after I repaint the top.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Yes, a Realistic mic. Couldn't find a model number on the back. I can't find the battery compartment flap. It takes a 7 volt battery. The original ones were made of mercury, so illegal [in CA] and unobtainable any more. The replacement battery is a stack of 5 or 6 button cells, so it's got 7 times the chance of corroding. A great mic in its day.
''Realistic Preamplified Noise Cancelling Microphone'' All black.
I may have the TRC421 around somewhere, but I took all that stuff off in 2002, when I did an engine swap, and put a new floormat in the cab, and took out all the old JC Whitney accessories I'd accumulated since the '70s.
In '95, I bought a '71 GMC Jimmy and bought a new Radio Shack SSB CB rig for it. But as cell phones came in about then, I never installed it. I tried it briefly, about 5 years ago in my '92 Subaru with a mag mount antenna on the rear deck, but it was not magnificent. Radio works good, but "There's no intelligent life on that Planet'' to quote Mr Spock.

[Caddylackn]

yes you nailed the model #, this was it. We had the magnetic base antennae which we put on the roof. My mom wasn't happy since it scratched the paint of her new car.

[body bolt]

Mine is the TRC-462 which had an LED display. I'd rather have one like your mom's because they don't forget the channel when power is removed.

Originally Posted by Caddylackn

yes you nailed the model #, this was it. We had the magnetic base antennae which we put on the roof. My mom wasn't happy since it scratched the paint of her new car.

[body bolt]

This one? Mine has the same catalog number but is completely different.

Realistic 21-1171 mic

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Yes, a Realistic mic. Couldn't find a model number on the back. I can't find the battery compartment flap. It takes a 7 volt battery. The original ones were made of mercury, so illegal [in CA] and unobtainable any more. The replacement battery is a stack of 5 or 6 button cells, so it's got 7 times the chance of corroding. A great mic in its day.
''Realistic Preamplified Noise Cancelling Microphone'' All black.
I may have the TRC421 around somewhere, but I took all that stuff off in 2002, when I did an engine swap, and put a new floormat in the cab, and took out all the old JC Whitney accessories I'd accumulated since the '70s.
In '95, I bought a '71 GMC Jimmy and bought a new Radio Shack SSB CB rig for it. But as cell phones came in about then, I never installed it. I tried it briefly, about 5 years ago in my '92 Subaru with a mag mount antenna on the rear deck, but it was not magnificent. Radio works good, but "There's no intelligent life on that Planet'' to quote Mr Spock.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Not like the one pictured. Mine has a black metal fine mesh cage that sticks out from the flat base of the front by about 3/4''. Also the battery door had a tiny plastic tab holding it on, not a screw like that one.
Red box was similar, but pic was of mine.
I may have an earlier version.

[body bolt]

I was wrong about the catalog number. Mine is 21-1177 and it uses 2 AAA.

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Not like the one pictured. Mine has a black metal fine mesh cage that sticks out from the flat base of the front by about 3/4''. Also the battery door had a tiny plastic tab holding it on, not a screw like that one.
Red box was similar, but pic was of mine.
I may have an earlier version.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by body bolt

I was wrong about the catalog number. Mine is 21-1177 and it uses 2 AAA.

Very similar. Mine does not have an ON/OFF switch, just the red LED and test button. Same mesh cage. Held in the right hand, the fore- and middle fingers are on the XMIT lever and the thumb can bump the gain wheel up or down. Made in Taiwan. Takes RS batt 23-601. 7vdc. Replacement batt is a Duracell PC175A, which is a black plastic sleeve holding a stack of 5 - #357 coin cells. [5 x 1.5 = 7.5]
One note about Radio Shack CBs, with the Mic's DIN plug detached, the Mic's transmit key is energized. So don't turn the radio on w/o the Mic being plugged in solidly, or you'll fry the Final.