8 TRACK LIVES Marlene and I inherited my parents’ pristine baby-blue ’78 Chevrolet Classic, the Bullet. One of the last great Detroit gunboats of the open road. It’s the loaded model with a vinyl roof, 350 V8/4 BBL, automatic, electric windows, power front split bench seat, plush interior, electric door locks, AC, electric antenna, AM/FM and 8 TRACK! Totally deluxe! To inaugurate the Bullet’s final departure from Amarillo for the drive to Los Angeles we appropriately chose Herb Albert’s TJB (Tijuana Brass) GOING PLACES. We stopped for pics at Amarillo’s city limits sign on Tascosa Road. We got in the Bullet, fired up the V8, I suffered a bit of nostalgia, then Marlene slipped the TJB 8 Track in and we took off. The music started gloriously and lifted our spirits for 5 to 8 seconds then stopped. The 8 Track player had died. We’ve been listening to AM/FM ever since (this was a few years back). A couple of weeks ago, I was replacing a control valve on the AC/Heater controls. Since the dash was opened up, I decided to pull the radio/8 Track. I took it apart: it was gummed up and the belt was broken. I searched the Internet for a belt. There were no listings. Finally, on a vintage Pontiac site someone listed a Delco 8 Track belt for a 1976 model: 11.1” X .064” square belt. From a surplus electronic parts supplier I found a belt close to the aforementioned size. I cleaned up and lubricated the player, installed the belt, turned it on and inserted an 8 track tape. What came out sounded like Alvin and the Chipmunks on speed. I thought maybe the belt was too tight. Yet, when I put on longer belts, the speed remained the same; way to fast. On a classic Corvette site someone posted pics of how to adjust the speed on a Delco Factory 8 Track player. There’s a hole in the top circuit board which you insert an Allen wrench (size discovered by trial and error). After a few attempts I found the right size Allen and was able to adjust the speed by turning the wrench AND IT WORKED!!!!! The Bullet now feels complete filled with the glorious sounds of 8 Track stereo! These tapes were purchased decades ago and still work (for the most part)! I smoked a lot of Mexican dirt weed solo and with my buddies listening to some of these tapes while cruising the streets of Amarillo, Panhandle backroads and the highways of America. LONG LIVE 8 TRACK!!!!!
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 23:23:17 +0000
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