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 $120 or more for a set of original knobs, which is the going rate for some
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.

Can you at least tell me where I can find the part I'm looking for?

Sorry, my parts sources and most of my repair techniques are trade secrets.  Having spent
years and countless dollars to know this information, I prefer to use it ONLY for paying repair
jobs.  The best free advice I can offer is to spend hours and hours searching on the Internet.
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.
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?

We are not purchasing units from private parties at this time.  We do have an interest in
buying out similar businesses, but shipping cost almost always makes this impractical.
Whenever possible, we use NEW parts and have little use for "parts units".
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 recommend any certain shipping service?

For price, value and the safety of your unit - no one beats FedEx from my experience.
How do you fix _____________?

We provide a full description of all work performed when we return your unit.  We are not
here to dispense free repair advice, which has cost us thousands of dollars to acquire.
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.

WEE OFFER GUARANTEED 2-WEEK TURNAROUND FOR AN ADDITIONAL 100.00
Are you equipped to handle large accounts - can we use you as our radio repair service?

We have several companies nationwide who offer car radio repair in their area, and farm
the work out to us.  Feel free to do this, as long as you're not expecting us to work for next
to nothing (as in the case of a company wishing to resell the units at a high profit).  From
experience, we have learned that it's best to focus on the individual customer.

If we do agree to work for less than our flat rates, NO WARRANTY is possible.
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.  
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