thebes Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 ..gathering dust that have little or no value they could consider sending my way. I know this should be in Garage ,but hey ,talking to my buds here. Why 8 tracks? Well this little puppy my brother-in-law just picked up has an original 8 track player in it. Thought he'd get a kick having a few on hand to drop in while the beer's get cold and the fish are waiting to jump. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Wait until the beers are cold and you've had 8 or 10. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Thrift stores are a good source for 8 track tapes. A friend of mine just scored an 8 track recorder. He has about 200 8 tracks but only two blank 8 tracks for recording.... Now where are you gonna find 8 track blanks. Cool boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Watch the quality carefully of the roller plastic which dissolves over time on some 8 tracks or it will gum up your player so bad you will have to remove the case and clean the melted plastic off the capstan. The pressure pads also do the same thing. This is only on some brands, not all. Look at the pads to see if they are squashed and if they are they will not hold the tape against the heads. Some of the cartridges can be taken apart if you have a strong constitution but beware of the "Unwinding Gods". If "Rubics Cubes" scare you then don't take them apart. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Back in the late '70's I was director of sound production at a place in Big Spring, TX that produced cassette/filmstrips for schools. It was a 4 day week so I got a weekend job at a stereo store there for discounts and grins. I made good money fixing 8 track tapes that were sometime brought in stuffed in grocery bags. 1.00 each, while you wait. Most took about 5 minutes and I'd easily clear 50 bucks or more per weekend whilst earning the gratitude of the sweet flowers of the west. Never owned one myself. Being the audiophile even in the late 60's when they first started showing up, I had a 45 rpm changer instead. MUCH better sound and no extra expense. Still have that thing...got to be pretty rare. It would be nice on a restored goat or backaruda. Anybody remember 4 track? Much superior system with better sound, but less playtime. Prelude to Beta/VHS. The transports were in use in radio stations until not too long ago for spots. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Back in the day I happened to aquire an 8-track player from my grandfather's old office. It was one of the old Learjet ones, used to pipe music through the ceiling speakers. I was buying records and never used it. I did like the little tube amp that he used. It was very "industrial looking" as in not meant to be looked at. Amazing little thing with a gold metal cage top and output impedance selections that included 32 ohms. Maybe that was because it was driving a whole bunch of ceiling speakers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 I remember 45 record players for Cars !!!!!!!! That's reaching back there ............. Wish I had the money back I wasted on 8 Tracks !!!!!!! Todays CD Players are so much nicer than those tape killers !!!!!!!! .............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Richard Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 I was traveling on I-10 somewhere in Texas a few years ago and saw a pile of 8 track tapes in a truck stop where I got gas. Somewhere between Houston and LaGrange. The cashier said a few of the truckers still used them and would come in and trade tapes there. Might be a source. Don Honk if you love horns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Nice horn loaded speakers too on the top deck. Have you upgraded their crossover yet or perhaps, attached them to a tube amp of choice? [H] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted April 14, 2008 Author Share Posted April 14, 2008 All very good suggestions which will be pursued. I'll certainly use the tips on tape condition. Just need a few to recapture the times. Still trying to score some freebies though. This is a 1967 Sea Ray, 110 horses inboard/outboard. The design on this is fabulous. Check out the cockpit, especially that steering wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Garrison Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Judging from the condition of the seats, I'd say (from painful personal experience) that this vessel has never seen salt water. If your brother in law intends to actually *use* the boat to, like, fish or water ski or just cruise around on warm summer days, make sure he understands that if he takes the thing out in the ocean it'll last about 3 months before everything falls apart. The last 8 track I heard was in an old AMC Gremlin on the way back from Rensselaer to Fairfield with Tarkus on infinate repeat, I was hitching a ride in the "back seat". I still regret not shooting myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popbumper Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Of course, my experience with 8 tracks was relegated to the aftermarket deck in my 1977 Pinto (yes, I said "Pinto"). I can remember the wonderful sounds of Foreigner I, Foghat's "Fool for the City", and Styx's "Pieces of Eight". The best part was how the song would be going along at a frenzied clip, fade out, and the requisite "ka-chunk" would occur. Priceless, those 8-tracks. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 way back from Rensselaer to Fairfield Is that New York ? Are you an R.P.I. Guy ? ............ Thebes, it would be smarter to swap in a Cassette Deck, would be a quick swap, and you'd have more choices of music. There are still alot of cassettes out there .................. It's still a Nice Boat !!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 The wow and flutter on those 8 tracks might not be easy listening after being indoctrinated on CD's and DVD's. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 It wasn't easy back then. Also, there is the nearly constant need to realign the head...or hear adjoining tracks bleed through. Since splicing tape failure was a regular issue, I'd expect it to fall right off after 20+ years of drying out. And if you overcome all the above, you have the joys of -40db SN and 50-6k response. Hey, Thebes...interested in making a bid on my 45rpm underdash changer????? Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rplace Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 .... Now where are you gonna find 8 track blanks... Just take some scotch tape and put it over the "knock out" and he can record over any 8-track he has that he does not like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted April 16, 2008 Author Share Posted April 16, 2008 Judging from the condition of the seats, I'd say (from painful personal experience) that this vessel has never seen salt water. If your brother in law intends to actually *use* the boat to, like, fish or water ski or just cruise around on warm summer days, make sure he understands that if he takes the thing out in the ocean it'll last about 3 months before everything falls apart. The last 8 track I heard was in an old AMC Gremlin on the way back from Rensselaer to Fairfield with Tarkus on infinate repeat, I was hitching a ride in the "back seat". I still regret not shooting myself. Never been in salt water and never will. It will be housed in boathouse on a beautiful lake in Upstate New York on the edge of the Adirondecks. Since everything on the boat is original I thought having a few tapes around for nostalgia sakes would be cool. Here's a close up of the steering wheel I love that 60's retro space look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Here's a close up of the steering wheel I love that 60's retro space look. Still think that underdash changer would be way cool in there... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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