Posted on 09/08/2012 8:38:13 PM PDT by djone
^ The second main commercial application was in the field of auto sound. Earl "Madman" Muntz was a former Kaiser-Frazer automobile dealer who had earned his nickname through his loud, flamboyant television commercials. His motto was "I buy 'em retail and sell 'em wholesale. It's more fun that way!" Already a national celebrity by the 1950s, he soon jumped from auto sales to electronics, opening a chain of television retail outlets. ....Muntz had inexpensive Fidelipac players custom manufactured in Japan, and licensed the music of several record companies for duplication on carts. Even though the players were intended to be installed in cars, where "hi-fi" hardly mattered, Muntz sought to enhance the appeal of his product by adopting the stereo tape standards established by recorder manufacturers a few years earlier, and his players used the new, mass produced stereo tape heads being made for the home recorder industry......Just how Bill Lear managed to convince the auto executives to cram those players under the dashboards of Ford Mustangs and Fairlanes is a little unclear...early Learjet Stereo 8 player, pictured here, was designed with convenience in mind--and safety. The minimal knobs and controls were intended to make it quick and easy to play tapes while driving, without the driver taking his or her eyes off the road.................
(Excerpt) Read more at recording-history.org ...
My first 8-track was Deep Purple, “Machine Head” IIRC. Got it from my mom. She had bought it thinking that it was a song “Deep Purple” from back in her day.
I wasn’t there when she first popped it into her car player, and in retrospect, that was probably a good thing. But I imagine the look on her face would have been priceless.
That's a '59 -- Skyliner.
There was a 4 track tape player and tapes in the day room of the steamer Charles M. Beeghly.
That reminds me of friend of the family’s when I was growing up who stayed at our house one night. He was bragging about the 8 track in his car that he had bought hot from some friend of his. In the morning, when we went out to his car to check it out, we found out it had been re-stolen!
.
“Damn!” he said. “Nobody can’t have nothin’ nice these days without some a**hole ripping him off!”
LOL. That sounds like quite the ride. Moms can be crazy. My mom had a 64 Mercury Marauder which was a befitting name. Everywhere she went was at 80+ mph. One hand on the steering wheel. I don’t recall if it had seat belts but if it did they were never used. If she ever had to get on the brakes she would reach across the seat to brace you so you didn’t slam into the windshield. Safety first !
Remember what William the Conqueror said... "Post in haste, repent in Hastings".
How about a 1960’s Rolls...
(Phat Phingers...) :(
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