which becker for '67 w111?

[opossum]

Hey guys,
what model becker am I looking for to go back to original for a 67 250se coupe? Is it stereo or just radio?

thanks, opossum

[kpb]

dunno for sure but I'm bettin' it would be a europa -- not a stereo europa II. BTW, I have one somewhere in my garage that I pulled out of my 108 when I put in an refurbished mexico. IIRC, only the AM was working. Becker USA does a wonderful rehab on these old units. You could have the unit cheap from me if you want...

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Most common mid-sixties OE type radio would have been the transistorized Becker Europa mono AM/FM. I have one of the two-piece (separate power/amp box) transistor Europas from a '64 220S, but unfortunately that radio is dead. Not sure what year the Europa switched to the one-piece chassis, but my Dad had the ultimate mid-sixties Becker in his '66 250SE. It was the transistorized 4-band Becker 'Grand-Prix', with AM/FM/Shortwave/Longwave and the signal seeking 'Wonder-bar' tuner.

Note: Early Fintails and probably coupes/cabrios used a narrower faceplate to fit in the contours of the dashboard trim. The radio knobs were also smaller than post-'67 models. Later (early'70s) chassis will fit in the hole but the faceplate is too fat and rides up over the upper wood panel and lower chrome strip. Currently in my '60 Fintail, I'm using an early '70s Europa, fitted with the faceplate and knobs from my DOA '64 Fintail Europa.

Happy Motoring, Mark

[pkzip]

Contact Ed Ebel at Becker - I don't have the number handy just go to the Becker website. Ed handles refurbishing the old Beckers from the 60's, 70's and even before that. I just think it is great that company even offers such support. Anyway, he should be able to provide you with the info for the proper radio (as well as sell you a fully restored one for a price).

Good Luck!

pkzip

[bikis]

Only narrow face radios fit w111 coupes (if the opening wasn't enlarged). Radios from 108/114/115 cars wouldn't fit into original opening. Here is some pictures:
1. Becker europa TR in an early coupe with small knobs. Under $100 on E-bay.
2. The most popular Becker Europa with the wide faceplate in a coupe (incorect). $50 on ebay.
3. '67 300se coupe with narrow face Becker Grand Prix.
4. Narrow face Becker Europa Stereo in a 3.5 coupe. Speakers in footwells. never seen for sale. $550 from http://www.koenigs-klassik.de/indexe.html

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Becker Europa #2 is what I now have in my '60 Fintail, but it's fitted with the knobs and faceplate from #1, my dead Becker Europa TR. #3 looks like the Grand Prix radio Dad had in his '66 250SE. Before he bought that 250SE in the Mid '70s, my Dad had a '60 Fintail 220SE, with a working Becker Mexico signal-seeking AM/FM tube radio. He claimed someone offered him $400 back then, just for the radio. (And he only paid $150 for the whole car!) I wish I had that 220SE today. I do have a working Becker Brescia which is the signal-seeking AM-only version of the early Mexico, and it would be correct for my car.

Happy Motoring, Mark

[opossum]

Thanks guys!
I'm going to shop around and see what I come up with.
take care, opossum

[Q45Denver]

According to this, there were three different radios offerred and they were all four band.

http://www.heckflosse.nl/special.htm

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Note that this Heckflosse site is from Holland. Shortwave was never a popular radio option in the US and longwave was rarely used here so most of the four-band radios are usually found in grey-market cars, or today, on Ebay.
25 years ago, I used to enjoy Sunday night drives back from my parent's Virginia Beach home listening to the shortwave broadcasts on a 4-band Blaupunkt Frankfurt S (junkyard find) in my '71 Audi. I also could pick up the audio from Richmond's CBS TV channel 6 on the FM band. Pretty neat being able to listen to '60 Minutes' and 'All In The Family' at least until I got out of range. My only '66 Mercedes, a Fintail 230, came with a transistorised Blaupunkt AM radio.

Happy Motoring, Mark