Hey all. I've a Europa I'd like to pass on to the community. I imagine This Europa is about as close as one can get to new, but without the box. I'll explain. Several years ago a fella I used to work with gave this radio to me. He worked at our local Mercedes dealership from 1968 until 2006. Like me he saved everything. This particular radio was one that was removed from a customers new 280SL in 1970 because the customer wanted a Grundig. Basically, the car was delivered new, and the radio exchange was made before the new owner picked the car up. The owner had no interest in keeping the Becker, so my friend kept it for himself. Like many things he never used it, so it sat in safe, dry storage until about 5 years ago, which is when he gave it to me.
The dial scale and knobs had become discolored/sticky with age, so I installed a new dial scale and new knobs. However, if the buyer wants the original dial scale and knobs to put on a really original car, then that can be arranged. The original pieces are very presentable.
Given the age, it worked, but not well. So I went through the radio myself having renewed all electrolytic capacitors, one drifted resistor, new dial light bulb, tested for leakage on the Germanium AD161 and AD162 PNP/NPN output transistors (no leakage), and afterward I checked the alignment of the radio with the aid of a Hewlett Packard signal generator (recently calibrated), a Tektronix 466 oscilloscope, and a DuMont Laboratories vacuum tube volt meter. Only the RF alignment was a little off, so that was adjusted. And don't worry. On the side I restore/collect pre 1955 televisions and house radios. A car radio is a rather simple undertaking to me, and I love doing it. In the pictures below I show the electrolytic capacitors that were replaced, and the pictures of the inside of the radio show the new ones in place. The pictures of the front of the radio I couldn't get the lines out of....not sure why. The frontal pictures do not do it justice. In person it really shines.
After spending a few hours on the aforementioned repairs the set was put on the test bench. It came alive with loud, clear, and surprisingly good sound. Both AM and FM bands work great, and reception is exceptional. I also performed a little modification to the dial light bulb. For some reason the Europa mono models are really dim at night, so I changed an 82 ohm resistor out for a 27 ohm resistor. The dial scale lights up much better now, but isn't distracting in any way for night driving. (How many of you thought I was going to put an LED bulb in it?!)
So, here are the rules for buying the radio.
1) The price is $350, less core charge and shipping. I'll happily ship world wide!
2) You must send in a core. If you don't, or if you don't have a core to send in the cost goes up to $450. ($100 core) This means you have to pay $450 initially, and you'll get $100 back after the core is in my hands. The core must be complete and repairable. (knobs, dial scale, chrome bezel, no cut wires, dents). Repairing radios isn't my day to day business or livelihood, but I have to be able to have other radios to repair if/when I sell one so I can continue to offer these radios to people like you!
3)You must keep and reuse you're mounting brackets that hold the radio in the dash, as well as any speaker cables. I do not provide those.
4)You get a 6 month guarantee against defects.
5) If you want add on's such as and auxiliary cable or a wireless bluetooth adapter you must ask beforehand, and this will cost extra.
Moderators: I can see how this listing may come off as being a commercial/vendor type ad. That's not my intent. This is a hobby, and isn't my day to day work. I'm merely trying to offer a good part to others. However, should it be deemed necessary to move the listing or delete it then feel free to do what is necessary.
Two more posts will include the rest of the pictures, as only 4 attachments are allowed per post. If additional pictures are desired, or even a video of the radio working, then please reach out to me and ask. I'll happily provide both!
