Old Becker Radio

[TheEngineer]

I have this really old car, a '69 280SL. The previous owner had a Blaupunkt München installed together with a 400 watt amplifier. The radio really does not match the car and I don't use it much. It also has a clock that is always fast, it gains like 3 minutes a week. A suitable RDS station will reset the clock, but it is annoying. Also, the antenna extends when I use the CD player only. That is annoying as well. Any suggestions which model Becker to install? And please educate me about the connections on the Becker. Seems I need special plugs. Do I need to buy any other box, other than the "head unit" ? I see that on e-bay there are often Becker radios advertised. Most of them are as-is and they are probably not functional. Becker America apparently does not sell new radios anymore.
I really need some guidance. Thanx  

[Douglas]

Pete,

Just out of curiosity, what does your data card indicate as the original radio? Monaural Becker Europa?

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[n/a]

Hello Theengineer,

I am not sure about the type you need. The older models has a so called "small-front" hole. These radio's are less high as the later models. Mine '67 230 SL has is a small front. If I am not incorrect, your car is a large front. Make sure you have the maesurements right. The large front types are also cheaper (I brought a Becker Granp Prix last year for EUR 450,-). The Grand Prix has a automatic station finder. But don't expect top quality sound!
Concerning the connectors: I made them myself by bending a normaal flat connector in de right size. The Grand Prix has also a second unit. Normaly the radio is sold as a set. In Germany they sell overhauled Beckers.
And about the antenne: you could instal an electric one.

230 SL '67 Automatic

[n/a]

check this website: http://www.koenigs-klassik.de/Becker/becker.html

230 SL '67 Automatic

[mdsalemi]

Hi Pete,

Before one can offer guidance, we need to know your goals; here are some ideas but I don't know if they'll work for you.

If you want a period-appropriate Becker radio, about near the only one to get and the one appropriate for your car would be the Europa MU.  You can buy these refurbed from that Koenigs-klassic place, or you can get them from Becker NA in New Jersey.  You'd probably want the single in-dash speaker; you might already have one but if its original its probably useless by now.  Becker sells them new.  Understand in doing this, you are "de-volving" in time and quality, but in exchange for this you are making your car "more correct".  This may mean nothing to you.

I've seen, in the past, at Costco and other places, DIN-sized radios including Blaupunkt--really cheap.  These will fit in and work well if you have good speakers.  The in-dash mono speaker, even when new, leaves a lot to be desired.

If you want to keep your stereo speakers you might need to keep your amplifier--the little radios by themselves might not be able to drive the speakers.   But if that's the case you may not want to do anything at all.

The Europa came in a stereo version as well, but appropriate speakers in the 113 are rare.  Tom Sargeant just had some new ones installed and they did a nice job.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[Douglas]

While we're on the subject of radios, it may be worthwhile to point out that some of our cars came with Blaupunkts. Not sure if this was ever done at the factory, but it certainly was done at dealers.

Yes, most came with Beckers, but some, esp. in Europe, came with Robert Bosch/Blaupunkt units, esp. the Blaupunkt "Frankfurt." They're fine radios too, so I wouldn't discount them.

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[TheEngineer]

Douglas Kim: The data card shows: 533 - interference suppression w/radio. That's all. I don't see an entry for a specific radio.
Wing: My cutout measures 181 x 52.5 mm which appears to be the DIN standard. I looked yesterday at a Becker Europa MU a friend bought on eBay: It fits this cutout. Problem is,we don't have any instructions how to connect it, nor do we have the appropriate plugs. So we can't even test this radio for working. I have a wiring diagram for a Becker Europa TR. My antenna is an electric one and works fine. Where can I buy an overhauled radio? "Germany" is not good enough: I need a supplier. Maybe the link you gave will get me there. Thanx (Dankeschön)
P.S. The link got me to König. Da werden wir wohl sehen was sich gibt!

[JPMOSE]

I would consider a Becker Europa II, as it is stereo.  It looks the same as a Europa....why not listen to stereo versus mono!

Yet, my 1969 Kelley Blue Book Mercedes pages does not list the Europa II.  So it may have started in 1970 0r 1971 (in case you are an authenticity type).  I have the Kelley Blue Book Mercedes pages for 1966, 1969 and 1971 only.  

Here are the radio listings from the 1969 Kelley Blue Book:

RADIO/COST/RETAIL[/u]

Becker "Europa"  AM-FM      
(Pushbutton Transistorized,
inc. Man. Antenna)              $136.00       $174.00

Becker "Mexico"  AM-FM
(Touch Bar Auto Tuning, HI-FI)  $180.00       $230.00

Becker "Grand Prix"
(w/o remote control,
Factory installed)              $193.00       $245.00

Blaupunkt Frankfort AM-FM
(Pushbutton Transistorized,
inc. Man. Antenna)              $125.00       $160.00

This is exactly how it is listed for the 280SL (pricing is less for other models).  An Automatic Antenna is listed for $60 COST/$75 RETAIL.

Perhaps the Becker "Mexico" was the predecessor to Becker "Europa II"?

That's my trivia for the day...good luck!


Best Regards,

J. P. Mose
1968 250SL

[66andBlue]

Hello Engineer,
call Tom Mitchell at Becker of North America (http://www.beckerautosound.com/) and ask for the wiring diagram for the Becker MU, he'll fax you one. They also sell parts, knobs, speaker connectors, etc, for almost any old becker, and also refurbished radios.
He modified a Europa Stereo for me so that it would fit the narrow opening of the 230SL and also fitted the correct (old) knobs to the unit.
If you want to use newer 4" speakers that will fit the opening in the kick board I can recommend ALPINE model SPS 100A/BA. The Becker Stereo will give you enough output to drive them. Do a Google search and you'll still find them.

Alfred
1966 blue 230SL automatic

[TR]

Engineer -- Like Alfred, I've also worked with the good folks at Becker N.A.  I found them terrific to deal with.

Tom in Boise
'71 280SL 4-spd, signal red w/lt. tan interior, restored/enhanced

[rwmastel]

quote:Originally posted by theengineer

Becker America apparently does not sell new radios anymore.

Really?  Have you called them? Do you mean "New" new, as in just manufactured last week?  Or, do you mean "Old" new, as in a 40 year old unit that's been refurbished and is given a warranty?

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

[Chad]

Last I heard they sell wonderfully refurbished radio for W113 from anywhere from $500-$650, depending on the model and rarity. The 230SL application would be the rarer one for our cars.

1967 230SL (Manual)

[grdexie]

Douglas Kim,
I found an old Becker MU tr Europa for sale here in the desert in Arizona.  I need a schematic to hook it up and to see how much power it has.  Also, the connections are weird looking, like, from Europe (?) 1960 (?)  Can you send me a picture of the schematic?
The unit is heavy and I suspect there may be some amplification gear inside.  Know anything about this?
grdexie   palm springs, ca

[66andBlue]

{I am not Douglas Kim}
but you can get manuals and diagrams here: http://www.beckerautosound.com/Classic/classics_wiring_info.htm
Also don't forget to read the info in the technical manual on this site: http://www.sl113.org/wiki/Electrical/Radio
Good luck!

[scoot]

I think that you are all making this sound WAY more complicated than it is.  There are a few connections on a Becker pinstripe radio. 
1.  Antenna - that one is obvious
2.  Power - there will typically be a BLACK wire coming out of the back of the radio.  Connect that to 12V+
3.  Ground - there is not typically a separate ground wire, but if there is, it will be BROWN
4.  Speaker(s) - there are early style and later style plugs.  The early style is a set of two prongs, about 1/2 inch apart.  The later style is a little knob with two little flat prongs perpendicular to each other.  If your radio takes the early style, it will either have one place to plug in a speaker, or it will have a strange 4-hole setup that let's you plug in one or two speakers depending on your desire:
   A      B
   O     O

 O         O
 C          D
If you want one speaker, you plug it into AB.  If you want two speakers, you plug one into AC and one into BD.  The size of the becker plug will not fit into CD or BC of AB.   Note:  the early plugs and this setup only applies to MONO radios.

If your radio has a separate amplifier, there will be a big grey cable from the radio plugged into the amplifier.  The cable will include a ground wire that connects to the amplifier right next to the black plug.  If your radio has a separate amplifier, the speaker plugs are on the amplifier, not the radio.

Your becker radio will probably have one or two recessed spade tip connectors.  Those are switched 12V+.  When you turn the radio on, those connectors become 12V+.  These are used to signal a power antenna or to power an accessory such as the Becker cassette player.

Your becker will probably have a strange DIN plug exposed - I can't tell you about that except that don't mess with it.

Your becker will probably have another strange DIN plug with a black plastic cap on it.  That is where you plug in the optional cassette player or the iPod adapter that you buy on ebay.  NOTE:  you must have something plugged into that plug, either the cap or an appropriate accessory or no sound will get to the amplifier and you will hear nothing.

The becker kickpanel speakers are available (I think) from Becker Autosound.  You will also find them on ebay.  I also have them and need to get some on ebay.  They sound pretty good.  These old Becker radios sound like crap with modern speakers that are expecting higher power.  They sound really nice with the speakers to which they are matched.

Oh, and as previously mentioned, there are small-face beckers and big-face beckers.  The dash opening changed in 1967 so you fortunately can install any large-face Becker.   My least favorite would be  Mexico because you get no presets, you will never use the cassette player, and I think you only get mono input if you try to connect an MP3 even if your Mexico is stereo.  My favorite would be a Europa Stereo (because it is stereo) or a plain old Europa (because it is easy to get and nice). 

I tend to think the radios with separate amplifiers sound a little better, but that might just be my imagination.

You do not need to pay $1000 for a good becker radio.  You should be able to get a good Europa for $250 or less if you are patient.    So decide if you want stereo or mono, and decide if you want an MP3 input.  Then get back to us!

cheers
Scott

[114015]

 

Thanks, Scott!

I have never read a better summary about this (Beckers) than yours.
Thanks a lot
& have a nice day

Achim