ashtray/am radio

[jwpant]

I recently purchased a 1970 F250 4x4 sport custom. I now have all the interior dash lights and gauges working. It has a factory am radio with only 2 knobs and no buttons. My question is: should this radio have a backlight or light of some sort?

Also, I have the original ashtray and clip with 4 holes in it for ball bearings. I have purchased several different sizes of these at local hardware stores and so far have not found the right fit. Does anyone know what size I need or where to get them?
Thanks,
Jim

[FORDification]

The ball bearings would best be gotten from someone here on the forums with a parts truck. Ashtrays are one of those items the few people would ever need to replace, so they're kinda hard to sell otherwise....I'd be willing to bet someone here would send you one for the cost of shipping.

As for the radio, I'm not sure. The deluxe radios with the pushbuttons are back-lit, but I don't think the basic radios are. I could be wrong though...I've never actually had one working, so take it FWIW.

[fordman]

i treasure my ball bearings those things are hard to come by. i might have a few or might be able to locate some at my hardware store let me look.

[basketcase0302]

Like Fordman said, the ash trays are easy to find.
The ball bearings are a little harder.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1969-197 ... enameZWDVW
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1968-72- ... enameZWD1V
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1967-FOR ... enameZWD1V
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1967-67- ... enameZWD1V

I think in the near future I'm gonna try to match up the bearings and order some!

I've lost the ones in my dents before too!

Basketcase

[The_Eman]

I didn't realize there were/are ball bearing associated the the ashtray. Anyone feel like taking a pic for me to see.

thx,
Eric

[flyboy2610]

Yeah, I have one I took out a '68, and I don't see any ball bearings in there.
Where would they be located?

[1971ford]

the ball bearings should be located in between the dash insert for the ashtray to slide into and the ashtray.if you look at your ash tray, there is a groove on each side. there should be 2 ball bearings in each side if i remember correctly.

[fordman]

pics deleted by accident

[jwpant]

fordman,
please private message me. i will take the ball bearings if they will fit in my 1970 truck. they look to be the same. thanks everyone else for your replies.

as for the am radio, i have the original owners manual that came with the truck, and it does show a replacement bulb for the radio. when i get a chance i will take it out and check it out.
thanks again,
jim

[FORDification]

...as for the am radio, i have the original owners manual that came with the truck, and it does show a replacement bulb for the radio. when i get a chance i will take it out and check it out...

But the owner's manual has to cover all options...so that if a truck does come with the deluxe radio, the appropriate info is included. Having that info in the OM doesn't necessarily mean the basic radio in your truck is backlit. However, let us know what you find out, just to give some closure to the question.

[moparmania]

So... did we ever find out if the manual radio is backlit? Also, is the radio bezel the same for a manual radio as it is for the pushbutton radio?

[BobbyFord]

So... did we ever find out if the manual radio is backlit? Also, is the radio bezel the same for a manual radio as it is for the pushbutton radio?

I would think that all radios would have some sort of light.

[FORDification]

All factory AM radio bezels are the same. Can't tell you about the lighting.

[l1k2gadd]

In 1971/1972 Ford changed the casting number in the radio bezel in the Bumps. I have done a stare-and-compare on the C8T and the D1T casting numbered (engineering numbered) radio bezels and I couldn't see a difference.

The radio's light might come on when you turn it on. The 1966 Mustang's AM radio is backlit but only comes on when the radio is turned on.

[green68250]

The basic AM radio in my '68 didn't light up but that could just be because the light burned out. It does work though if anyone wants one.

Corbin