8 track tapes

[1967coronet]

This past weekend we hauled some clothes in to donate to the DAV store. While there i got to looking around.
Found a basket of 8 track tapes, The Animals , Beach Boys, ect.
I left them since I have no use for them but once home got to thinking I see other guys cars at shows with a 8 track player and a golden oldie sticking out .
These tapes are prob a buck a piece at the most and prob do not work.
Anyone need one for their ride let me know I will grab a few next trip to Des Moines and mail you one.

 

[sam dupont]

They are gone, people dog that stuff. 8 Track tapes can be restored. The foam is crumbled in those for sure, but people offer rebuild services on the web.

8 Tracks seemed magical to me. How can they wind in on themselves with an endless loop?

 

[440 PHIXX]

They are gone, people dog that stuff. 8 Track tapes can be restored. The foam is crumbled in those for sure, but people offer rebuild services on the web.

8 Tracks seemed magical to me. How can they wind in on themselves with an endless loop?

That was one of their downfalls. They would progressively wind tighter and play slower or actually snap if played enough. Most wore out or had a premature death to the sun God though.

 

[sam dupont]

One of their issues was record companies used the lowest grade tape available. They wanted to sell more than one. The blank tapes were of much higher quality materials.

I had a Panasonic recorder and had an extensive selection in my car. Blank tapes were inexpensive compared to their tapes.

 

[Billccm]

Mr Lear of Learjet fame invented the 8 track. Believe it or not Continuous Audio Recording Tape (CART) was used in commercial broadcast for various ad playback up until the late 1990s. This was basically 8 track playback.

 

[1967coronet]

My old 65 impala had a Craig under dash unit with a pair of wedge speakers on the package tray.
I recall the dbl. Tracking and wedging a match book under or over the 8 track cassett to get it playing right. Lol.

 

[sam dupont]

Mr Lear of Learjet fame invented the 8 track. Believe it or not Continuous Audio Recording Tape (CART) was used in commercial broadcast for various ad playback up until the late 1990s. This was basically 8 track playback.

I bought some Musac elevator loop tapes at am auction for nothing. I got a ton of money out of them, it was shocking

 

[440 PHIXX]

Mr Lear of Learjet fame invented the 8 track. Believe it or not Continuous Audio Recording Tape (CART) was used in commercial broadcast for various ad playback up until the late 1990s. This was basically 8 track playback.

Yup. They referred to them as “carts”.

 

[Photon440]

Mr Lear of Learjet fame invented the 8 track. Believe it or not Continuous Audio Recording Tape (CART) was used in commercial broadcast for various ad playback up until the late 1990s. This was basically 8 track playback.

Richard Kraus developed the 8-Track, modifying a cartridge design from the 1950s, but he did work for the Lear Jet company. Prior to that, Muntz had similar operating 4-track cartridges on sale.

 

[Billccm]

Useless trivia I've probably serviced 1000 8 track and CART decks since 1979. Recently I've run out of parts.

 

[hemi71x]

My old 65 impala had a Craig under dash unit with a pair of wedge speakers on the package tray.
I recall the dbl. Tracking and wedging a match book under or over the 8 track cassett to get it playing right. Lol.

Holy S*#T, i had a 65 Impala too, as my first car, and remember installing a Craig, 8 track player in that car.

This is the player that i had, back in the day.
Transferred it over to the 71 Cuda that i purchased, when it came to the dealership.

 

[440 PHIXX]

Useless trivia I've probably serviced 1000 8 track and CART decks since 1979. Recently I've run out of parts.

1979 was probably the peak of their popularity. I had a ‘78 Continental Mk. V Diamond Jubilee that had a Quadrasonic 8 Track/40 ch. CB in it.

 

[1967coronet]

Holy S*#T, i had a 65 Impala too, as my first car, and remember installing a Craig, 8 track player in that car.

Small world , ha ha, my deck had the slide levers for volume, bass , ect.
I paid 600 for the impala 327 and a 4 speed , I thought I was king of the world ( ;

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

I love blasting 8 tracks in my GTX! You can find good ones for $5 or less on eBay.

 

[gary h]

I can remember letting an 8 Track play all night while i had a girlfriend over. I miss those days . (Kind of) LOL

 

[guy gadbois]

I love blasting 8 tracks in my GTX! You can find good ones for $5 or less on eBay.

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You not only have 8 tracks, but an FM converter!!! You rule...

 

[sam dupont]

8 Tracks had excellent sound quality. I had one that was FM too. With Jensen 3-way 6x9's and 4 inch dual cones, it had rich sound.
A pop song that sounded good the radio was:

 

[Photon440]

8 Tracks had excellent sound quality. I had one that was FM too. With Jensen 3-way 6x9's and 4 inch dual cones, it had rich sound.
A pop song that sounded good the radio was:

The sound wasn't THAT great. Frequency response of most car players seldom exceeded 12kHz and S/N was usually no better than 47dB. Very few tapes or players offered Dolby. By the mid 70's, compact cassette players took the lead in sound with chrome tape formulations, then metal, and better noise reduction circuitry. I experimented with recording my own 8-tracks in the late 70s and they did sound better than factory produced albums, but cassettes were better still.

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

I have a pyramid 600 watt equalizer/booster, pioneer 4 way 6x9s in the package tray, and 2 kenwood 4” in the dash. It depends on the tape, some sound really good, some don’t

 

[YY1]

I found about 20 8 tracks along with a home player a few years ago in my dumpster.

All but one were in great condition and played. That one had the foam piece loose but it glued back on real easy.

I traded it all for a Dakota truck cap.

If it happened again, I'd take them to Don Garlits/Horse park and ask ridiculous money for the "good"/popular ones.