8 track tapes.

[Butch 194]

I was gonna put a portable am/fm 8 track player on Ebay that I bought back in 1974 while in San Antonio, Texas. Since I don't have any music in my garage I thought maybe I'll put that out there. Only problem is I gave away all my 8 track tapes about 30 years ago. People who owned these tapes know the problems they had. But there is a good selection of tapes on Ebay and they're cheap. Don't know how good they are. But they are cheap. Any of you guys still have any and use them? God I miss those days of being half way through a song and then "click, click"!

Butch

[HorseFixer 2,013]

Butch yes I do! And would like a couple or whatever I have my dads Ole Stereo System In my garage "RCA" and Have a 8 track and a couple tapes! Ill take em off yer hands bring em to the WH show Ill trade for a set of rooster rings! <<<< inside joke! :D

[COMB2 0]

:D 8 TRACK :ROTF

I think they were outdated before I was even born.

Just looked them up to see how they work and it's kind of interesting.

The garge for me is either satellite radio or MP3's off the computer piped to the stereo system. Could listen to over 10 stright days of mp3's on my computer without ever hearing the same song twice (3835 tracks). I can't imagine changing out a tape ever 4 songs :hide:

[joebob 45]

how about a 8 track recorder I think i have one locked away in the vault with some of the other 70s stereo equipment, just think then you could record all your favorites to play over and over and over :hide:

[Nick 13]

Outdated before ya was born. Heck my 1977 Ranchero GT came with an 8 track player when I got it in 1986. :banana: But I did pick up a tape adapter that slid into the 8 track so I could play tapes. And I had some box speakers behind the seats to, Oh yea it was cool.

There was a local guy collecting 8 track tapes. At the last count I heard years ago he had over 8,000. :hide:

[KyBlue 655]

Ive got a few... prefer Records myself thou..

[Rollerman 290]

There was a local guy collecting 8 track tapes. At the last count I heard years ago he had over 8,000.

And people say we are nuts for collecting "mowers"? :hide:

[linen beige 15]

how about a 8 track recorder I think i have one locked away in the vault with some of the other 70s stereo equipment, just think then you could record all your favorites to play over and over and over

I have one sitting right beside the 'puter desk! Still works but puts a slight "Whistle" into the sound.

I still have probably 100 or so tapes, stuffed into boxes or still in some cars here and there.

These old tapes and players are pretty popular among the '60s/'70s car restorers and NEW 8 track tapes can be found through those channels.

Comb, The tapes had 8 tracks of sound. When used for stereo that made four channels. Each channel was limited to how much tape you could get into the case. The longest tapes I recall were in the 2 hour total time length.

[Butch 194]

Outdated before ya was born. Heck my 1977 Ranchero GT came with an 8 track player when I got it in 1986. :banana: But I did pick up a tape adapter that slid into the 8 track so I could play tapes. And I had some box speakers behind the seats to, Oh yea it was cool.

Ah Nick the memories!! I had a 66 GTO with a 4 speed and console. I took the console out and mounted my 8 track on the hump. They had hump mounts and under dash mounts. Yep, 2 speakers on the back deck or even 2 in the doors.

And then the dreaded tape getting wound to tight. You'd use a jewelers philips to poke for the screws and then snap the lid off hoping the tape didn't go flying every where! But it was that distinct sound of the player changing channels I loved!

8 tracks have one thing CD's don't. Character!! Now to see if I can hunt down a Don McClean American Pie tape! :hide:

[Butch 194]

[quote=

These old tapes and players are pretty popular among the '60s/'70s car restorers and NEW 8 track tapes can be found through those channels.

Ebay has several in-dash 8 tracks now for the cars back then. Even

though 8 tracks were a big thing back then not many cars had them.

[linen beige 15]

Even

though 8 tracks were a big thing back then not many cars had them.

It is true that eight track players were options and not many factory versions were sold, but aftermarket eight track players were EVERYWHERE in the late '60s and '70s. Notice how many of the other guys mention having had one with two speakers mounted in the rear seat area. My favorite was in my '67 Thunderbird. It had a second, smaller glove compartment in the face of the dash, just above the console. I could close the lid and no one knew it was there. The low price of the aftermarket versions made it hard to justify paying for a factory version.

[catman81056 3]

I remember when my Dad bought a new 1965 Plymouth Fury wagon. That summer we went to my Grandmas in North Carolina. He got tired of trying to find radio stations that came in good so he bought a "4" track tape player and 2 tapes. We just about got sick of Hank Williams and Boots Randoulf.

The tape player is still in my Moms garage, but I don't know if it would work or not. The tapes are long gone, but I still remember that trip well.

[HorseFixer 2,013]

Remember how we used to take a matchbook cover and wedge in between the tape and the case to align so the tape would play correctly! Boy those were the days!! :hide:

[Butch 194]

Dang Duke you're right. We would have to wedge a matchbook or folded paper under the tape if it was between tracks or was running slow. I forgot all about that!! This CD generation sure has it easy!!

[BairleaFarm 340]

This CD generation sure has it easy!!

that generation will be gone before you know it. Its ipods and mp3 players now.

[HorseFixer 2,013]

Dang Duke you're right. We would have to wedge a matchbook or folded paper under the tape if it was between tracks or was running slow. I forgot all about that!! This CD generation sure has it easy!!

Yes they do! Boy I also remember something else! Remeber when it was freezzing cold out? Damn things had to warm up in order to play at the proper speed! They ran so slow sounded like a growling bunch o crap! I was lucky cause I had a Pioneer Super Tuner that was removable so I used to slide it outta its mount and lay it up on the dash defroster vent after it was warmed up I was good to go! :hide:

[TJ 184]

I had a 4 track. When the 8 track came out, I thought it was as good as it gets.

Man I,m getting old.

[BairleaFarm 340]

Never heard of a 4 track.

[linen beige 15]

Anybody have an eight track with the rare fast forward option? Played at just about the right speed when they were cold.

[Butch 194]

Yes they do! Boy I also remember something else! Remeber when it was freezzing cold out? Damn things had to warm up in order to play at the proper speed! They ran so slow sounded like a growling bunch o crap! I was lucky cause I had a Pioneer Super Tuner that was removable so I used to slide it outta its mount and lay it up on the dash defroster vent after it was warmed up I was good to go!

My hump mount had the slide out for the player. There was no such thing as car alarms back then. You could easily use a coat hanger on those large door locks. I had 2 66 GTO's and neither one had a window post. The only thing seperating the front and rear windows was the weather stripping. It gave the car a sleek look with all the windows down. So we all had slide mounts whether on the hump or under the dash.

[Butch 194]

Anybody have an eight track with the rare fast forward option? Played at just about the right speed when they were cold.

My indoor unit had a fast forward but that for some reason would make the tapes get tighter faster. Once the tape got tight they were done.

[linen beige 15]

How about "Quadriphonic sound"? They used eight track tapes but had only 2 channels. Different sound from each of four speakers. Early attempt at surround sound.

[Curmudgeon 28]

Got a whole stack of 8-tracks, some still in the wrapper. I always did prefer them over the new fangled "cassette tape". Such a pain in the butt, have to flip it over like a darn record to hear it all!

8-tracks forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Butch 194]

Got a whole stack of 8-tracks, some still in the wrapper. I always did prefer them over the new fangled "cassette tape". Such a pain in the butt, have to flip it over like a darn record to hear it all!

8-tracks forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:hide:

[Brian1045 28]

I may be a little younger than most peeps on this forum, but I remember growing up with two 8-track tapes you could not pry from my hands.

One was Three Dog Night and the other was Kenny Rogers Greatest hits. Even then I used to hate to have to smack that little track button to flip the songs around, and occasionally it would eat one of my tapes. In a weird way I miss that ole thing.

I was born in 1969 but I remember playing that 8-track player until I was around 13 or 14.

I got my first "boom" box that played cassette tapes in about the 8th grade...The first cassette tape I bought was, Tommy James and the Shondell's greatest hits... Now that was music!

Good times! :banana: