FS: Becker Europa MU 230 for Porsche

[NorthernThrux]

Up for grabs is a borderline excellent condition Becker MU 230 Mono. This is not the usual unit found up for sale for Mercedes cars. It has the correct Porsche dished and textured knobs with setscrews. Mercedes knobs have the smooth finish with chrome insert circle and are found in vritually all pictures of these radios installed in Porsches. But as the radio police know, that is incorrect. It is a J series radio (1972 I believe but correct for 68-73 according to the installation instructions) and it is mono, not the far more commonly found stereo version. It has a DIN connector at the back and comes with an unused ipod/other MP3 player jack and DIN adapter for you 21st century types.

Also has the 2 mounting brackets to tighten it to the dash. No rear bracket unfortunately.

I have also been able to acquire a balance knob (alas with Mercedes knob) which would allow you to use this with door speakers or front to back as the Porsche installation instructions show (Germans apparently having their ears in the front and back of their heads). You can hide the balance knob or you can use the 2 Mercedes knobs that I also have to match everything up. The balance knob has the correct connector to mate with the connector coming from the radio.

Comes with original documentation, warranty card, circuit diagram and instructions. I also have a copy of the installation instructions for the 911 for post '68 cars.

Decided to go with something a bit less flashy (i.e. a Blaupunkt Frankfurt) for my '73 911S, which has the simple black leatherette interior. So have never used this. I have tested it with a Hirschmann antenna and stock dash speaker and it does work well. Very well. Something about these early transistor radios exudes warmth, even from crappy old Porsche dash speakers.

Imagine parked at a drive-in with your loved one listening to this and watching a movie after a day of spirited driving in your 911. What better use for this radio ?
$350 shipped anywhere in North America insured.

[NorthernThrux]

One last picture, with all the documentation.

L1030021.jpg

[reed]

Looks like correct knobs but with the Mercedes faceplate, no? I recall Beckers originally being either inset into the dash or having a much plainer black faceplate.

[NorthernThrux]

You could well be right. I'm not a card carrying member of the radio police. There are arguments on both sides of this, so I leave it to the buyer to decide what to do as I don't make any representation on the faceplate. The plain black ones or the inset bezels that allow dash mounting like a Frankfurt are available at The Samba from time to time and at Becker Autosound for reasonable prices. I've looked at hundreds of pictures here, at the Bird and at CPR and many other restoration shops. They all show this faceplate...not to say it's right, but it seems to be accepted in cars selling north of $100k.

I will also say that there is likely a difference between the factory radios (which this is not) and the dealer installed radios. The installation instructions for POrsche and MB both show the same pin-stripped faceplate and this was a dealer installed radio. There is a dealer stamp in the original booklet that comes with this.

[NorthernThrux]

Price reduced. $400. Still includes shipping in North America. Or should I say price corrected. Was going to include a cassette unit and amplifier to match, but sold it locally and didn't change the price.

[frankmar]

This is the Becker Grand Prix installed in my 911s 1969 for reference. I do not know if it is original to the car as a factory option since it is not in the COA. image.jpg

It looks like a fair price for a radio in good condition.

[NorthernThrux]

I think this NOS Becker Europa with box clearly indicates a pin stripe faceplate was a correct for Porsche 911/912 at some point 1968 or later. As were chrome inset ring knobs. At least for a dealer install. Specifically look at the third picture which gives all the applications for the contents of the box. I think that is pretty definitive evidence for correctness of the pinstripe faceplate. No chrome bezel/dial or other types of knobs came with the package.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/NOS-BECKER-EU...-/360465845544

[NorthernThrux]

$350. Lowest it is going here. Next stop e-bay.

[jaudette3]

I'll take it. PM sent.

Thanks!

JohnA

[NorthernThrux]

Pending sale to JohnA