convert an AM radio to a AM/FM radio?

Question

Question Details: I have a 1972 GMC jimmy and I got over ambitious for my senior essay in college and now am somewhat over my head. I need some advise on how to convert an AM radio to AM?FM radio in the Jimmy. The objective being that I want to keep the look of the old radio but I also want to modenize it to get FM. I have turned this project into my senior essay for college and people that said they knew how to help me dont and now I am lost. I kind of get the concept I am looking mostly as to what kind of circuit board I need to use and what not. Does anyone have any advise at all?

Answer 1

Well I know there used to be a device that was an fm tuners that would rebroadcast to the AM radio but it was an external device and thus would be exposed and I don't think you want that. Now do you actually have to modify the existing radio or can you go out and buy a replacement that looks vintage but is modernized?

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2001532/c-10101/Nty-1/p-2001532/Ntx-mode+matchallpartial/N-111+250+1972+200729578/tf-Browse/s-10101/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=radio

If you have to actually use the old radio, I think you've got your hands full. My best guess would be to gut the old radio, buy a new one and use the guts of the new one. You'd have to somehow get the knobs and buttons to interface with the new radio. I think it is possible but difficult.

Answer 2

AM is amplitude modulation and is the old analogue system of sending radio signals.
FM is frequency modulation and is digital.
you cannot update AM to FM as this requires two different types of tuning and modulation.
it may be possible to remove the old AM board and replace it with a cheap FM board from a small modern radio and link the tuning control to the old case.
it's worth a try and what have you got to lose?
have fun and the best of luck.