Inspiration for the 8-Track---Mad Man Muntz

recording-history.org ^

[djone]

^ The second main commercial application was in the field of auto sound. Earl "Madman" Muntz was a former Kaiser-Frazer automobile dealer who had earned his nickname through his loud, flamboyant television commercials. His motto was "I buy 'em retail and sell 'em wholesale. It's more fun that way!" Already a national celebrity by the 1950s, he soon jumped from auto sales to electronics, opening a chain of television retail outlets. ....Muntz had inexpensive Fidelipac players custom manufactured in Japan, and licensed the music of several record companies for duplication on carts. Even though the players were intended to be installed in cars, where "hi-fi" hardly mattered, Muntz sought to enhance the appeal of his product by adopting the stereo tape standards established by recorder manufacturers a few years earlier, and his players used the new, mass produced stereo tape heads being made for the home recorder industry......Just how Bill Lear managed to convince the auto executives to cram those players under the dashboards of Ford Mustangs and Fairlanes is a little unclear...early Learjet Stereo 8 player, pictured here, was designed with convenience in mind--and safety. The minimal knobs and controls were intended to make it quick and easy to play tapes while driving, without the driver taking his or her eyes off the road.................

[djone]

...learJet

The 8 track was the epoc of car music.....LZ- "Dazed and confused for days I dont know how>

[GGpaX4DumpedTea]

I saw a 1060’s something Rolls Royce a couple years ago that had an 8 track as standard equipment...found that interesting...someone had later added a cassette deck, but the built in 8 track was still there.

[djone]

“One of life’s many pleasures is sitting in the driving seat of a Jensen FF, and listening to that wonderful ‘KACHUNK’ sound, as the ‘8’ track cartridge is pushed into the player.”...ULRIC WOODHAMS ‘KACHUNK’

[MtBaldy]

My mother ordered a brand new 1969 Oldsmobile 442 because she was tired of station wagons. She took me in to help her with the options list. She already knew she wanted power everything and metallic grey paint with black vinyl top and a blue vinyl interior. I added the 8-track tape player and 400 ci V-8. Was a fun car.

[Mears]

Those 1060 Rollses really last a long time. Great engineering.

[djone]

"My mother ordered a brand new 1969 Oldsmobile 442 "...now thats something...What was it ? 4 BBl...4 SPD..2 DR ??? ...Automatic Radio 8 Track tape Player

[Eye of Unk]

The most sought after item that would guarantee your car would be broken into. Its as if you kept a gold brick on the front seat nowadays.

[Loud Mime]

I think it was 2 exhaust pipes, not doors.

[backwoods-engineer]

The late great Bob Pease from National Semiconductor wrote about Muntz way back when. Seems Muntz was some kind of a self-taught engineer who had a penchant for snipping out components to reduce costs.

[PUGACHEV]

In college in the late ‘60s I had a talent for fixing 8 Track carts. It made me some spare change in the dorm, and there was never a lack of work.

[djone]

8-tracks were large cassette tapes Really? 8-Track Museum Opens In Texas http://www.crackerhammer.com/really-8-track-museum-opens-in-texas.html

[RitchieAprile]

[ansel12]

I remember when I got my first car with a cassette player in it, in the 1990s (a Maverick), it was better, but not all better, the 8 tracks had their own little (few) good traits.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Wow! Does this bring back some memories or what? Muntz.

[djone]

Superscope Quadraphonic Quad ..Playing ...'Deep Purple

[djone]

..futuristic 8

[djone]

...theives liked the tapes too...

[Eye of Unk]

As a kid in the early 70’s it was the “cool” thing to do was popping an 8 track out of a car, it was a status symbol of how many you could do, and then we would travel to the local flea market to sell them, right out in the open.

[Michael.SF.]

The Mad Man even tried his hand at cars:

[djone]

'some memories or what? Muntz' "Madman" Muntz