Expert: Cleggsan - 12/6/2009

Question
I have a 57 chevy belair, it currently has an old pioneer radio face in the glove box with the reciever unit under the seat, they are connected with a fixed cable.  The unit is outdated, Obviously someone made this custom connection because of limited space, there is no alternative for installing the radio, what is involved in making this custom connection I would hate to open a six hundred dollar radio only to destroy it.
Thanks
Glen

Answer
A great car, by the way.

Are you asking about replacing the cable that goes between the radio unit and the faceplate mounted in the glove box?  If so, a good electronics technician can do it without harm.  But, it may be there is trouble in the radio or the faceplate electronics and the cable is ok. Have you checked that out?  

I suggest you visit a good custom install/repair shop and have them look at it.  A shop that does custom installations could repair or replace the connecting cable if it is just wires. If there is an actual steel cable in a housing for manual tuning then it will be a little more sophisticated but it can be done - just more costly.

A good shop can examine what you have and do a workup on it, for sure.