The AM radio for my '66 Mustang GT restoration is back from its own restoration.

When I decided to restore my grandfather's old Mustang, I elected to take the car back to original with as many of the original components as possible. Thankfully, when I replaced the factory AM with an AM/FM/cassette many years ago, I saved the original radio. However, after 43 years of use and storage, it wasn't looking so good (see photo above), and I doubt that it works very well either, if at all.

With a quick search on the Internet, I found Ward's Classic Car Radio Repair in Alabama. An e-mail inquiry to Greg Ward resulted in more information, including the fact the Ward's fully services, including exterior restoration and interior overhaul, vintage AM radio for around $100 (AM/FMs and 8-tracks cost $50 more).

So I followed Greg's explicit instructions for boxing up my old ratty-looking radio and shipped it off to Alabama. A few weeks later, the radio arrived back on my desk. While Ward's wasn't able to buff out much of the pitting in the chrome face, the new shine hids most of the imperfections. Best of all, tuning is butter-smooth, the push-buttons work like new, and new wiring will allow me to plug the radio into the factory harnesses.

If you'd like to check with Ward's about refurbishing your vintage Mustangs' radio, contact them at: Ward's Classic Car Radio Repair, 131 Culps Dr., Huntsville, AL 35811; 256-852-0955. Send e-mail to Greg at glw@mchsi.com. You can also see other examples of their work at www.wardsclassiccarradiorepair.com.