British Motorola radios - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

'LIVEWIRE?' · 13th Jan 2018, 10:38 pm

Sometime in the 80s, I don't recall exactly when, Radiomobile Dealers received a bulletin which stated that 'due to the fact that components increasingly have to be sourced from the far east', UK car audio production would end. Whether Motorola's decision to end UK production of their car radios was for the same reason I know not.

michamoo · 14th Jan 2018, 2:03 am

I certainly remember my Dad having this model radio fitted to his Ford when i was boy. When would this one have been manufactured and where do you think?

'LIVEWIRE?' · 14th Jan 2018, 10:58 am

The 124, along with related models 122, 112, & 114, the latter two being push-button sets, were made in the mid to late 1970s at Motorola's factory in Stotfold, Herts. The firm I used to work for, A.E. Malins of Oxford sold them, alongside other well-known makes, and I have serviced/repaired them over the years since. All UK Motorola Car radios, AFAIK, made between about 1974 and 1985 would have been produced at Stotfold, although some, notably the 252, a rebadged Autovox MA754 Radio/Cassette Player, were imported, in this case from Italy.

dazzlevision · 14th Jan 2018, 12:45 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'LIVEWIRE?'

The firm I used to work for, A.E. Malins of Oxford.

I remember well this firm, based in the Osney Mead Industrial Estate, off the Botley Road. I bought some Radiomobile car specific fixing kits from there in the 1970s.

I'm pretty sure that the Motorola car radio factory in Stotfold (Herts) was turned over to mobile phone production - for a while.

'LIVEWIRE?' · 14th Jan 2018, 12:59 pm

I may well have met you back then, DV. Although most of my working time was spent in the Radio Repair Workshop, I did sometimes help out in the front shop/stores area. Haven't been back to Osney mead for a long while. No idea who now occupies Malins old premises, or indeed if the buildings still stand.

13th Jan 2018, 10:38 pm	#21
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: British Motorola radios Sometime in the 80s, I don't recall exactly when, Radiomobile Dealers received a bulletin which stated that 'due to the fact that components increasingly have to be sourced from the far east', UK car audio production would end. Whether Motorola's decision to end UK production of their car radios was for the same reason I know not.

14th Jan 2018, 2:03 am	#22
michamoo Hexode Join Date: May 2006 Location: Cambridge, Cambs. UK. Posts: 469	Re: British Motorola radios I certainly remember my Dad having this model radio fitted to his Ford when i was boy. When would this one have been manufactured and where do you think? Attached Thumbnails __________________ If smoking is so bad for you, how come it cures kippers?

14th Jan 2018, 10:58 am	#23
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: British Motorola radios The 124, along with related models 122, 112, & 114, the latter two being push-button sets, were made in the mid to late 1970s at Motorola's factory in Stotfold, Herts. The firm I used to work for, A.E. Malins of Oxford sold them, alongside other well-known makes, and I have serviced/repaired them over the years since. All UK Motorola Car radios, AFAIK, made between about 1974 and 1985 would have been produced at Stotfold, although some, notably the 252, a rebadged Autovox MA754 Radio/Cassette Player, were imported, in this case from Italy.

14th Jan 2018, 12:59 pm	#25
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: British Motorola radios I may well have met you back then, DV. Although most of my working time was spent in the Radio Repair Workshop, I did sometimes help out in the front shop/stores area. Haven't been back to Osney mead for a long while. No idea who now occupies Malins old premises, or indeed if the buildings still stand.