Old School cell phone in testarossa

If you could get a service provider and have your telephone number attached to it, then I would keep it. If not, then ditch it.
If I could have it hooked up for use, I know I'd want it.

 

I bought a vintage cell phone for my '85 turbo Carrera, just for fun. The back-of-the-handset buttons light up. But I have no cell carrier for it. It's just for show. I still need to locate one of those short, spiral black cell antennas for the rear glass, but have been unable to find one.

 

In theory it shouldn't be too hard to take the guts out of it and replace them with bluetooth handset innards and hook it up to your existing iPhone or whatever, like this guy did:

1980's Brick Phone: Bluetooth-Enabled Smartphone Accessory Lets You Talk On The Phone, '80s Style

Or even replace the innards with *real* cell phone tech from a modern non-smartphone.

 

The hard part is finding matching leather to cover the holes from mounting. This is assuming it was mounted in the normal location, passenger side of the shift tunnel.

But yea, ditch it. Let the customer make it his or hers.

 

I passed on a TR that had a car phone....it also had an antenna drilled into the roof. But personally, If I had to choose between one with and one without, I would go without. A person can always add a retro phone, but its more of a pain to remove one.

Same thing for 'vintage' alarms. But at least you only have wiring and not leather work to color match.

Probably not a deal breaker.

Just my .02c.

 

Those car phones had 3 Watts of broadcast power. In today's cell coverage, including rural areas, I can't imagine anyone getting a dropped call, or that "digital garble/echo" on fringe zones.

 

Haha yeah - but use one long enough and your ear will probably burn off

Yeah don't know whether I would keep one on or not - if it was put in for the original owner when more or less new and was a real good fit, then I guess's its part of the history of the car but not everyone thinks the same do they so it's hard to say if or how much it would hurt or even enhance the value.

That reminds me though I've just realised I haven't seen a car advertised with an old school radar detector fitted for about 15 years! Again kind of retro cool. The Testdrive game experience would be complete then with one chirping away above the rear view mirror!

My car had the budget version fitted when I bought it - a copy of the Lion King DVD taped to the back window to deflect the speed cameras!

Did that ever work lol??

Dom.

 

To the OP I do not think it hurts the value and I say leave it in! Some people like it and it is Easy to remove. If your customer wants it out (1hr of time to pull it out) anyone saying otherwise does not know the technology or what they are talking about. Cell phones were no different than stereos to install. Regarding holes - easy fix with the leather dye/repair guy if they screwed the mount into the side...noting required if it was on the floor.

In regards to learn60man - "drilled in roof"...I doubt it. I NEVER saw an one drilled. It was typically a double adhesive that peels off just like debadging a car (either on glass or panel) and the only removal is unscrewing components (brain and antenna module) and pulling or cutting cables if you don't want to bother lifting upholstery to remove it. Anyone who had one installed in their cars in the late 80s-90s should be familiar with the two antenna options and how simple the set up was in both installing and removing.

I still have the OE phone in my NSX and have had nice offers for guys wanting to just have it.

 

Sherrillt,

It was a white / crema TR being sold by Solereno(sp) Motorsports in Northern California. They confirmed there was a hole drilled into the roof to accommodate the antenna cable. This was another added correction cost that I was not willing to incur. Thus a pass. Another member posted some 'in person' pictures.

I guess my motto is 'Stock is better for resale'. But to each his own....my old TR is blinged out and sold in the $90's last September? Listed for sale by another dealer for $129,000.

 

What year cars? I remember my neighbor had an 86 RC on tan with the phone and antennae. I believe it was attached to the back of the roof toward the decklid

 

The car I was referencing had to be an 88.5+ because I was only considering 5 lug cars.

BTW I have two original Motorolla bricks. They both fire up. Obviously there is no service contract but I did accidentally make a 911 call, and they picked up.

 

This...I have that goofy spiral antenna drilled in the center of my engine lid!!


$$$$ to do anything but rubber plug the hole, so I have left it there!
But my car is a 1977...

 

Almost antique !!