A bit of History found.

**Arkansaw** · 12-15-2012, 05:55 PM

Went thru some stuff i bought at an estate auction, found a power supply said " Lear Jet Stereo 8" I could look and see it had some age to it.I thought aircraft part. did some looking on the net,seems Lear Jet helped develop or introduce 8 track tapes.and sold several styles for home and auto. The one i have is for a home system. I remember 8 tracks,but that was more near the end of their run not the beginning.LOL

**gustavus** · 12-15-2012, 06:56 PM

"The 4-track cartridge format had had a head start over 8-tracks. Originally developed in 1956 (also in conjunction with Ford Motors), the 4-track format was originally forsaken as unmarketable, and lay dormant until the early '60s, when enterprising Ernie Muntz saw its potential.

He acquired rights to the format and began marketing both hardware (players) and software (prerecorded tapes), licensing music from major record labels. It was perhaps Ernie Muntz's initiative that rekindled Ford's interest in offering an in-dash tape cartridge system.

The development of the 8-track format took the basic 4-track technology and refined it, making changes designed to make the tape less likely to jam while playing, and to increase accessibility to individual selections on the tape."

8-track tape history

**Sirscrapalot** · 12-15-2012, 08:15 PM

I got a 8 track stereo cabinet sitting down in my workshop, it looks at me sadly as..well..i have no 8 tracks. Lol. I do got LP's tho and that record player works mighty fine for such old equipment.

Thanks for reminding me to hit my thrift store tomorrow, they usually have 8 tracks for like 10 cents..heh.

Sirscrapalot - Thinks some of the old eletronics are like a good whiskey/scotch..better with age.

**gustavus** · 12-15-2012, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by Sirscrapalot

I got a 8 track stereo cabinet sitting down in my workshop, it looks at me sadly as..well..i have no 8 tracks. Lol. I do got LP's tho and that record player works mighty fine for such old equipment.

Thanks for reminding me to hit my thrift store tomorrow, they usually have 8 tracks for like 10 cents..heh.

Sirscrapalot - Thinks some of the old eletronics are like a good whiskey/scotch..better with age.

When the tape is wound to tight, we used to pull a bit of tape out then quickly pull more out, cant remember which direction to pull but if you pull the opposit way the tape snaps back into the cartridge good as new.

You hold the cartridge eye level and pull out enough tape to touch the floor, returning the tape into the cartridge you can pull it slowly at first but that last foot you have to give it a quick pull and get your fingers out of the way.

I suspect this youtube bunny is going to show you something totally different as the Video runs for 11 minutes.