Correct radio knobs for 1981?

[Ford F834]

I have noticed that there are two different styles of knobs used on the older knob and shaft radios. One is chamfered, the other is more rounded. I kind of remember my other 1981 F250 to have the more rounded knobs, and it was fairly original inside. However almost all that I see are the chamfered style which has an engineering number starting in D7 (1977). The rounded one has an engineering number starting in E0 (1980). So which knob is "correct" for 1981?

[Gary Lewis]

Here's the original radio for Dad's truck:




And here's a close-up of one of the knobs:

[Ford F834]

Thanks Gary, those are the knobs I usually see on 80-84 (77-79 also), but sometimes I see the round ones. I remember an FTE thread where someone was chasing down some rare radio knobs and wondered if it was a "thing". I picked up a stock radio at the junkyard today for the 1981 and was wondering which knobs to use. It came from a 1984 LTD and does not look exactly right, but it was cheap and will fill the hole 'for now'.

[Gary Lewis]

If you want the knobs off this one they are yours, you'll have to come and get them. 😈

By the way, if I had the whole of the engineering/ID # I could search the catalog to see if they are there. But I believe they come with the radio and aren't available separately.

[Ford F834]

Thanks for the offer Gary! I do happen to have an extra set of the "chamfered" style knobs in my junk stash. The radio I bought looks identical to the one you took out of Dad's truck except for the AM/FM slider isn't chrome w/"stereo" written on it and the balance slider knob isn't chrome. It feels much lighter than the one I bought on eBay for my diesel build, but that one has the cassette player.

Regarding the knobs, if anyone else ends up reading this and wanting the engineering numbers, this is what I see (marked on the back of the inner knob, outer has no number):

Chamfered knobs:
D70A-18A932-AA

Rounded knobs:
E0AF-18A932-AB chrome
E2ZF-18A932-AA black

[Gary Lewis]

There is no reference to 18A932 in the catalog.  That usually comes when some kind person at Ford added it to the Description field of the catalog, but that was infrequent.

However, I did find this, which says the 1980-84's had one set of knobs, and the 1985-86's had a different one.  And, that the early knob was designed in 1977, so was probably used from 1977 to 1984.  And that fits with the D7OA ID number.  But, the E5AZ doesn't match with the E0 or E2 number.

Perhaps this is a question for Bill/Numberdummy?

[Ford F834]

The 1985 knob would be much different, as it was a DIN radio with knobs. They were considerably smaller. Keep in mind that the rounded knobs that come on my recent purchase were in a LTD, and the knobs in my previous 1981 truck could have come from anywhere. Perhaps they were different in vans, cars etc.,?

[Gary Lewis]

Looks like the chamfered knobs were also used in:

1977 Torino, LTD II, and Thunderbird

1978 Torino & LTD II, the Thunderbird ex the Diamond Jubilee, and the Fiesta

1979 basic Ford cars - IOW not those shown by a different code

And before you ask:

[Ford F834]

Looks "correct" enough, at least until I find a better one! It fills the hole 😁

[Gary Lewis]

I'd give you Dad's, but it doesn't work.    But I know it is correct for a 1981 Ranger XLT.

Anyway, yours looks great - as does the bezel.

[Ford F834]

I don't know (yet) if this one works either... but we'll see... 🤞

[Gary Lewis]

Hope it works.  Gonna be a boring drive w/o a radio.  

[1986F150Six]

As Jonathan said, the 1985 and 1986 knobs are small and black. I have an old 1985/86 radio if anyone needs the knobs. I do not believe the radio works.