Sears Road Talker 40 SSB Model 663.38100050

[MindenJoe]

I just purchased on Goodwill auctions a Sears Road Talker 40 SSB. I've been looking for one for awhile for a reasonable price. I paid $9.99 for the radio and shipping was around $16.00. I stumbled upon it as I was looking through the site. It was listed as "Vintage Deluxe Car Console and Road Talker 40". Pretty funny as the radio is still attached to the plastic console molded to fit the transmission hump in an old car. The console looks like something you would have bought from Kmart in the early 1970's. Looks to be in good shape from the pictures with the orginal Sears microphone. From the photos it looks like it's missing the radio channel selector knob, but I have a knob I think will fit. From what I have read, it is the same radio as the Cobra 146 GTL. It will go well with my collection of vintage JCPenney CB's. I can't find which SAM Photfact manual goes with this particular radio. There is no listing for a Road Talker 663.38100050 or Cobra 146 GTL. I'll have to research a little deeper. I'd like to recap it once I recieve it and see that it works.

 

[DJ11DLN]

Good catch. A friend of mine back in the day had a Sears Road Talker but I can't recall the model or even if it was an SSB model. I do remember that he was pretty happy with it and it had great audio, both TX and RX. I remember that console well in his (I think) '70 Monte Carlo.

 

[MindenJoe]

I found the service manual for the Cobra 146 GTL on CBTricks.com. Hoping they are the same! Looking at old Sears catalogs online, this particular Road Talker 40 was sold from 1981-1983.

 

[MindenJoe]

It was the last of the Road Talkers as Sears switched to Midland Radios in 1984.

 

[FPR1981]

Ive always liked those Sears roadtalker radios. I have a Roadtalker 23 that you can set your watch to.

 

[jhooten]

This sorta confirms it is related to the 146.

http://www.cbtricks.com/pub/secret_cb/vol_13/graphics/secret_cb_vol_13_pg41_43.pdf

 

[MindenJoe]

The Road Talker finally arrived. It was in better shape than I hoped. A few marks on it but otherwise it looks almost new. It was missing the channel select knob, but I had a spare that was a good fit. On AM it dead keys a little over 4 watts and has nice swing. On SSB it looks to put out around 15-20 watts. Opening it up, it looks like no mods have been done to it. I have read and was told that this particular radio is somewhat rare and it has the 2824 pll chassis that export radios are based upon. I was also told that the Cobra 146, Uniden PC 244 and Realistic TRC-451 share the same chassis. It sounds great and I’m looking forward to trying it out!

 

[KANE4109]

I am surprised! i check there every once in a while and it seems like anything with SSB jumps in price REALLY fast from bidding. You got a great deal.

I just purchased on Goodwill auctions a Sears Road Talker 40 SSB.