Blaupunkt Dortmund De Luxe (Late 1960s)
At 1.3 kg and wrapped in chrome, this radio is rare, built for classics, and never meant to be subtle.
Overview
The Blaupunkt Dortmund De Luxe is a mono car radio from the late 1960s. Blaupunkt marketed it as "TOP OF THE LINE" and made it part of their premium offering for European classics. Blaupunkt Ideal, Berlin (later Hildesheim) built it, and it has a polished chrome front panel that demands attention on the dashboard. Few were made, and few survive. Collectors consistently describe it as "VERY RARE," and it rarely turns up on the market.
The Dortmund De Luxe is a no-frills AM/FM mono receiver. There is no stereo decoding and no digital tuning. It delivers 5 watts nominal (7 watts music) into a 4-ohm load, enough to fill a small cabin without distortion, assuming the speaker and electrical system hold up. The output is designed for a single 4-ohm speaker connected to terminal “I,” though two 4-ohm speakers in series (totaling 8 ohms) can also be used.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Blaupunkt Ideal, Berlin (later Hildesheim) |
| Model Number | 7.639.632 |
| Model Number | 7.632.652 |
| Model Number | 7.631.652 |
| Model Number | 7.630.652 |
| Product Type | Car Radio |
| Output Power | 5 Watt nominal, 7 Watt music |
| Impedance | 4 Ohm |
| Rendition | Mono, 1 (4 Ohm) speaker on speaker connection “I”. Two 4 Ohm speakers connected in series possible (8 Ohm) |
| Dimensions (WHD) | 177 x 50 x 147 mm / 7 x 2 x 5.8 inch (for model 7.630.652) |
| Dimensions (WHD) | 115 x 179 x 42 mm / 4.5 x 7 x 1.7 inch (for model 7.631.652) |
| Dimensions (W.H.D) | 179 x 43 x 116 mm / 7 x 1.7 x 4.6 inch (for model 7.632.652) |
| Net Weight | 1.3 kg |
Historical Context
Collectibility & Value
The Blaupunkt Dortmund De Luxe is consistently described as "VERY RARE" and "Rare" across collector circles, and the prices show it. One listing offered a unit in "MINT" condition for £990, while a separate Facebook post noted a sale at 160 Euro. Condition, provenance and buyer demand account for the wide variance. Units are occasionally sold with a 6-month warranty, which suggests some vendors specialize in refurbished vintage electronics. A service manual is available through third-party archives. No common failures or maintenance pitfalls are documented in the available literature, so owners have to rely on general Blaupunkt servicing practices of the era.
eBay Listings
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