Vault Photos

Chevrolet PC8S-501  - Music of The U.S.A.  Vol. I  is the matching complimentary tape for this classic car.  This tape and Chevrolet PC8S-536 - Music of The U.S. A. Vol. II were narrated by Lorne Greene.  Each tape presented by Chevrolet held over 1 hour of "living" stereo sound music for your motoring pleasure.

Carrying case with strap for those on the move.  It held 7 RCA flat pak tapes that came with clamshell plastic tubs.  Many of the early RCA complimentary tapes had the same tub.

Kit included a PC8S-535 sealed tape, operating instructions for the stereosonic tape player and a cartridge care pamphlet for highest fidelity.  Some kits also included a pamphlet for purchasing additional tapes from a tape club.

Accessories proposal tape submitted to Cadillac by Adell International Inc. of Detroit, Michigan. 

Complimentary tapes similar to this with wrap around labels and exposed tape can be repaired without opening to avoid splitting the side labels.   The tape with a new sensing foil strip is manually rewound back into the cartridge.  Before attempting repairs on expensive and hard to find complimentary tapes, practice on other tapes with similar cartridge designs.  Professional repair services are also available online.

Protect your investment in complimentary tapes by storing them in their plastic tubs and cardboard sleeves at room temperature.  Protective end caps that cover the exposed tape and clear polyester archival storage box protectors are also options to consider.

Disassembled cartridge for tape repair.  Lear Jet flat pak tapes tend to have gummy or melted rollers that need replaced before playing.  The sensing foil strip, leader tape and felt pads were also replaced while opened.   Be careful not to break the cartridge posts and tabs when opening.  Another cartridge of similar design with a few tabs broken on purpose for easy opening can be used for playback testing before reassembly.

Some early complimentary tapes have a screw under the front label that needs removed before the cartridge can be opened for repair when the tape has broken at the foil splice and is not exposed.