Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
If you, or someone you know, worked for Arvin Industries when this Penney's MCS-2230 stereo was designed (~1985) and you know anything about it, I'd love to hear from you!
I don’t know if the Goodwill put it up for sale or just trashed it. The stereo didn’t travel too well and “threw a shoe” as I wheeled it into the store. The turntable slipmat, platter and belt also tried to stage an escape en route. I went back a few days later and did not see any of the items I donated. Perhaps they all sold just that quickly? Maybe they send stuff to different stores? (Stuff that the Goodwill considers "really valuable" may never appear in a store, instead showing up on their auction site.)
I bought this at WILL AM/FM/TV’s Vintage Vinyl event in 1999/2000 or so. Someone donated an example of the Sears version as well, though not in working order. It was the first or second time I attended. They’ve not run this sale in years. I’m sure it’s a lot of work, but I’d love to see it come back.
While I am venturing into trivia about which nobody cares, this stereo rode home in the trunk of the 1979 Cadillac. It wasn't too much longer after that when the deer hit sidelined it. The car remains in a safe storage area today. My grandparents bought the Sears version of this stereo when it was brand new.
Someone donated an absolutely massive (almost as long as a full size car of the late 1970s or early 1980s) color TV and stereo console. I hope but doubt it found a good home, as it was still there at the very end. They'd probably have given it to me, if I would have had any way to get it home and a place to put it once there. That behemoth actually powered up and ran, though it very obviously needed help. I can't remember the brand name, only that it was one I'd never heard of and I think it began with a "T". Thoughts?
Arvin Industries manufactured appliances both portable and larger, televisions, radios, home fixtures, heat exchangers, stereos of all kinds, automotive exhaust system parts and even vinyl under the trade name 'Arvinyl". In 2000, they merged with Rockwell's former auto parts business which had been spun out as Meritor a few years prior. Eventually, the Arvin name faded from view. Arvinyl survives as of 2025 as a standalone company: arvinyl.com/our-story . It's not clear what happened to their other businesses. I would imagine that as per usual, company records about products made and production numbers were long ago destroyed.
preservingarvin.com
I was initially going to title this video "sometimes, it's time to move on". I didn't do that because I thought it would give people the wrong idea.
If you, or someone you know, worked for Arvin Industries when this Penney's MCS-2230 stereo was designed (~1985) and you know anything about it, I'd love to hear from you!
I don’t know if the Goodwill put it up for sale or just trashed it. The stereo didn’t travel too well and “threw a shoe” as I wheeled it into the store. The turntable slipmat, platter and belt also tried to stage an escape en route. I went back a few days later and did not see any of the items I donated. Perhaps they all sold just that quickly? Maybe they send stuff to different stores? (Stuff that the Goodwill considers "really valuable" may never appear in a store, instead showing up on their auction site.)
I bought this at WILL AM/FM/TV’s Vintage Vinyl event in 1999/2000 or so. Someone donated an example of the Sears version as well, though not in working order. It was the first or second time I attended. They’ve not run this sale in years. I’m sure it’s a lot of work, but I’d love to see it come back.
While I am venturing into trivia about which nobody cares, this stereo rode home in the trunk of the 1979 Cadillac. It wasn't too much longer after that when the deer hit sidelined it. The car remains in a safe storage area today. My grandparents bought the Sears version of this stereo when it was brand new.
Someone donated an absolutely massive (almost as long as a full size car of the late 1970s or early 1980s) color TV and stereo console. I hope but doubt it found a good home, as it was still there at the very end. They'd probably have given it to me, if I would have had any way to get it home and a place to put it once there. That behemoth actually powered up and ran, though it very obviously needed help. I can't remember the brand name, only that it was one I'd never heard of and I think it began with a "T". Thoughts?
Arvin Industries manufactured appliances both portable and larger, televisions, radios, home fixtures, heat exchangers, stereos of all kinds, automotive exhaust system parts and even vinyl under the trade name 'Arvinyl". In 2000, they merged with Rockwell's former auto parts business which had been spun out as Meritor a few years prior. Eventually, the Arvin name faded from view. Arvinyl survives as of 2025 as a standalone company: arvinyl.com/our-story . It's not clear what happened to their other businesses. I would imagine that as per usual, company records about products made and production numbers were long ago destroyed.
preservingarvin.com
I was initially going to title this video "sometimes, it's time to move on". I didn't do that because I thought it would give people the wrong idea.
