1987 Cabriolet stereo wiring ... putting a new one in...sharing experience

[fredges]

Hey gang,
Putting a new (cheap) stereo in the cabby this weekend, and just thought Id share.

Found this PDF online that really helped (apparently, my car has the wiring for the power antenna, but doesn't have the antenna now?). This diagram seems to match the wiring currently hanging out of my dash:
http://www.autolib.diakom.ru/CAR/Vol...GRAMS/6470.pdf
Here is the PDF that link points to:


The photo is rough, but you can make it out. The wires appear to be grouped incorrectly but the match up...

Left Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Blue

Left Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Brown/Blue


Right Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Red
Right Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Brown/White




Left Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Blue/Green

Left Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Brown/Red


Right Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Red/Green

Right Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Brown/Black


THIS PAGE DOES NOT MATCH the handful of wires in my photo:
http://www.modifiedlife.com/1987-vol...iring-diagram/

Here is the handful of spaghetti I'm going to decipher:


You might note some newer speaker wire in there, but I'm hoping I don't have to use it. Perhaps somebody didn't have a diagram and just said "F*** it! I'll run new wires!"

I have a question: Does BROWN =GROUND in this situation?? It seems all sets of speaker leads have at least one brown wire... (I already have 12v+, GRND, and ACC figured out....)

I will share my adventure as events warrant. Wish me luck!

[briano1234]

Ground is dirt, and Dirt is considered brown, unless you are in Georgia where red is more prevalent, Black in Illinois).

[pcm1978]

You mean blue/green for the left rear speaker +, correct? That's the way I read the picture from diakom.

Brown generally means ground in these cars.

The way I always used to confirm/identify the speaker wires in the dash was to use a small battery (like AA) and touch pairs of wires to it (one on each end of the battery) until you heard the speaker pop. That at least tells you which pair of wires belongs to which speaker, although I don't think it tells you the polarity of the pair. You can also check behind each speaker to see what color wires are connected to it.

[Beetle.freak]

http://www.modifiedlife.com/1987-vol...iring-diagram/

[fredges]

A little progress tonight.

Removed all the old speakers, and learned how to safely remove and replace the rest panels ("cards"?) and the speaker grills on the doors (easy!)

The original speakers all still work except one rear. Pretty amazing! But I'm amazed at how small the are!! I've seen headphones with bigger drivers! Kidding.

I'll see if anyone wants them, maybe somebody who's doing a full factory rest or something. You could have them repaired, I guess, but what's the point? Ha!

Here's a couple more photos, more will follow as I progress:




Also, those new, shiny, skinny speaker wires going to the doors are bugging me. I wanted to use the stock wires, but they disappear somewhere under the dash and I can't track them down! I pulled the rubber gaskets off the doors and only the shiny new wires are routed through them (though there are little stubs of the old wires attached at the ends, on the plastic connector plugs. That will help me get the polarity straight! Thank goodness!)

I'll probably end up using the shiny new ones... bah. Though I need to pull the glove box anyway, to fix the spring, so maybe there's still hope... Hmmm....

[s2kvondeutschland]

The stock wires for the speakers are junk. I'd run new ones without hesitation.

You can use the battery to speaker wire trick to determine polarity as well. When the speaker "pops," if it deflects outward, you have the polarity correct. Inward, and it's backwards.

Remember to solder and heat shrink your connections.

[fredges]

Thanks everyone! pcm1978: I corrected it, thank you!

Also, thanks s2kvondeutschland, I did the battery trick and it was of much help!

http://www.modifiedlife.com/1987-vol...iring-diagram/

Thanks Beetlefreak, but there's an error there: It says RED/BLACK instead of RED for the Right Front Speaker Positive Wire, when there is no RED/BLACK wire... oops!

[fredges]

Ok so, i put a pair of these (Pioneer TS-A4674R) in the doors, and they fit incredibly well!

Not sure how they sound yet, but will let you know. I forgot to take a photo, but let me tell you, they fit [i[perfectly[/i]! A little sung, too, which is great! There will be no rattling!

Next, these (Pioneer TS-A1072R) will go in behind the rear panels, hopefully into the stock location. There appears to be plenty of room, and the rear windows don't roll all the way down anyway, right? Mine stop about half way... I think I'll get them fit... I have a Dremel, and I'm not afraid to use it!! Muwahahahahaaaaa!

Next up, I want to put some kind of cheap amped/powered sub in the truck. Nothing fancy or expensive, as I don't listen to much bass-y stuff, but I do need to know the best way to get a good 12v back there.
Is there something I can tap into, or should I run a line from the battery? I will, of course, put a 20A fuse on that line, no more than 12" from the battery.

And how do I figure out what gauge wire to use? Is there math involved?

[tinygiant]

Ok so, i put a pair of these (Pioneer TS-A4674R) in the doors, and they fit incredibly well!

Not sure how they sound yet, but will let you know. I forgot to take a photo, but let me tell you, they fit [i[perfectly[/i]! A little sung, too, which is great! There will be no rattling!

Next, these (Pioneer TS-A1072R) will go in behind the rear panels, hopefully into the stock location. There appears to be plenty of room, and the rear windows don't roll all the way down anyway, right? Mine stop about half way... I think I'll get them fit... I have a Dremel, and I'm not afraid to use it!! Muwahahahahaaaaa!

Next up, I want to put some kind of cheap amped/powered sub in the truck. Nothing fancy or expensive, as I don't listen to much bass-y stuff, but I do need to know the best way to get a good 12v back there.
Is there something I can tap into, or should I run a line from the battery? I will, of course, put a 20A fuse on that line, no more than 12" from the battery.

And how do I figure out what gauge wire to use? Is there math involved?

grab a sub wiring kit, run power from the battery and run the ground to the chassis.

the fuse usually is right after you connect to the battery. easier to just get one of the sub kits and go from there.

[Beetle.freak]

Depends on how much power (amps) you're running....I'm running a 4 gauge Scoche from battery back to hatch dist block which splits it into 2 8gauge feeding both amps with a good quality fuse holder ( 80a fuse) coming directly off the battery +, rear ground is the same: 8gauge off bumper mount bolt to dist block spliting to 2 8gauge grounds grounding both amps......you can get one of those "amp kits" from Walmart (cheaply) but I'd cut the fuse holder out and chitcan it.....the female spades in them burn out and aint worth crap !

[fredges]

Thanks tiny giant and Beetlefreak! I'm looking at getting this kit, as it has almost everything I need, and not much I won't use at some point. Whaddaya think? Worth $14?

[Beetle.freak]

It depends on how much amp wattage you're wanting to push....seems decent though and says it contains: 8 Ga Red Power Cable Competition High Quality Fuse Holder 3 Ft. 8 Ga Black Ground Cable 16 Ft. 18 Ga Blue Turn-On Wire 20 Ft. High Performance RCA Interconnect 30 Ft. Speaker Wire 6 Ft. Split Loom Tubing (20) 4" Wire Ties (3) Rubber Grommets 10 Ring Terminal 5/16" Ring Terminal 1/4" Ring Terminal Model: KIT2 ....I'm not a big fan of those style fuse holders or unsheilded RCA cords.

[fredges]

Can anyone tell me the best place to run the amp cable through the firewall? The best/shortest route to the trunk? I have just a little left to do and I'm done! Yay! Then I can down to doing what I really want to do: drive it!

[rabbitnothopper]

The stock wires for the speakers are junk. I'd run new ones without hesitation.

You can use the battery to speaker wire trick to determine polarity as well. When the speaker "pops," if it deflects outward, you have the polarity correct. Inward, and it's backwards.

Remember to solder and heat shrink your connections.

stock wires for the speakers are so much junk.....they are extremely thin
so thin i dont think you could safely pass more than 3 amps over them without melting the wire

and im too lazy to tear out my carpet and rear seat to run new heavier gauge wire.....
although im not pushing a lot of wattage out the rears anyhow, maybe tops 2amps each

[Beetle.freak]

I ran mine through the dummy grommet just on the steering shaft side of where the big engine wiring harness comes through the firewall and siliconed the heck out of it on the inside of the firewall (to tight of quarters to get a pic).

[fredges]

I ran mine through the dummy grommet just on the steering shaft side of where the big engine wiring harness comes through the firewall and siliconed the heck out of it on the inside of the firewall (to tight of quarters to get a pic).

Thanks Beetle.frek! I found that grommet and used it and it's perfect! I made the hole really small, just barely big enough to cram the wire through, so it's good and tight! I'll goop it up with something as well, as the grommet was rather vulcanized... but it works very well!

Here are pics that I've taken so far... will try to get more for y'all today...

Grommet in the firewall that I used:


Area of carpet I took up to route wire from battery:


sill covers popped right off. All the clips are still in them, and they look like new. I love it: every time I pull panel off, lift up carpet or remove a screw, there is NO rust on this car! Wow!


Looking at the seat belt and under the back seat, carpet is perfect, and paint looks like new! Zero rust, just needs some vacuuming! I did evict a few spiders, however....

[Beetle.freak]

You're welcome, you don't want it too tight so it doesn't chafe and short out. I used 3M chaffing tape (rubberized elctrical tape) on mine. It'll work till I can get a step bit in there and open it up big enough to get a thick grommet on there....."one" of these days I'll get around to posting pics of mine and how I finished my trunk ?!

[fredges]

Yeah, I want to do something in my trunk to "even out" and reinforce the floor... thinking about mdf or 10mil Sintra PVC (won't rot).

I'll definitely make a template and share it when I do, as I can't find one anywhere on the intarwebz.

Happy Mother's Day, all you mothers!

[tinygiant]

Yeah, I want to do something in my trunk to "even out" and reinforce the floor... thinking about mdf or 10mil Sintra PVC (won't rot).

I'll definitely make a template and share it when I do, as I can't find one anywhere on the intarwebz.

Happy Mother's Day, all you mothers!

I've been thinking the same thing. Actually going to hit some yardsales today and look for a sub and/or amp and some more door speakers.


here is what i did in my yaris a couple years back





Probably going to something simular in the cabby soon Having only Front door speakers just isnt cutting it lol

[fredges]

Wow! That's pretty slick, tinygiant! But I feel like I'd be putting a $10 saddle on a $2 horse... my cabby isn't quite show ready... to say the least!

I'll post photos when I get the trunk done... someday...

¡ʇno ʇəƃ ʇ,uɐɔ ı puɐ pɹɐoqɥsɐp əɥʇ ɹəpun ʞɔnʇs ɯı ¡dləɥ

[tinygiant]

i hear ya.

i put a woofer in the trunk today of the caby.. piece of plywood cut to cover the spare tire area just laid the amp on that and the woofer in a qlogic truck slant box. Takes up most of the trunk right now.. but bumps nicely. When i get ambitious i'll take a saturday and make something slick for it.

[fredges]

Actually, I'd really like to make some kind of "organizer" for the trunk... with cubby holes and a place to strap a fire extinguisher, flares, that kind of thing.

As far as small subs go, this is good option: http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Bassl...7216892&sr=8-1