Full install of a sound system -- need lots of help please!

[Ender85]

The facts: 1. I know little to nothing about car stereos/electronics in general 2. '89 Coupe with BOSE 3. The car had an aftermarket Alpine system (the works) that was ripped out before I bought the car 4. I have purchased: 1 pioneer head unit 1 pair of 6 X 9's and 1 pair of 4' round speakers from Best Buy 5. The 4' enclosures from BOSE I still have and the previous system used 6 x 9 's so I have enclosures for those also 6. I also bought a wiring harness, speaker savers, and a dash kit for the HU 7. The Best Buy guy told me that the BOSE amps have been bypassed (again I don't know what this means, but it's supposed to be a good thing) 8. I think I need to buy speaker wire - i can get high quality speaker wire from a local store, but I don't know how much I need to get. Now, with these facts, my willingness to try, and, hopefully, a lot of help from my fellow forum-goers, I'll be able to form this into a working (I dont have very high demands) sound system for my car. Please, if anyone have any ideas, links to info, or, preferably, a step-by-step quide on what to do with all this stuff - let me know. Thanks for undertaking this massive project to help me (a complete idiot when it comes to these things) out here. marthpodi

[bogus]

considering there was an aftermarket in there, they bypassed the bose already. and the act of bypassing is not hard. you remove them and run wire. see? easy?

if the enclosures are out, then the bose system is out. the enclosures hold the amps... kinda all in one deal.

if you need to install wire, then get a 50' roll of 14 or 16 AWG.

you might have some wire left over, but that won't be fatal. figure, 12 feet of wire for each rear speaker and 8 feet per front... that gives you a bit to mess with, too.

get a nice soldering iron. I always solder up my connections. heat shrink...

run all the wires, and solder up the factory adapter to the harness, and the speaker leads.

you may also need an antenna adapter... the GM ends are rather queer, at best.

take your time. don't rush. the older plastics get brittle, so don't over press. don't force anything. the parts should just pop out easy.

if I think of anything else, I will let you know.... :)

[92TripleBlack]

First, establish the plug on the end of the car's wire harness is still there. This would plug into the back of the deck. If it is, second, wire the power connections from the new radio to the plug you bought. You will wire + constant, + ignition, Ground, lights, power antenna. This is out of the car so you should be able to solder these easily if you want. I use crimps and if done well they will last the life of the car. Next, install your speakers. Do this by opening up the location, test fitting the speaker in the hole, then run the wire from the hole to the front of the car and out the hole in the dash. You will want to remove the panels under the dash above the driver and passenger's feet. If you are going to use an amp, run the wire's to the amp location instead. Next install the speakers in their locations. Make sure you put red, copper, or wire with writing to the positive terminal of the speaker. This way you hook them up the same way at the sterio. Now install the deck. Test fit the kit and then the deck in the dash. When you are sure it all fits, hook up the speaker wires, plug in the antenna wire, then plug in the harness. If the car didn't have its wire harness, you will need to splice into the car's power wires. You will need to hook up the wires using the diagram on this site to match them up. Test the + power wires for power with a meter or test light. If you don't have power, check the fuses. The last connections to the radio should be the power wires. Now test that it works. Turn on the car and listen to it. If it works well, turn off car and button everything up. :smash: :cheers:
As for wire, I would buy a spool of wire. Get 10 yards or so of 14 gauge. Spools make it cheeper than having it cut and you may have some leftover for you home system.


[Modified by 92TripleBlack, 8:47 AM 7/23/2002]

[Ender85]

Ok, thanks. I'll get started and see what happens!

[92TripleBlack]

Just post as problems come up. Someone here has had the same problems I'm sure. One more thing, try to keep the power wire as far from speaker wires and RCAs as possible. I used Phoenix gold but Monster also makes a good wire. Get the flexible stuff as it turns corners more easily and is worth the extra buck or two.

[Ender85]

does anyone have pictures of any/all these steps/parts? I am pretty clueless - and I want to make sure I'm not going to be starting any car fires or anything

thanks,
marthpodi

[92TripleBlack]

No pics but I can talk you through it.

[_Nomad_]

Since you are not running an amp and just running the 4 speakers from the HU it will be a very easy install. It may take a little time for a first timer but you will be able to do it. Since you have the wiring harness and dash kit for the HU then your HU install should go fairly quick, assuming the previous owner didn’t butcher the stock wiring harness. :rolleyes:

First thing you should do is check to see if the guy before you ran new wire for his stereo system (HE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY DONE THIS) but some people are morons and just splice into the Blose wiring. Most audio shops will do that too if you aren't watching. If there is already new wire run then you are sitting pretty because all you need to do is just hook up the speakers. If not, then you will need to run new wires to do the job right.

Running speaker wire to the rear will not be difficult, just remove the hush panels and carpet sills then pull up the carpet as you lay the wire. Once you get started you will see what I mean by it being easy for that model interior. You can run the rear speaker wire under the carpet of the rear wheel well area without having to remove or pull the carpet up. Simply push it through with your hand. This makes the process go much quicker.

The only time consuming job ahead of you I see is running new wire to the doors (if you need to). If there is already new wire run to the doors then you won’t even have to pull the door panel off, just take off the speaker grill, plug in the new speaker, screw it to the Blose pod and replace the speaker grill. 5 minute job at most. However, if he didn’t run new wire then you are in for a time consuming job for a first time stereo installation. You will need to remove the door panel and outside doorframe. Then run wire under the hush panel, up and through the rubber boot and into the door. Pull the wire through and leave yourself a couple inches slack in the boot area to make sure the wire won’t bind or crimp with opening of the door. Also leave enough length hanging out of the door, you can cut to length when you install the speaker.

Once all that is done, remove the Blose pod, open it up and remove the Blose amp inside it (if it’s still there). Replace the pod on doorframe and run the new speaker wire in through the opening that the Blose wiring went through. Caulk around the hole the wire went through. Now reassemble everything, toss some pollyfill in the pod, install the speaker and you are done.

Your new HU will have it’s wiring color codes with it and here is a website for GM wire color codes to make wiring easier for you.
http://www.corvetteradios.com./Page3.html

If you decide to install an amp, let us know.

Also read this thread, it should answer most questions:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=342494

14-guage speaker wire will do the job nicely. You can get a 100 ft. roll for about $20 to $25 at most places. Since you aren’t installing a high dollar, high-powered system you won’t need to waste money on expensive name brand speaker wire. However, if you decide to install an amp in the future, you should invest in good power and ground wire.

Hope this helps some. :seeya

[Ender85]

Wow! Thanks Nomad. I don't plan on installing an Amp any time soon. The previous owner did install new wiring, and it looks pretty good everywhere but the head unit. All the speaker wires are set and the bose amps have been bypassed. I'd like to save all the trouble and install the speakers right onto his wiring, but I can't figure out what he's done with the wiring harness up front. There are a lot of wires up there, some are cut, some aren't, they are attached to 2 plastic connectors, I don't know what is what and where any of it goes. I think I'll take a picture of it and post it on here - maybe you guys can figure it out.

Thanks!
marthpodi

Oh and the installation is temporarily on hold cause my battery/alternator crapped out :(

[92TripleBlack]

The bose radio had two connectors for it. Probably see the previous owner cutting and splicing off these wires. You will want to get constant power, ignition power, ground, power antenna, and lights off these wires. Use the above link to get the colors and verify them with a test light. Use the new speaker wires for your speakers and you should be set. Last, don't leave any exposed wires. If you see one cut you aren't using, cover the cut end with tape or a crimp as a precaution.