installing a madern cd player

[General Ryan]

Could someone describe to me, the best way to hook up/wire in a new CD player/deck to my 69 without splicing into the old wiring, as I'd be afraid of a fire risk with the power output of the new deck compared to the old style wiring and overloading possability.

I've heard the best way is to hard wire it with new wiring to the battery itself, and ground it and turn it off before leaving the vehicle, so it powers/deals with itself and the battery and nothing else?

What would you suggest?

[Silver R/T]

id let someone else qualified install it like best buy etc

[Drop Top]

I don't trust anybody under my dash with wiring. I have seen too much hacking done by the so called pros from the stereo shops. If your just running a basic unit, then you can make an adapter yourself that will plug into the exhisting wire harness. Using those crimp ends from Radio Shack. This will be very simple and straight forword. If your going to go woth an amp or more, then come straight off your battery. If your going to make your own harnes. Then I would sugjest to not crimp the ends but soder the ends and use shrink sleave over the sodered part.

[andy74]

i ran a new power wire to my fuse box,new speaker wires under the carpet and into the trunk,and a ground under the dash-hooked the power wire into the factory radio fuse,and memory to the accesory plug,using spade connecters-should be pretty easy if you take your time,and run wires where they wont be in the way of your pedals,heater cables etc-andy

[General Ryan]

So the new and more powerful than factory set unit won't overload anything and short out or cause an electrical fire if I still run it to the factory fuse box?

[Charge It!]

How powerful of a unit are you going to install? If it is going to be over 20 watts/channel, you will probably be safer running the main power wire to the battery or alternator. If you do this, make sure you put an inline fuse real close to the connection at the battery. The other power wire (that keeps the memory) can be hooked up the the fuse box.  As andy74 said, any good bare metal under the dash will provide a good ground. The speaker wires can go under the carpet or in the channells along the doors. I put two 6 x 9 speakers in the rear tray, and I found this place that puts two speakers together, and it fit in the 4 x 10 hole in the dash.
Good luck to you.

[Mefirst]

Take the stereo volts from the Fusebox. If you use an amp hook the amp to the straight to the battery, put a fuse on that power line !!

Here are some tips and things to remember when installing an audio system in your car:

1. Always run the amp power cable on one side of the car, then run the amp RCA cable on the other side, if you run both cables on the same side you ´ll most certainly end up with annoying noise.
2. Always use BIG and good quality cables, both for power, ground, speakers and RCA, this could be said aswell like this -The bigger the better!
3. Connect the amp ground cable securely to the chassie. Remember to scrape of al the paint under the connector so you ´ll have a good ground connection.
4. Remember to connect a fuse within 18' from the car battery to the amp power cable
5. A Gain controll on the Amp is NOT a volume controll! The gain controll is meant to be used to match the signal voltage between the stereo and amp.
6. Noise problems can also accure because of poorly working car alternator or other problems with the cars own electrical system.
7. Never use the factory power or ground wires/cables that comes in the boxes for anything, they are mostly of poor/low quality.

Noise problems originates from the following: -Low quality cables, the antenna, make shore that the car has good functioning electrical system, upgrade and renew alternator, battery, etc if needed, make shore that the sound system is matched for compability, correct wiring of the system, poor ground connection, and last â€"Extra Terrestrial Signals from outer Space???

/Tom

[General Ryan]

Thanks guys, for now, I'm just running a regular CD player with 6X9's out back and something that'll fit under/in the dash up front and thats it, no plans for subs and an amp as of yet.
I just wanna be able to hear music!

[andy74]

i found a cut up dash to use and installed the radio in the factory spot,i would never have done it if the dash hadnt already been cut!also,before this stereo,i used an old cb bracket that mounted under the dash,just had to be careful getting in and out,so i didnt hit my knees,im 6 foot,and skinny as hell,so it wasnt ever an issue,but if your a big guy it could be!!