Radio wiring question

[Topless69GT 28]

I am putting in a nice 1980’s radio in a 69 mustang. I want to plug it into my factory harness for power. What plug would I use for the switched power (red) wire on the radio? I took the old radio out in the fall and did not mark where it was plugged into. 

[Midlife 814]

Radio power is on a yellow/black wire, paired with a blue/red wire (lamp power) on a 2 pin female plug.  If you need battery power for radio memory, I suggest splicing into the cigarette lighter wire (blue/white).

Now then, if you take this advice, you are not permitted to listen to opera, country/western, or rap, you hear me?

[Topless69GT 28]

Thank you. I promise no opera, rap or C/W will be played. Only heavy doses of 80’s hair bands and 70’s rock will be played. 

[RPM 1,190]

I'm glad I never signed a disclaimer when Midlife did my warin.

[stangs-R-me 120]

So a stock Ford 80's radio or aftermarket ??

I've got a stock 1978 AM/FM in mine … kina wished I saved a 80's vintage Ford AM/FM Cassette when we had various cars with them back then as I've still got all my tapes and have had only a home tape deck to play them on since 2004 when I sold my last car to have a tape deck.

Doug    

[danno 128]

I have added a separate input on mine for a MP3 player.  I have done it for others on the forum, just in case you are interested.  It has a headphone style cord from the radio that you plug into an MP3 player, and a separate switch mounted somewhere.  You click the switch, and the radio changes to a MP3 amplifier.  You adjust the volume, balance, etc, with the radio.  I can tell you more if you are interested. 

[stangs-R-me 120]

13 hours ago, danno said:

I have added a separate input on mine for a MP3 player.  I have done it for others on the forum, just in case you are interested.  It has a headphone style cord from the radio that you plug into an MP3 player, and a separate switch mounted somewhere.  You click the switch, and the radio changes to a MP3 amplifier.  You adjust the volume, balance, etc, with the radio.  I can tell you more if you are interested. 

This MOD has been at the back of my mind for many years.   I just don't yet have any of my music in a computer or thumb drive as my wife & I are still perfectly content listening to CD's in our cars.   

That will have to change in a few years when I get my next Mustang as Ford eliminated the CD player in 2019 for the base radio.   In order to get one, you have to get a Premium model then add the B&O by Harman Sound System which adds $3,910.00 to the sticker price and obviously a bunch of other "Premium" features that I could care less about in a car.   If I could get the B&O system added to a base model, I'd be tempted as I ordered the Mach460 sound system in my 1994, 1998, & 2004 base model Mustangs. 

So when the time comes in a few years, I'll finally need to put my music on a thumb drive or MP3 player and would then obviously want to add this feature to my stock looking AM/FM in the '69.

Doug

[danno 128]

On 4/30/2019 at 10:10 AM, stangs-R-me said:

This MOD has been at the back of my mind for many years.   I just don't yet have any of my music in a computer or thumb drive as my wife & I are still perfectly content listening to CD's in our cars.   

That will have to change in a few years when I get my next Mustang as Ford eliminated the CD player in 2019 for the base radio.   In order to get one, you have to get a Premium model then add the B&O by Harman Sound System which adds $3,910.00 to the sticker price and obviously a bunch of other "Premium" features that I could care less about in a car.   If I could get the B&O system added to a base model, I'd be tempted as I ordered the Mach460 sound system in my 1994, 1998, & 2004 base model Mustangs. 

So when the time comes in a few years, I'll finally need to put my music on a thumb drive or MP3 player and would then obviously want to add this feature to my stock looking AM/FM in the '69.

Doug

I understand.  You will never get the sound in the 69 as good as you might be used to with your premium  systems, but  maybe good enough is acceptable for the  classic.   I am the same way as you in my home and other car, but I accept a bit of a compromise in my 69 convertible. 

Danno

[stangs-R-me 120]

8 hours ago, danno said:

I understand.  You will never get the sound in the 69 as good as you might be used to with your premium  systems, but  maybe good enough is acceptable for the  classic.   I am the same way as you in my home and other car, but I accept a bit of a compromise in my 69 convertible. 

Danno

My 2011 had the mid-range 500W / 8-speaker "Shaker 500" system (vs. Shaker 1000 1000W / 10-speaker system at the top end) 

My current 2016 has the base 160W / 6-speaker system (vs. Shaker Pro 550W / 12 speaker system at the top end)

My wife's 2014 & current 2018 SE Fusion have had the 80W / 6 Speaker system (vs the 210W / 11-speaker system at the top end) 

Funny, the 1994-04 Mach460 was a 460W / 8-speaker system and it sounded much better than the 500W Shaker system.   

I do miss the Mach460 (lived with it for 16 years in 3 cars) but I'm perfectly content today with the 2016's system and it does not bother me a bit listening to the 1978 vintage Ford FM radio with 4 aftermarket speakers in the '69.   

When I do upgrade the '69 radio with an audio input, RCA outputs would be nice so I can add a 4-channel or 2 2-channel AMPS and better speakers.   Not looking for high power and thumping subwoofers, just a clean sounding system.

Doug  

 

[gordonr 4]

"When I do upgrade the '69 radio with an audio input, RCA outputs would be nice so I can add a 4-channel or 2 2-channel AMPS and better speakers.   Not looking for high power and thumping subwoofers, just a clean sounding system."

 

Your not alone, Not everyone wants a large audio foot print in their classics. I've been focusing on that exact goal recently. I did an install on a 66 mid year vette a few weeks ago with no sub system as the customer wanted his system to have a small foot print. I came up with the idea of using the center dash 6x9 speaker as a woofer only, bridged out on the rear outs of a small alpine amp set on low pass. I used a set of high end 4" mids in the kicks with super small tweeters mounted in stealth areas on the dash set on hi pass. It sounds amazing. I started on my mustang a few months ago with this goal and I finally started making time this week to get back on it. I'm using a Apline R 5.25" as my woofer in the center and made steel screw in adapters in the original door speaker holes to support 4" mids.