[agungoll]

Hey, so I have a custom auto sound USA-230 I want to put in my '66 mustang. I have the FR and FL + and - speaker wires connected as well as the antenna. The previous radio was the original AM. I obviously know which wires are on the radio as they are labeled. I just cannot figure out what wires go into them because the wiring looks wack. I know I have to run a constant to the battery, an ignition to my ignition switch, and a ground I just don't know how. I also don't know where the rear speaker wires are. The colors are not the same. I've attached some pictures for reference.
*EDIT It won't let me upload any pictures right now I do not know why so I will when the chance arises.

 

[agungoll]

Not all of them will upload but these are the two main things I was confused with

 

[Flade]

In 66 you only had a front mono speaker, power for the radio and power for the light in the radio. No rear speakers u less you had the optional reverb unit although door speakers were an option.

The connector with the spade connections appears to be your emergency flasher wiring assuming you have the later style with the spade connectors. On earlier versions the switches were part of the wiring harness.

If the connector is not for your flasher and is for speakers it is not stock on your car. If you have rear speakers they were added by a previous owner. They may have also “borrowed” that connector from another car. You will have to trace the wires or use a multimeter to figure out which connector goes to which wires.

The original radio would have a single pin connector that plugs into the dash accessory feed for power and a 2nd wire that plugs into the dash lighting feed (blue/red). There there is a two pin wire for the speaker or three pin if you have the door speakers (they share a ground)

 

[ophthos]

I know I have to run a constant to the battery, an ignition to my ignition switch, and a ground I just don't know how.

I agree that the directions are crap. I went thru the same thing. Run the thick yellow wire with the fuse thru the firewall and attach it to the battery. I spoke to their customer support and they said this is very important. Don't hook it up to a different non-switched 12V source. As for the switched 12V source, you can use the old radios power source ( assuming it was switched) or on the back of the ignition switched there is a post that is a switched 12V source. Just make sure you don't overload it. Don't stack the post with accessories.

When I put in my under dash wiring harness I opted for a modern fuse panel so I have extra fused switched and non switched sources.

As for the rear speaker wires, if you can figure out which two wires go to say the rear left speaker and you can't tell which is + and which is -, take a 9 volt battery and hold the one wire on the NEG terminal. As you tap the other wire on the POS terminal you should see the speaker cone move out. If it moves in, you have the POS and NEG backward.

Edit: My mistake, I have a Retrosound unit. Same concepts though.

 

[JeffTepper]

Start with describing what radio and wiring features your car came with. The two pics you posted are of no help (to me).

Note that when your car was new, it did not come with a radio as standard equipment. An AM radio was a factory option and the upgrade was an 8 Track Stereo Tape player with AM radio that came with one speaker in each door.

If previous owners of your car changed things out, what you have would likely be aftermarket. Your main under-dash harness contained a 2 wire plug containing the factory radio power and the radio dial illumination power. The factory radio was grounded by the strip attached to the back of the radio. The factory speaker(s) would not be part of the main under-dash harness.

Beyond that, what you have is most likely 100% aftermarket. A wiring schematic should be part of the instructions for your new radio and should help as the industry has standardized wire colors for the most part.

Generally, the factory radio power wire was switched, so it could be used for the new radio main power. Memory power must be unswitched (hot all the time) and should tap into an always hot circuit (preferably fused). Ground wire from the radio harness should go to chassis. Follow the wiring schematic in the installation instructions for the speakers. If you are running an amp you will probably need to run a dedicated power circuit for the amp (fused) from the battery/solenoid, and may need RCA cables from the radio head unit to the amp.

If this is confusing, you might want to consider seeking help from a professional installer.

 

[ophthos]

If your radio was original, it should have been wired like below. In you're first pic, the black with green wire should be a switched 12V source and the black will be ground. The original radio was plugged into a yellow three port female connector. It will be tucked in the back of you dash near the headlight switch. Not the easiest place to get to. That's why people use the ignition switch post.

 

[Flade]

If your radio was original, it should have been wired like below. In you're first pic, the black with green wire should be a switched 12V source and the black will be ground. The original radio was plugged into a yellow three port female connector. It will be tucked in the back of you dash near the headlight switch. Not the easiest place to get to. That's why people use the ignition switch post.

That’s only true if he had the upgraded radio with 8 track. Th basic AM radio is similar, but doesn’t have the door speakers. It has a single dash speaker that connect to a 2 prong plug, vs. the 3 prong plug on the door speakers.

 

[agungoll]

In 66 you only had a front mono speaker, power for the radio and power for the light in the radio. No rear speakers u less you had the optional reverb unit although door speakers were an option.

The connector with the spade connections appears to be your emergency flasher wiring assuming you have the later style with the spade connectors. On earlier versions the switches were part of the wiring harness.

If the connector is not for your flasher and is for speakers it is not stock on your car. If you have rear speakers they were added by a previous owner. They may have also “borrowed” that connector from another car. You will have to trace the wires or use a multimeter to figure out which connector goes to which wires.

The original radio would have a single pin connector that plugs into the dash accessory feed for power and a 2nd wire that plugs into the dash lighting feed (blue/red). There there is a two pin wire for the speaker or three pin if you have the door speakers (they share a ground)

I do have 2 rear speakers and they look very very similar to the mono in the front. I do not have an emergency flasher. I have a multimeter but would it produce a little static on contact when I touch it to the spades? So I do not need to ground it with another wire it should already be done? Sorry I ask a lot of questions... like I said in a previous post I like to get my facts straight haha. The 2 pin wire I have by the glove box is too big for the new pins but that shouldn't matter because I have a new speaker already connected to the radio correct? I need to locate the bluee/red wire as I cannot see it currently. Thank you for clarifying though.

 

[agungoll]

I agree that the directions are crap. I went thru the same thing. Run the thick yellow wire with the fuse thru the firewall and attach it to the battery. I spoke to their customer support and they said this is very important. Don't hook it up to a different non-switched 12V source. As for the switched 12V source, you can use the old radios power source ( assuming it was switched) or on the back of the ignition switched there is a post that is a switched 12V source. Just make sure you don't overload it. Don't stack the post with accessories.

When I put in my under dash wiring harness I opted for a modern fuse panel so I have extra fused switched and non switched sources.

As for the rear speaker wires, if you can figure out which two wires go to say the rear left speaker and you can't tell which is + and which is -, take a 9 volt battery and hold the one wire on the NEG terminal. As you tap the other wire on the POS terminal you should see the speaker cone move out. If it moves in, you have the POS and NEG backward.

Edit: My mistake, I have a Retrosound unit. Same concepts though.

What do you mean by firewall? Still new to all of this a little bit Thanks

 

[agungoll]

Start with describing what radio and wiring features your car came with. The two pics you posted are of no help (to me).

Note that when your car was new, it did not come with a radio as standard equipment. An AM radio was a factory option and the upgrade was an 8 Track Stereo Tape player with AM radio that came with one speaker in each door.

If previous owners of your car changed things out, what you have would likely be aftermarket. Your main under-dash harness contained a 2 wire plug containing the factory radio power and the radio dial illumination power. The factory radio was grounded by the strip attached to the back of the radio. The factory speaker(s) would not be part of the main under-dash harness.

Beyond that, what you have is most likely 100% aftermarket. A wiring schematic should be part of the instructions for your new radio and should help as the industry has standardized wire colors for the most part.

Generally, the factory radio power wire was switched, so it could be used for the new radio main power. Memory power must be unswitched (hot all the time) and should tap into an always hot circuit (preferably fused). Ground wire from the radio harness should go to chassis. Follow the wiring schematic in the installation instructions for the speakers. If you are running an amp you will probably need to run a dedicated power circuit for the amp (fused) from the battery/solenoid, and may need RCA cables from the radio head unit to the amp.

If this is confusing, you might want to consider seeking help from a professional installer.

Ok this helps a lot thank you. I assume pictures speak louder than words. The radio itself is stock but I don't know what the PO did with all the wiring. My new radio didn't come with instructions which to me is really dumb. There was a bar attached to that nut/bolt on the back... I assume for stabilization? I plan to only seek professional help with my painting... trying to solve the problems by myself as well as VMF. Thank you, get back to me about the pictures please.

 

[agungoll]

If your radio was original, it should have been wired like below. In you're first pic, the black with green wire should be a switched 12V source and the black will be ground. The original radio was plugged into a yellow three port female connector. It will be tucked in the back of you dash near the headlight switch. Not the easiest place to get to. That's why people use the ignition switch post.

Ok actually thank you so much. I've been trying to find a radio wiring diagram for days and most of them I would've had to pay for. MY manuals weren't doing me any good. Thank you that helps so much.

 

[agungoll]

That’s only true if he had the upgraded radio with 8 track. Th basic AM radio is similar, but doesn’t have the door speakers. It has a single dash speaker that connect to a 2 prong plug, vs. the 3 prong plug on the door speakers.

It should be the same correct? I just don't have to pay attention to the door speakers. Instead of 2 prong it's 3 but thank you

 

[Grimbrand]

If those are factory speakers in your car, they are not going to last very long when you put that much power through them!

 

[ophthos]

What do you mean by firewall? Still new to all of this a little bit Thanks

I'll take some pictures of my set up when I get home today. You have to run the wire into the engine compartment to the battery

Ok actually thank you so much. I've been trying to find a radio wiring diagram for days and most of them I would've had to pay for. MY manuals weren't doing me any good. Thank you that helps so much.

I downloaded tons of wiring diagrams. PM me your email and I'll send everything I have. Also if you plan to do any more "substantial" wiring, get the manuals. I'll send a picture of the one I used. Red cover, can't think of the name right now. I'll get back to you.



These are also good: 1966 Mustang Wiring Diagrams - Average Joe Restoration


Peter

 

[ophthos]

Also in your first picture, the blue wire with red generally goes to an instrument light. In your case it would feed the radio light. This wire is only "hot" with the headlight switch on. The black one usually is ground. That particular one looks like the feed to the AC clutch. But it could be anything. Are these from the back of the radio?

 

[agungoll]

If those are factory speakers in your car, they are not going to last very long when you put that much power through them!

I plan to replace them before I end up using them lol but I am not sure when that will happen but thank you

 

[agungoll]

I'll take some pictures of my set up when I get home today. You have to run the wire into the engine compartment to the battery





I downloaded tons of wiring diagrams. PM me your email and I'll send everything I have. Also if you plan to do any more "substantial" wiring, get the manuals. I'll send a picture of the one I used. Red cover, can't think of the name right now. I'll get back to you.



These are also good: 1966 Mustang Wiring Diagrams - Average Joe Restoration


Peter

PM'ed I think the pictures will help so thank you. I have many a manual but I'd sure like another one haha... thank you

 

[agungoll]

Also in your first picture, the blue wire with red generally goes to an instrument light. In your case it would feed the radio light. This wire is only "hot" with the headlight switch on. The black one usually is ground. That particular one looks like the feed to the AC clutch. But it could be anything. Are these from the back of the radio?

Yes they are. I haven't touched anything interior related to the AC or anything. I think they are bigger than the new wires so should I cut and recrimp with new ones?

 

[Flade]

Ok this helps a lot thank you. I assume pictures speak louder than words. The radio itself is stock but I don't know what the PO did with all the wiring. My new radio didn't come with instructions which to me is really dumb. There was a bar attached to that nut/bolt on the back... I assume for stabilization? I plan to only seek professional help with my painting... trying to solve the problems by myself as well as VMF. Thank you, get back to me about the pictures please.

Ok that pic tells a lot. The two single wires are your radio light (Blue/red) and your power (Black/red) although it may be tough to see the red stripe.

The two prong connector is for your front Mono Speaker..

The screw post on the back connects to the restraining strap. The other end of the strap screws into the dash at the speaker opening. This supports the radio and provides the ground.

The wiring connector with 4 spade connectors is for your emergency flasher switch. It mounts in the glove box.

The other connector you show at the glove box appears to be the front mono speaker wiring.

You said you connected the front speakers but couldn’t find wiring for the back speakers. I suspect you have it backwards. The PO installed rear speakers and you connected to them. You only have a front mono speaker not suitable for an aftermarket radio.. You can replace it with a dual coil speaker or use kick panel speakers.

The switched power wire comes from the accessory feed off the fuze box. You will need to find it. There are a couple sources for battery power under the dash or you can run a wire straight to the battery, the cigarette lighter is a good source since you only need a very small amount of power. You will have to run your own ground wire. Simply run it to a screw that screws into the dash metal.

 

[agungoll]

Ok that pic tells a lot. The two single wires are your radio light (Blue/red) and your power (Black/red) although it may be tough to see the red stripe.

The two prong connector is for your front Mono Speaker..

The screw post on the back connects to the restraining strap. The other end of the strap screws into the dash at the speaker opening. This supports the radio and provides the ground.

The wiring connector with 4 spade connectors is for your emergency flasher switch. It mounts in the glove box.

The other connector you show at the glove box appears to be the front mono speaker wiring.

You said you connected the front speakers but couldn’t find wiring for the back speakers. I suspect you have it backwards. The PO installed rear speakers and you connected to them. You only have a front mono speaker not suitable for an aftermarket radio.. You can replace it with a dual coil speaker or use kick panel speakers.

The switched power wire comes from the accessory feed off the fuze box. You will need to find it. There are a couple sources for battery power under the dash or you can run a wire straight to the battery, the cigarette lighter is a good source since you only need a very small amount of power. You will have to run your own ground wire. Simply run it to a screw that screws into the dash metal.

I understand now, however, I put in a new front mono speaker that's why I knew I had it connected. So the restraining strap provides a ground but I also have to wire one? There are rear speakers I can't find the wiring for so I'll have to search deeper. The switched power was one of two concerns, the other being the rear speakers obviously. I think I can get the switch now I'll just need to find the rears so thank you