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So…I pulled the aftermarket radio out of the dash and I have a factory original radio pigtail to splice back into the original harness. I believe I have found the yellow power wire. And the black will attach to dash steel for ground. The speaker wiring I understand. But looking further under the dash, right above where the radio will go I have found some other wiring that I would appreciate some help understanding. I have the wiring diagram, but deciphering it is something I am not real good at. If anyone is able to help I am grateful!
I have found a heavy gauge orange single wire, with a round female connector that isn’t connected to anything.
Looks like about 12 gauge wire?
Also found is a set of green and black wires that dead end on this connector, not hooked to anything.
And then this co joined pair of black and blue wires that dead end.
I'm no expert, either, but, in my experience, the orange wire is probably for the clock. The power wire, I believe, was provided even if the car was ordered without a clock. If your car did not come with a clock from the factory, the wire would just be hanging loose behind the dash.
One way to check this is, assuming that wire is connected at the other end, to see if there is 12 volts on it at all times. The clock always runs, even if the ignition is off. So there should always be 12 volts on that wire unless the battery has been disconnected.
With that connector the heavy gauge orange is probably for the cigarette lighter.
Colors on the others suggest factory radio speaker wiring, probably for a factory AM-FM stereo radio which first became available in 1970. Could also be for a factory underdash 8-track tape player.
Look at the A/C manifold at bottom of the dash. If there are two pieces with a gap between them car came with 8-track. ***never mind, I see the lap cooler vent manifold is gone***
The orange wire is for the lighter (located above the radio in the ash-tray area). The plug with the green and black wires is for the factory seat belt warning buzzer. Someone most likely removed the buzzer to stop hearing it. The blue and black wires may go to the dash speaker. Usually a green and black pair will be coming from the front speaker, so the blue/ black pair may be something else. if you look up under the dash you should be able to see the speaker and which wires go to it. If you found the original yellow wire, you are correct in that it will power your original radio. The other two wires in the radio plug both go to the front speaker. the radio is grounded through the metal case/ face to the metal dash.
The 12awg orange wire is for the cigarette lighter, the connector with black & green wires is for the seat belt warning buzzer (this feature was added in '72 and not found on earlier models). Don't know about the black & blue zip wire, but looks like aftermarket speaker wire.
I am constantly amazed at how much you fellas know! Each one of you helped. Thanks! I kind of figured out the co joined pair wires are for front speaker. Looking at the pigtail for the radio, the exact same wires are coming out of that, but it helps me understand that the radio is case grounded. So, I kinda could have looked further before posting. The seat belt buzzer thing,I never would have figured out. Cigarette lighter, maybe?
My quest now is to get to the dash speaker. I am sure it is shot and needs replaced. There is a AC duct that looks like it has two small hex screws that screw into back of dash, right in the way to get to the speaker. Only thing I can figure out is to remove the back of the ash tray Sheetmetal to access these screws? Even with FSM, some of this stuff is a guess sometimes.
The orange wire is for the lighter (located above the radio in the ash-tray area). The plug with the green and black wires is for the factory seat belt warning buzzer. Someone most likely removed the buzzer to stop hearing it. The blue and black wires may go to the dash speaker. Usually a green and black pair will be coming from the front speaker, so the blue/ black pair may be something else. if you look up under the dash you should be able to see the speaker and which wires go to it. If you found the original yellow wire, you are correct in that it will power your original radio. The other two wires in the radio plug both go to the front speaker. the radio is grounded through the metal case/ face to the metal dash.
Tom,
My dash I think is plastic, where the ***** attach? Would the support bracket supply the grounding link? I am fortunate to have one. The man selling the radio included one in the sale.
My quest now is to get to the dash speaker. I am sure it is shot and needs replaced. There is a AC duct that looks like it has two small hex screws that screw into back of dash, right in the way to get to the speaker. Only thing I can figure out is to remove the back of the ash tray Sheetmetal to access these screws? Even with FSM, some of this stuff is a guess sometimes.
I have the same question for a '71 Cutlass, factory air. Moderators. If you want me to start a separate thread, please let me know or move this thread.
My dash I think is plastic, where the ***** attach? Would the support bracket supply the grounding link? I am fortunate to have one. The man selling the radio included one in the sale.
There was a metal ground strap behind the volume **** on the original dash (circled in red below).
With your dash cut out, that has probably been cut as well. In your other thread, you wrote the radio you purchased came with the lower mounting bracket. That bracket bolts the radio to the lower metal dash structure, and should be an adequate ground to power the radio.
Unfortunately, the ash tray area in these dashes does not provide any access to the back of the dash. Even with the ash tray removed, there is still plastic covering the back side. However, the large duct in the way of your speaker is not bolted on to the dash. It simply lays in the part that is bolted on with a piece of tape stopping it from falling out. If you gently lift up on the back of the duct, it will lift away from the part bolted to the dash and you can pull off the tape (see blue circled area below). This should give you enough room to remove the speaker.
Last edited by Loaded68W34; October 24th, 2024 at 12:03 PM.
I have the same question for a '71 Cutlass, factory air. Moderators. If you want me to start a separate thread, please let me know or move this thread.
I am happy to have you chiming in. I was able to drill out two pop rivets holding the upper ashtray heat shield, pull the right side forward, and pivot this piece forward and downward and twist it out. I suspect the pop rivets were not original? Perhaps hex screws? Anyway, I got it out, cleaned it up and sprayed it black, so the pics are hard to see. But anyway, once it was out I could get a 1/4” socket on the two hex screws and remove the plastic duct. Then got the old speaker out. 52 years not kind to that speaker. Can’t believe there are people selling these old things on eBay.
Top part of ashtray. I think it is called a heat shield? The two small holes had pop rivets in them.
I was able to twist it out by pulling right side out first, and downward too.
There was a metal ground strap behind the volume **** on the original dash (circled in red below).
With your dash cut out, that has probably been cut as well. In your other thread, you wrote the radio you purchased came with the lower mounting bracket. That bracket bolts the radio to the lower metal dash structure, and should be an adequate ground to power the radio.
Unfortunately, the ash tray area in these dashes does not provide any access to the back of the dash. Even with the ash tray removed, there is still plastic covering the back side. However, the large duct in the way of your speaker is not bolted on to the dash. It simply lays in the part that is bolted on with a piece of tape stopping it from falling out. If you gently lift up on the back of the duct, it will lift away from the part bolted to the dash and you can pull off the tape (see blue circled area below). This should give you enough room to remove the speaker.
Thanks! For some reason, even with the shorter piece of AC duct out, it looked like I couldn’t get to the speaker. Here is a pic of the two pieces you mentioned
The right side attaches to the dash with two 1/4” hex screws. Left side is just tabbed together. Duct taped by factory?
Speaker is out! And a new one will be ordered Bottom of speaker
With speaker out, I could easily see the back side of cig lighter. Just took the wire and reconnected it. I may need to take up smoking now just to use it.
And I got the radio slid into position. What a shame all the damage caused by installing an aftermarket radio! Very hard to make a patch for this, but I will try.
And I got the radio slid into position. What a shame all the damage caused by installing an aftermarket radio! Very hard to make a patch for this, but I will try.
Pickup a new woodgrain dash insert. It will hide most if not all of the butchery.
Yours looks like it has faded considerably.
This is the factory ground strap that attaches behind the volumn ****. Looks like it was just bent out of the way, not cut off. Good news
As compared to the photo I posted earlier:
Thank you sir!
you picked it out, and I don’t know if I would have. Well….maybe when I got around to trimming things up before bonding in my patches. I cut the remnants of the left side **** recess away, and then reached behind and pivoted the ground strap into position. This is where I am at now.
Meanwhile. I fabbed up a mold and made a pair of **** recess patches. 5 layers of fiberglass cloth and West Systems epoxy. I will trim them up and currently planning to bond them into place with structural adhesive.
One question for you. The radio has a single PAL nut on each of the two control shafts. Should there be a second nut that secures radio to the dash, or do I remove the single PAL nuts and re attach to the dash? When I do that, the control shafts are loose and appear fragile.
The whole car has faded considerably! I saw the dash woodgrain kit in the OPGI catalog, and not a bad solution, although kind of pricy. Recovering the plastic laminate is for me anyway the easy part of the project. I have worked extensively with plastic laminates, and will probably go that route. Jigging up and cutting the laminate will be time consuming, but the type of thing that I actually enjoy doing.
October 24th, 2024 | 08:06 AM
