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Aftermarket stereo -- antenna / speaker harness routing?

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    Aftermarket stereo -- antenna / speaker harness routing?

    The 1995 GM has the premium sound system with the brains in the trunk. I need to run speaker wires and antenna from the dash to the trunk. I have the antenna cable and the speaker harness is on its way.

    The experts at Crutchfield say I need to pull the rear seat to get the cables through to the trunk.

    Has anyone done this and is there any sort of pass through that I can access without pulling the seat? Any other tips?

    Thanks,
    Jim
    2000 Grand Marquis
    1995 Grand Marquis
    1990 Lincoln Continental (50th Anniversary)
    1989 Buick Park Avenue
    1989 Grand Marquis

    #2
    Wait, what are you doing exactly? The premium sound system still has the tuner in the dash, so there is no need to get the antenna cable back to the trunk. It plugs into the back of the stereo itself. As for the speakers, I think you can just use a bypass harness and "bridge" the amplifier in the trunk, then use the factory wiring. Its just a matter of unplugging both connectors from the amp, and connecting them with the bypass harness.

    And if you do need to run cables from dash to trunk, there really isn't any way around pulling the lower back seat if you don't want the wires either visible or run under the car. Running under the car might involve drilling holes in the trunk, so thats not a great option either I don't think. The back seat comes out pretty easy. Push in on the lower part, then lift it up. It'll pop out of the hooks and lift out. Use a coat hanger or something to fish from the trunk under the insulation and pull the wires up. There are also wiring channels down both sides of the car if you pull the door sills up and fold the carpet back a little bit.
    86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
    5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

    91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

    1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

    Originally posted by phayzer5
    I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

    Comment


      #3
      In this one at least, there isn't an antenna cable attached to the dash unit.

      I was confused about this as well. My first thought was to just grab a factor CD player dash unit, or one of the CD/MP3 player dash units from a newer Ford and be done with.

      So I went looking on eBay -- they had antenna connectors on them.

      I haven't pulled the spare to be sure, but I think I see the antenna cable going into the side of the control unit.

      Perhaps it is this way because the antenna is integrated into the rear window?

      Thanks for the tips.

      Jim
      2000 Grand Marquis
      1995 Grand Marquis
      1990 Lincoln Continental (50th Anniversary)
      1989 Buick Park Avenue
      1989 Grand Marquis

      Comment


        #4
        thats wierd - but I wouldnt be suprized if they do the tuning in the trunk, and send sound out to the speakers from there. They've done stranger things, lol
        Pete ::::>>> resident LED addict and CFI defector LED bulb replacements
        'LTD HPP' 85 Vic (my rusty baby) '06 Honda Reflex 250cc 'Baileys' 91 Vic (faded cream puff) ClifFord 'ODB' 88 P72 (SOLD) '77 LTDII (RIP)
        sigpic
        85HPP's most noteworthy mods: CFI to SEFI conversion w/HO upperstuff headers & flowmasters P71 airbox Towncar seats LED dash light-show center console w/5 gauge package LED 3rd brake light 3G alternator mini starter washer/coolant bottle upgrade Towncar power trunk pull underhood fuse/relay box 16" HPP wheels - police swaybars w/poly rubbers - budget Alpine driven 10 speaker stereo

        Comment


          #5
          That's definitely what they are doing.

          When I pull the dash unit and reinstall all the presets are still there. Since I doubt the dash unit has a battery backup builtin ... the memory has to be at the other end in the trunk.

          Jim
          2000 Grand Marquis
          1995 Grand Marquis
          1990 Lincoln Continental (50th Anniversary)
          1989 Buick Park Avenue
          1989 Grand Marquis

          Comment


            #6
            that is the JBL premium sound package if i remember corectily. i never pulled the rear seaton those but it does make it easyer

            Comment


              #7
              Yes you have to pull the seat out. The antenna is built into the rear window on these cars and do not plug in like old fashoned radios. You will need to take off your door sill plates and pillar cover to run the wires in the factory wire gutter. I chose the pass side as there were no big power wires to interfere with my radio. I hope this helps, if you need any other info you know where to ask Under the dash is where it gets tricky
              Chris - A 20th Century Man \m/ ^.^ \m/

              Comment


                #8
                So the head unit on these really is just a display, and not like the older premium sound setup at all then? Wierd.
                86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                Originally posted by phayzer5
                I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                Comment


                  #9
                  An update.

                  I have finally gotten this done.

                  There were only two problems. The "experts" at Crutchfield think that a 10 foot antenna cable will reach from the trunk to the center of the dash. Well...maybe if I went through the seats! I grabbed a couple 3 foot extensions off eBay to make it from the kick panel over into the dash.

                  The second problem wasn't too bad. Once I was able to get the fish tape down through the dash, pulling the cables up wasn't a problem. But getting the thing to go where I wanted it to in those tight confines ... Yikes!

                  For anyone else doing this, Crutchfield did get the speaker harness right. 18 feet and it plugs in directly in the trunk.

                  Jim
                  2000 Grand Marquis
                  1995 Grand Marquis
                  1990 Lincoln Continental (50th Anniversary)
                  1989 Buick Park Avenue
                  1989 Grand Marquis

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I have a metra kit with no problems.
                    Chris - A 20th Century Man \m/ ^.^ \m/

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