I knew this day would come...post #1 of #3 across the FABO forum...

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Justinhb

Justinhb

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Hi All,

As I said in the title, I knew this day would come, and this is one of three posts I have to make today. With that said, first, thank all of you for your help, your time is valuable, and (believe it or not) I appreciate it...a lot. I try to pay the advice and help I get here forward in my "real" job, since I am not the most skilled mechanic out there and don't have much to offer the FABO membership...

I have done a ton of searching, but can't really seem to get much more than general direction on these three topics, so if I have failed to use the correct search terms, forgive me...

Anyway, I have a (mostly) unmodified 1970 Duster where I have removed the original AM only push button radio (all of the harnesses and connectors leading into it are intact) and I have installed the new Retrosound Hermosa radio in the opening. With the exception of the front speakers (waiting on delivery) new speakers are in the package tray, and all of the associated wiring for that and the front speakers is done.

Now it is time to wire the head unit in, and I really don't know where to start. I would like to use the factory wiring harness and modify it as little as possible, and only cut (or splice) into it as necessary - clean is the objective so when I pass this car on to one of my sons it will be easy for them to work on as I will diagram this out for them...

As I said in the opener, any help one of you can provide is appreciated.

Thank you!

JB
 
I tapped into the fuse box for my radio using one of those fuse holder/terminal things. I'll find a pic. It's all stock and uncut under the dash.
 
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Should only be 3 wires to power it up. One constant power which is most likely yellow. One switched power most likely red. And a black which is ground. Then you will have your speaker wire pairs which you have already taken care of. And there will be a signal wire for amps and a power antenna if you have either. It's pretty easy to do. I love my retrosound radio. I never installed the microphone for Bluetooth calls but I use Bluetooth for music from my phone. That can get annoying to get a call and have the ringtone blast through the speakers.
 
the grounding aspect of it is crucial, meaning that head unit should be grounded directly to either the dash frame or the body, through bare metal. now's the time to go through your battery to body , battery to engine grounds, clean bare metal.
 
1994redram said:
Should only be 3 wires to power it up. One constant power which is most likely yellow. One switched power most likely red. And a black which is ground. Then you will have your speaker wire pairs which you have already taken care of. And there will be a signal wire for amps and a power antenna if you have either. It's pretty easy to do. I love my retrosound radio. I never installed the microphone for Bluetooth calls but I use Bluetooth for music from my phone. That can get annoying to get a call and have the ringtone blast through the speakers.
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@ Redram thanks, it sounds like you have a good handle on it, so the question is where do the wires from the head unit mate up to the original wires for the radio in the harness ?
 
@Bulldozer, thanks...I have a clean ground from the original install where the factory used a star washer to bite through the paint. I'm going to clean that up a bit more, then secure the ground to the same spot...same goes for the Fitech fuel command and fuel injection under the hood...thanks all!
 
General Disarray said:
You do have the manual AND a Duster wiring diagram, right?
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@genera disarray, yes I have both...I know which connectors go to the various parts of the radio, but the diagrams don't say what the wires going into the radio do, so I don't know what to cut and connect to the head unit...thank you!
 
Constant power goes to the fuse box. It's been awhile but I think the factory radio plug on my had 2 wired. A red switched hot wire and yellow for the backlight on the radio lense. I think the radio ground was through the body of the radio to the dash.

So, if I am remembering all of the correctly. You will run the yellow/Constant power wire to the fuse box. The red switched hot to the factory radio plug. And finally run the black to chassis ground. The factory yellow wire isn't needed from what I remember.
 
Hmmm...Let me say how much I dread wiring...The radio has four wires leading into it...two form a T connector both orange...A red and orange lead to these from the fuse panel...

Two other wires leading into the radio are both green with stand along female connectors on each one...

I think your right that the ground was through the radio body to the dash...

Unfortunately, I don't have the expertise to figure out what to cut and splice...Its probably the heat but, I'm a little discouraged... I was thinking with only four inputs even I could handle it...damn...
 
The red wire is switched power (accessory position on the key) and the orange wire is the dashlights (fed by dimmer switch). The green wires are the speaker(s).

At least that's how it goes on my '73.
 
The red wire is the only factory wire you should be concerned with reusing since your running new speaker wire.

It's hot here in Oklahoma also. Worked all week in Arkansas where it's hot and full of hills. Then came home to more heat with a hot breeze!
 
rumblefish360 said:
Where do you get those?
Click to expand...

Oreillys had them on the shelf in the electrical area. There are some made for blade style fuses also. It's a simple, reliable, and cheap way to add power wires without cutting up factory stuff.
 
Hi All,

Thanks for all of the help! Got that sucker wired in today. Found the factory switched 12V wire from the harness (@Dusterdenovo) on a 70 it is white...took the 12V constant from the cigar lighter and it was all good from there!
 
1994redram said:
Oreillys had them on the shelf in the electrical area. There are some made for blade style fuses also. It's a simple, reliable, and cheap way to add power wires without cutting up factory stuff.
Click to expand...
Now only if they were in New York! Come on O’Reilly’s! Come to the Big Apple!
 
rumblefish360 said:
Now only if they were in New York! Come on O’Reilly’s! Come to the Big Apple!
Click to expand...

We have them all over here in Oklahoma! The warehouse is 10-15 minutes away from me. So if a store doesn't have it I can pay for it and go pick it up! It's nice since the stores don't keep much mopar stuff in stock.

What auto parts stores are in New York?
 
As far as I know, all of the big stores except O’s.
At least here on the island or near me.

Wife just chirped in my ear, there’s one a in the next county. About an hour away.
 
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