As much as I like the look of the factory radio, they don't really sound great compared to anything on the aftermarket. I recently picked up an Alpine Power pack from Crutchfield and the sourced the Metra Harness adapters, both sides to build a plug and play style harness. Reading the instructions, the Power Pack requires a minimum of a 15 amp fuse, the radio being 10 isn't going to work. However the car had a power antenna and has since been converted to manual mast, so that circuit still exists and is unused. Looking at the schematic, it has a signal wire from the radio and an accessory on 20 amp fused power source, so theoretically would it be an issue to tap power and signal from this circuit? I plan to mount it similar to where UQ7 amplifier would have lived on a car equipped with one.

Said schematic

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/elec...l#&gid=1&pid=1

 

That's the accessory fuse, so other things are running off it. Plus it's only 18 gauge, you might want a little heavier wire

 

Thanks for the input Scooter, went ahead picked up the Crutchfield 12 gauge install kit.

 

That's a nice little amp Neil.

Crutchfield Class D Amps

I bought the Clarion unit right below yours on that Chesterfield page linked above. If there would have been an Alpine equivalent at the same price as there is today, that's the one I would have bought too.

I ran a separate wire for the amp out to the power distribution point by the battery. Link below if you want to take a look. The job snowballed a bit, as most of my projects tend to do.

My new 1988 T/A Page 5 Post #223

 

I ended up rereading that portion of your thread and purchased a junction box from Racetronix so I can some what hide it as you did. The CD player you used is what came in my 93 Trans Am from the factory. GM utilized an external amplifier for those in the 4th gens, they pre date the Monsoon systems, but the amplifier was hidden under the plastics by the passenger rear seat. I have no clue what the specs are but I remember that head unit sounding really good in my 4th gen. I bet having that added amplifier from the factory had a lot to do with that.

I was looking at these on ebay and saw that some places sold a plug and play harness, not for us. But it's nothing more than to buy a Metra replacement for both ends, radio and car side and build a harness to adapt to the Alpine. I also saw that's how the Subaru WRX guys do it prevent from cuttings wires. Also reading your thread I have a grave yard of crown and GM power antenna, I converted the car to manual mast but at one point wanted to build a good power antenna from my failed project.

 

I'd like to have heard that head unit in a 4th gen.

While this combo (that head unit, Clarion amp., rebuilt factory sub speakers, and Infinity 4x6 replacements) sounds better than the barely functioning factory unit, and it has enough power that you can hear it going down the road with the tops out, it's overall not very satisfactory. Not enough bass (the UQ7 system just has it's limits), and is very lacking in low mids (not surprising for a car with no drivers over 4" in diameter anywhere). And the highs are not very satisfying. SO an OK system, but just need MORE of everything. That CD player is already dead after limited use. So I have a few tweaks I want to try. The car is about to enter a second life, and originality will take a back seat to needed improvements. If those tweaks are not good enough, then I'll seek professional help (as my wife has been encouraging me to for years).