Spindr130

I just bought a 86 trans am and it has some sort of "top-end" factor sound system (not really good but prob the best u could get at the time). well it has wat appears to be a 4x6 and a 5" round sub in it. they are enclosed in a box that runs down the side of the car. all unseeable from inside car. some one back prob like 1988 put a new deck in the car and the subs dont work right. i was wondering if anyone has a wireing diagram for this system?
Thanks Shaun

coalyard

No wiring diagram, but I am willing to bet that there is a factory amp somewhere that powers either the sub system you described alone, or all of the speakers. I would track the wires from the B pillars to where they run, my guess would be an amp hidden in the rear hatch area behind one of the plastic trim panels, or perhaps behind the head unit. When you find it, it will have outputs to the speakers themselves, which will be the same color as the wires on the speakers, and a set of inputs.

The trick is finding a line level adaptor for the rear speaker outputs on the aftermarket head unit, try PAC or Metra. The hack way of doing this is to use a set of RCA cables plugged into the outputs on the head unit, then cut off the other ends, and splice them into the amplifier inputs. (center wire being +) I do not recommend this route, since it is prone to noise.

You could also just plug right into the speakers themselves, bypassing the amp altogether. Most modern head units have far better amps on board than most factory amps of that day, and more powerful too. I would try this first, and if things aren't to your liking, consider using a really small 2 channel aftermarket amp to power them. Hope this helps

Tonyrodz

When I pulled my 86 apart-it also had that same system you described--it does have a factory amp--i think I found it under the dash somewhere--can't remember exactly where--but it's there. It's kind of small.

socal85tam

iTrader: (4)

I have the same setup on my 85 transam, I installed two oairs of 4x6 pioneer speakers and a mini disc/cd player. The original setup comes with a small amp to drive the two little subs, wich you can control with the potetiometer on the dash board.
The amp comes with hi-level inputs, so if you replace the head unit,you can still use the subs and the factory amp.
I kinda like the setup because when I go racing, I take out the enclosure on the rear with the pair of 12 to get rid of some weight (about 100 lb), and I still get a little bass from those subs.

Tonyrodz

When you say factory subs--do you mean the little setup under the 4x6's in the rear? When I bought my car it was just a roller--I bought it for the body, so I never heard it playing. I heard they were pretty bad tho--sound was awful! But those speaker enclosures are pretty nice-I think-for holding the bass in--kind of like mini boxes. I'm gonna see if I can modify them to hold my 6x9's.

Tonyrodz

Here's a pic of the factory amp.

Tonyrodz

And another.

Randy82WS7

Shaun, you have the same name as my middle name and is spelled the same odd way, very very uncommon name, i think you are the only other person ive seen with the same spelling (besides Cassidy the actor, in which my middle name was named for.....eek....) interesting,,
my 84 SE has this amp setup hidden away in it too, have yet to yank it out, unless its only a piddly 20 or 30 amps per channel.. i assume these are just 2 channel ? ? what else is hidden in rear of car i dont know about ?