custom stereo deck install

[chickenwafer]

I just got this AM/FM/CD stereo reciever deck for the Z- came with a pre-assembled wiring harness and all. Well after a couple days I was finally able to remove the center console (the choke lever was causing a hairball of trouble) and get out the stock AM/FM radio. Well, none of the harness' match up and plus they're all male connectors. I went looking for adapters and found one at a WalMart for 74 and up Nissan's- didn't come close to working. I tried to hardwire the kit by splicing lines without a manual- litterally in the dark. Didn't pan out. If anyone has installed a custom reciever deck (which I know some of you have) can you please help me!! Any diragram/schmeatic would be AWESOME, especially if it would have the wires labeled by color. Thanks in advance.

Dave

[Inf]

All the places I have checked didnt have any pre-made harnesses for a Z before 76 or so.

I wired it up by hand referencing my FSM and the manual that came with my receiver. FWIW I installed a panasonic CD mp3 player(CQ-1300U I think) and the manual had a 2 page diagram showing what every connection on the deck's universal harness needed.

[chickenwafer]

do you think there is a any copies of that manual floating around on the internet? I would love one, but then again I'm poor and can't afford to buy one right now...

Dave

[Inf]

Which manual? There are(or were) some scans of the FSM wiring diagram for various year Z cars on this site in the downloads section. Depending on who made your CD deck, the manufacturer may have a PDF of the manual for your model online.

[chickenwafer]

yeah those dl's are no longer there- and because of my poor situation, I have an "off-brand" deck by the company Dual. Not too bad, but not too great. Just universal instructions, nothing for my car. It's not a big deal for me to splice the lines, I just need a blueprint of the wires and their respective colors (because the colors on the Z wiring harness are different than the colors on the new decks harness, like blue is power [i think] for the Z and yellow is power for the new deck). At the very least a sheet listing all the wires and their linking colors to the new deck (because I think the color codes have changed sense then, hence the discrepencies). Thanks

Dave

[Ed]

Do you have any aftermarket speakers installed? I've always found the hardest part of installing a new stereo in a car was to find which speaker wires went where.

Use a voltmeter and find out which wires give you 12v with the ignition off. And 12v with the ignition on. Then the best way to find out which speaker wires go where is to look at the connection to the speaker (you never know if it was done properly). When all else fails and you don't want to check the speaker the wire with the black strip is supposed to be the (-) one. The solid wire is the (+) one.

Another thing I would do in order to not ruin any of the wiring harnesses is to remove the wires from the plug. You can use a really small screw driver and push on the tab that holds the wire in the plug. Then using a small piece of wire splice it all together. Before you start draw a little schematic of the plug and which wire went where, this way you can always put it back together. Tape the schematic to the wires so you won't loose it.

[chickenwafer]

thanks Ed and Inf

No, speakers are stock (yuk!) but I do plan on upgrading them soon. Maybe I should hold off on installing the deck until I install the speakers? I was planing to just splice the aftermarket speaker wire into the stock speaker wire so I wouldn't have to run lines and all, but then again I have never done a stereo install before (I specialize in engines). Once I get the schematic I can get crack-a-lacken, but until then I'm wondering around in the dark........

I know I'm getting ahead of myself- I'm doing a full restoration/modiciation project to my 74 260z and the first thing I start with is the interior . I still need new floorboards, framerails, misc exterior parts, body kit (possibly), new paint, wheels/tires, full engine rebuild (although in it's current state it runs but I wouldn't trust it for more than 5 miles), new drivetrain and u-joints, and so much more. I know the first thing I should do isn't the stereo, but I couldn't help myself!! It was on sale!! I have no will power!!

Dave