New speaker wires to rear? ('73)

[SteveInOakland]

Has anybody got a tidy way of getting a speaker wire from the console to the very rear of the car? I can use what's there for the one (though not ideal) but am putting in a second over where the fuel lines are. Would rather not just have it lying under the rear carpet.

Also -- anybody have a good place to put a toggle switch to operate the stock antenna?

Appreciate it, thanks.

Steve

[280~Master]

I have never ran wire back there so I am no help on that part. I can help with the antenna part. Your radio should have a blue wire or maybe blue/white wire. This should connect to the power for the antenna. This way it will raise when the radio is turned on. Just incase you didn't know.

[Mike B]

The prior owner installed wire for the right rear speaker by tucking the wire up under the front firewall insulation from the console to the right wire bundle that runs from the firewall to behind the passengers seat. There are several bendable clips that hold the original wire bundle in place that you can use to run them together. I think the speaker wire and wire bundle then go through an access hole at the base of the rear wheel arch until it reaches the rear speaker which is mounted across from the one on the left side using a similar bracket.

[SteveInOakland]

Thanks to you both. I'll post something after I run new wires. Mike, that looks promising. John, for the early cars the power antenna needs a switch to choose between going up and going down. It's not an automatic thing that will go down when its power goes off. I found the ideal switch yesterday, an SPDT, on-off-on toggle, momentary, and very tiny. Contrary to its description, the Radio Shack switch of this kind doesn't snap back to off, it's more manual than that.

The good thing about the one I found is that only the tiniest hole is needed. I'm going to mount it facing down, on one side or the other of the steering wheel, in the area of either the dash-lights dimmer or the trip odometer knob.

Here's a pic.

Steve.

[astrohog]

The original owner of my '71 upgraded to the f.m. stereo in '72 (no f.m. avail in '71 !!). I am relatively sure the f.m. was added at the dealer and the switch is located on the inside left of the glove box. I realize this is not very convenient, but it is period correct if that interests you at all.

I robbed an electric antenna from a later model Z and I plan to install it in my '71. When I do, I will leave the BIG UGLY switch in the glove box, but utilize the "built in" antenna control that the newer head units have.

Regards,

Astrohog