OK I bought a Custom Autosound USA-04 stereo off of eBay a while back. 'brand new' but no box or instructions. Doesn't look used and still has the little rubber caps on the ends of the RCA cables. Even says on a sticker 68-76 corvette.

So I finally get around to taking out the factory unit and the harnesses are TOTALLY different. I'm kinda bummed. I really want to stay with a factory type look, with the ***** and all that. Their website doesn't have that model listed anymore but the USA-05/CVMV-5 looks identical to the USA-04 I have here. Just about different everything on this sucker from the stock unit. I thought these were supposed to be more or less bolt on? The web site has install instructions for everything but the 04 model. So is there a way I can make this work or just re-list it and try to get my money back?
-CR

 

Personally I would just cut off the harness from the radio, find a good hot, ground, and ignition switched. Then run new wires to all your speakers and bypass the factory stuff altogether.

That way you don't touch your factory harness and can still use the radio, it's not hard to do

 

I've never done anything stereo. I know nothing and I would love for this to be as painless as possible. I was less scared of doing my own engine swap!
-CR

 

Have you seen my post?

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1761815


Your problem is a simple one to solve. You will need to run a 14 gauge wire to your fuse box to the "batt" terminal. Crimp a female end on it and plug it into the male spade lug that is in it's own little square and says "batt" printed below it. that gives you constant power. For gound and switched power i.e. "acc" use the stock radio connectors yellow for "acc" and the black for ground. I have heard that there is plug in adapter that you can get from any stereo shop that will plug into the stock radio adapter and has pig tails so you don't have to cut it. I cut mine,, didn't care, can butt splice it back together if I ever want to reinatall the stock radio.

so to sum up,,
Constant power from the "batt" terminal with a 14 gauge jumper wire to the stereo harnes

Switched power or "acc" from the stock yellow radio harnes wire to the new unit
and
Ground from the stock radio harness black gnd wire
getting an wire harness adapter from your local car stereo shop optional.

As far as the speakers go, I would go with new ones in the kick panels,, and would leave the dash ones dissconnected. I would be suprised if yours still worked anyway. You can also run the speaker wires to the rear, if you want to now for a later install,, of 2 more speakers.

I wouldn't try to reuse the old speakers,, tiny and pretty old, no sound quality.

oh,, and if your new stereo uses a light or lamp input as well, that's the grey wire from the stock harness, all use the single black ground wire from the harness / the only one needed.

 

If your scared of doing the wiring part of it and if the harness is removable from the radio I'll be glad to solder a new harness to it for you so it'll plug right into the factory stuff.

No charge and all you'll be out is the shipping, only take me an hour to do and can get it back to you the same day.

You'll just need to pick up a factory style harness plug at circuit city and ship it with the CA harness.

I've done this kind of stuff since 1989

 

82VetteDude- I may just take you up on that! I'll have to do some more research to see what it is you guys are telling me. I'm sure I have some stereo guys in the Navy with me here that can help as well. I do have a couple of questions though.

First- If the speakers were broken to start with how would I even know if the old head unit worked at all. I would turn it on and nothing would happen. So is there a way to even tell if the old ones will still work?

Second- What happens when the stock head unit turns on? Does it light up or something? Is there a way to test if that works? How can I tell if it's the speakers vs. the stereo? Thanks again guys.
-CR

 

Can't help you on the stock radio, but personally I would replace the stock speakers or whatever is in there even if they do work. Odds are they are brittled from age. It's worth the added expense to purchase a fresh set

 

If your in the Navy,, you got pretty good electronics guys,, and it's easy to test. Several ways to go at this,, so,,, to do a simple test in the car, turn on the stereo,, adjust the volume to super low/just on so you don't burn anything out,, put it on FM and tune around with the dial, you should see you "stereo" orange light lights up on the face of the original Radio, When you hit a good stereo station, it will if it's electronics are good. The best test is out of the car, and to do so you need the "convector" or heat sink or amp , what ever you want to call it, out also. It's mounted on the Pass side, behind the pocket panel. You need to remove the panel to get to it.





Remove it and the radio,, this is where the electroncis guys come in, you need an 1 amp (minimum) capable power supply at about 13.8v. Positive to yellow, negitive to black and an external speaker hooked up to the speaker jacks, and a 2 ft piece of wire pushed into the antenna connector for an antenna. Test it like it's in a car at that point, one side,, then the other. Probably will work,, one channel on mine was blown out but the other worked fine.. But truth is, it's past it's service life and nothing gets old like electronics. Time to upgrade. The speakers are shot, I'd wager, and even if not, there not worth salvaging. Some high end manufacterers make some good relacements for them they are 4x6 i think, but the placement is all wrong in the dash. Go into the kicks with new speakers.