Aftermarket Stereo without destroying original
09-20-2017, 09:51 AM
#1
Drifting
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Aftermarket Stereo without destroying original
hey guys, looking at buying a new (to me) c4 that has a working factory’s radio. I’d like to put an aftermarket radio and speakers in without destroying the originals, and keeping the ability to swap in the original equipment at a later date. I am anticipating issues with the Bose amps at the speakers. I think I’ll have to bypass them? Anyone done this?
09-20-2017, 09:54 AM
#2
there is a harness tou can buy that adapts from bose harness to a typical harness. But, if you are going change speakers, leave the bose harness intact and run new wire and use new speaker boxes and just replace if you ever want to return to factory.
09-20-2017, 09:56 AM
#3
hey guys, looking at buying a new (to me) c4 that has a working factory’s radio. I’d like to put an aftermarket radio and speakers in without destroying the originals, and keeping the ability to swap in the original equipment at a later date. I am anticipating issues with the Bose amps at the speakers. I think I’ll have to bypass them? Anyone done this?
09-20-2017, 10:22 AM
#5
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yea I was hoping to avoid new wiring but you’re right that’s probably the best way to do things. Good news is, I actually have the wiring from my previous car that I had already run-should be fairly simple to use that, with the added benefit of it being connected to a factory harness.
09-20-2017, 04:15 PM
#6
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I haven't even bought the car yet-that should happen Saturday-but I'll update this thread with what I do and some photos of how I get it to work.
09-21-2017, 12:03 PM
#7
Burning Brakes
Do you have the Bose speaker boxes out of your old one? You can modify them to hold standard size speakers and swap them in. Getting them in and out of the doors is a PITA though. I just altered mine in place and used the existing wiring since I had no desire to ever put it back. The back I cut out and modified with some epoxy and thin plywood to accept 6x9 speakers. They were easy.
09-22-2017, 05:33 AM
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Glad to see you getting back in the game!
Do you have the Bose speaker boxes out of your old one? You can modify them to hold standard size speakers and swap them in. Getting them in and out of the doors is a PITA though. I just altered mine in place and used the existing wiring since I had no desire to ever put it back. The back I cut out and modified with some epoxy and thin plywood to accept 6x9 speakers. They were easy.
Do you have the Bose speaker boxes out of your old one? You can modify them to hold standard size speakers and swap them in. Getting them in and out of the doors is a PITA though. I just altered mine in place and used the existing wiring since I had no desire to ever put it back. The back I cut out and modified with some epoxy and thin plywood to accept 6x9 speakers. They were easy.
I know what you mean about those speaker boxes. Hadn’t thought of modding them though, I bought 3.5” speakers to fit like factory in the old car, 6x9 would be amazing though...I’ll have to think on that. Could put some 6” subs in for the rears and have a rockin system...
09-25-2017, 03:32 PM
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I swapped everything over in my 89 vert, it was not hard at all. The biggest pita was running new speaker wires. I most of the interior out at the time so the wiring to the rear was pretty easy, but the front doors were a little harder. I used a electrical snake to push them through the conduit from the door side, much easier that way. You can get an adapter for the pwr, gnd and 12v constant that is plug and play. I used a old school HU, so console fit was not an issue. The rear enclosures fit 6"x9" speakers with no problems, but I had to use spacers to clear the tweeters behind the stock grilles. I put 6 1/2" speakers in the doors using MDF in the stock locations. I did have to trim the top and bottom of the opening slightly for clearance, but not much. Once again, tweeter depth was an issue. I made spacers to clear them and reused the stock grilles, but it was a close fit with the doors closed.
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09-25-2017, 03:56 PM
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I swapped everything over in my 89 vert, it was not hard at all. The biggest pita was running new speaker wires. I most of the interior out at the time so the wiring to the rear was pretty easy, but the front doors were a little harder. I used a electrical snake to push them through the conduit from the door side, much easier that way. You can get an adapter for the pwr, gnd and 12v constant that is plug and play. I used a old school HU, so console fit was not an issue. The rear enclosures fit 6"x9" speakers with no problems, but I had to use spacers to clear the tweeters behind the stock grilles. I put 6 1/2" speakers in the doors using MDF in the stock locations. I did have to trim the top and bottom of the opening slightly for clearance, but not much. Once again, tweeter depth was an issue. I made spacers to clear them and reused the stock grilles, but it was a close fit with the doors closed.
09-25-2017, 04:07 PM
#14
Burning Brakes
09-25-2017, 06:34 PM
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The wiring for the Bose system is not designed to carry power, just a line level signal to the Bose amps at each speaker. People have reused the stock wiring, but it is really too small of a gauge wire.
09-25-2017, 06:35 PM
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09-25-2017, 06:44 PM
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You can just see where I had to trim the top and bottom of the stock opening.
Spacer to clear the tweeters.
Unless you look closely, it looks stock.
The grills just clear the dash with the door closed.
09-25-2017, 07:02 PM
#18
Burning Brakes
Not to fan flames but I respectfully disagree. Too much marketing by companies the sell speaker wire. Unless you are pushing some serious power the factory wires work fine for as short as they are.
09-25-2017, 07:08 PM
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Your car, your choice. Personally I would spend $10 for a spool of 14ga speaker wire than worry about it. Besides, as you stated in your original post, all the factory connections stay untouched should I ever want to go back to stock.
09-25-2017, 07:18 PM
#20
Burning Brakes
I just hate seeing guys pull new wire because they think they have too to drive the speakers. Definelty keeps things nice and neat for sure if you do but for runs that are less than 10ft, 18ga wire is plenty. The factory wires in mine looked to be 14 or 16. They carried enough power to drive the amp and the speaker of the Bose system, I figure they can drive just the speaker.