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Posted by: OKN929 Mar 5 2023, 10:50 PM

Hello 914 World! I'm a new owner of a 914 that long overdue. Got so much great info from here and been working on it slowly and it's been amazing all that 914World members help each other!
Now I got my dash restored and the gauges all looking nice and new with a few upgrades and need help with installing a stereo.

My 914 has an antenna but no stereo wires, can someone please tell me which wires I would need to tap into to get my stereo installed correctly.

Thank all in advance!!!

Posted by: 914Sixer Mar 6 2023, 07:13 AM

Installation is going to be dependent on what your using. Most just require a 12v and a ground. Ground can be pulled from just about anywhere. Hot wire can be run from fuse block. Check vacant spades to see what is switched 12v by using ignition switch.

Posted by: Superhawk996 Mar 6 2023, 09:28 AM

Posted by: NARP74 Mar 6 2023, 09:34 AM

Welcome, a couple of really long detailed threads on here already. Try out the search function here or use "site:914world.com topic" to see if you get some good hits. I will try to find them later or someone will post before I get to it.

Don't tap into any connections, I hate those. Use a home run, direct to the battery or fuse block and grounds.

Posted by: rhodyguy Mar 6 2023, 09:37 AM

Don’t run a long screw through the firewall, chances are you might put a hole in your gas tank.

Posted by: FlacaProductions Mar 6 2023, 11:05 AM

These might get you started...

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?s=&showtopic=307290&view=findpost&p=2801031

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=337693

Posted by: OKN929 Mar 7 2023, 12:05 PM

Thank you for the tip. It should be easy to find a 12v and ground, I also have the yellow wire which I believe is to shut off when the car turns off so the stereo doesn't stay on.

Posted by: OKN929 Mar 7 2023, 12:06 PM

Thank you...and yes, I didn't mean to tap in to wires but to go direct, I don't like tapping in to wires either. I found a few posts but nothing saying which wires are best to use but I'll have to dive in and search for some this week to gather details.

Posted by: OKN929 Mar 7 2023, 12:07 PM

Sweet! Thank you for those post, they will get me started for sure, if you find any others please share. Thanks again!

Posted by: r_towle Mar 7 2023, 02:15 PM

let me repeat that from one who has done it.

DO NOT drill or screw through the firewall.
the Gas tank will get punctured and then you get to remove the gas tank in the fastest way you can think of....then clean up all the fuel...then let it air out....
Its a bad lesson.

rich

Posted by: OKN929 Mar 7 2023, 04:01 PM

For sure will not do that...I'm not brave enough and am becoming more and more careful as I work on my 914....well because I've already had my share of mistakes

Posted by: technicalninja Mar 7 2023, 11:40 PM

Those two threads are for serious amplified systems and may be more than the OP needs.

They are definitely worth reading but I'm guessing the OP has modern simple head unit that is not going to require serious power feeds.

Modern head unit has 3 main feeds into it.

Black- this goes to a good ground. I'll use a under dash sheet metal screw/bolt, clean up the fastener/hole of paint and rust. Install a proper star washer between an eyelet that I crimp/solder onto black wire. A bit of silicon grease (corrosion protection) and that's done.

Yellow-memory: battery power. Can come from fuse box. Find a circuit that is hot at all times and use a tap to install. This is a small amperage load.

Red-power wire: Hot in ignition "ON" only. This can be a much higher amperage load (depending on the internal amps in the head unit) and needs to come from a higher rated fuse in the fuse box. This wire is wise to have a second fuse on and some radios come with a fuse in this wire already.
Avoid power sources that also run ignition or the fuel injection as the radio can do funky things to those systems.
A noise cancelling capacitor is sometimes a requirement on this leg.
I'd want the feed from a 20 amp or larger fuse if i can get it. Most are fused 10 amps in their included fuse. leave the original fuse (if it has one) in it.


Xtra feeds/outputs
Inputs:
Orange/orange with stripe is often the lighting circuit for the radio and sometimes can feed off of the gauge lighting circuit. This can allow the lights in the head unit to dim with the lights in the dash via the dash rheostat. This is a small amperage load. This feed works great with modern cars, but early dash lighting (before 1990) sometimes did the dimming portion in a different way. Don't kill yourself to make the radio lights work with the dash lights if it gives you fits.
Hook it to power source you used for red lead should give you max bright when radio on.

Outputs:
Blue- this is a "remote on" signal from the radio. It can initiate power to an amp. it can run a modern power antenna. This wire goes hot after the radio fires up and starts sending a 12v signal. You may not need it at all. Early power antennas have multiple ways they worked as well. Some cars had individual switch on the dash for the antenna. If your 40-year-old power antenna will not work, you will have to figure out a work around (can be difficult!) or replace it with a more modern unit that triggers exactly like a modern amplifier. The remote on wire on both the amp and the modern antenna will be blue as well.
Many amps/antenna/other remote on devices can be daisy chained to this feed.

Those are the inputs/outputs in a nutshell.

The speakers should be self-explanatory.
Watch polarity on the speaker wires closely. Look at the instructions carefully. Sometimes the striped color is the positive and sometimes it's the ground.
Make sure to hook the speakers up correctly.

Posted by: TROJANMAN Mar 9 2023, 09:10 AM

The best stereo I ever bought were Webers


Attached image(s)

Posted by: NARP74 Mar 9 2023, 09:31 AM

PLUS 1!!!

Posted by: OKN929 Mar 9 2023, 01:43 PM

Been looking at those as well...that will be my next big investment, still finding too many other things that I need to work on before I get there and need to find someone in my area that works on 914's that's not super $$$$

But I'm sure that those Webers will sound amazing....mine sounds like a VW bug now.

Posted by: Superhawk996 Mar 9 2023, 01:53 PM

Posted by: CCE Mar 10 2023, 12:38 AM

I think no matter what you put in as stereo, speakers, amplifier etc… you will end up hearing the carbs…

Posted by: FlacaProductions Mar 10 2023, 09:46 AM

I get the "motor-sounds-as-music" viewpoint but i'll say that after I got the stealth sub installed along with the new speakers and amp, I giggled when I first fired it up. I had a 73 1.7 in high school and this is the stereo my 17-year-old self always wanted.

You can always turn it off...

Posted by: Osnabruck914 Mar 10 2023, 01:12 PM

While you're at it, installing a power antennae is one of the best upgrades you can do on a 914. Reason - raising your stock antennae manually while sitting in the car is impossible, unless you have chimpanze-length arms. Advance Auto sells (or used to sell) a very compact unit that installs nicely in the driver fender well.

Osnabruck

Posted by: OKN929 Mar 10 2023, 01:21 PM

Ok....can't stop thinking about how much a difference those Webers would make....LOL Where is the best place to get them? Pelican Parts or some place else and being new to this world, do you know how I can find someone that works on 914's in the Virginia/DC area, is there a directory out there?

I can tell that 914world is going to get me in some trouble but all good trouble

Posted by: Jonathan Livesay Mar 10 2023, 01:24 PM

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.