can i hook it up to a battery (with a fuse inline) and a speaker, plug in a spare antenna and see if it works or is it more complicated?

I've done it exactly this way several times

would i have to ground the antenna to the negative bat terminal with a jumper to check reception or should it work without one?

another? does the face plate just pop out when pushed from the back side?

Antenna is grounded to the radio chassis. Two wires to the battery - watch your polarity. Two wires to the speaker(s). Polarity is important sometimes to speakers because if reversed they will be out of phase and sound funny.

After everything is done and the radio is in the car, there is a small trimmer capacitor on the back of the radio a little white knob. This tunes the antenna. Put the radio in, find a decent station, and tune the cap to the best sound.

thanks. radio is still in the car. once it comes out i doubt it will be going back in. as for the removal. the panel pops out? trying to save some time knowing the play and having to lay on the gross/filthy floor as little as possible.

There was a stud sticking out of the back of my radio, with a home made mounting bracket. I had to lay on my back and reach up inside the dash to get to the single nut. I don't remember if something held the face plate.

The antenna cable caused me problems, too. I eventually cut it since I bought a new one.

I did all this last year, and haven't put anything back yet.

Pull the knobs out towards you then you will see the nuts screwed onto the shafts. Use a needle noise pliers to loosen then you can
unscrew by hand to separate the face from radio.

Will you be selling the radio by chance ?