i have a 68 mustang and have a problem figuring out what this wire does/goes to.

it is from the back of my am/fm radio.

i have a yellow/black stripe for main feed. blue/red stripe for light, and the orange one comes out of the radio with the yeloow and blue wires and goes nowhere.

my speakers are accounted for with 5 speaker wires coming from the other side of the radio. 4 wires for left back and front and right back and front and one negative wire for the speakers.

my question is do any of you know what this orange wire does or goes to? the radio works beautifully and nothing seems to be missing. the orange wire has power when the radio turns on if this helps.

 

Sounds like its an accessory wire. If it has 12v when the ign. is turned on. If it is at 0v when the ign. is off. Then that is what it is. Or it could be an illumination wire.

 

that's the thing, it does not have 12v with the ignition on, just when the radio is turned on. for clarification, key on = no power, key on + radio on = power.

my father suggested something really plausible, but i want to see what you guys think before biasing anyone.

thanks.

 

Is it the factory radio?

Is the radio a stereo radio? You could have one negative for left and one for right...

That wiring is nothing like the stock AM radio on my 65...

 

the orange wire is the dimmer wire. if you do not have a dimmer circuit then wire it to your red accesory wire and the buttons will light up then.

The yellow wire needs to go to a +12v constant. It is your memory wire when the key is off, and supplies power when the key is on.

 

ok, i'm sorry. it is a factory am/fm stereo. all the wires are accounted for and hooked up except for the orange one that becomes hot with the radio on. all the speakers work, the light works, and the radio works.

my father suggested it would be for a power antenna and to my understanding, these cars were wired for all accessories whether they had them or not.

from some research in 68s, all factory stereo am/fms are a little different as they were optioned differently.

anyway, is the power antenna plausible? did these cars have them if optioned? i know my 71 demon has a factory power antenna, but did mustangs? it would make sense as it gives power to the antenna when the radio turns on and then comes down when it turns off.

 

Scott, these old cars with the factory radio use anything but typical wire colors. On my 65 the solid black wire is the positive.


I would think they might have had power antenna's in 68 and that was going to be my guess if it was the factory radio. I think your dad is right.

 

ah, I thought it was an aftermarket radio.

You can test if it is a power ant by throwing a meter or test light on it. It will show 12v with the radio on, ground with it off.

 

Power antenna seems like what it is. If the that wire only get power when the radio is on.

If the radio works and your not wanting to throw a power antenna on it just cap the wire off.

 

i routed it nicely in a coupler with the other wires where the orange one terminates. if i ever want to add a power antenna i will just plug my wire into the coupler/bulk head in the spot where the orange wire is.

thanks for the replies and help.