Well, before I go ripping my new (to me) car apart, I figured asking here would not hurt.

I need to run some wires from the batt, to the trunk, than some other wires from the trunk, to the dash. I have a 1998 Mustang v6 Convertible.

Is there any good places to run the wiring without butchering the car at all? (existing grommets, etc)

I want to make this a clean and painless install, so any advice is gladly accepted. Thanks.

 

there should be a large grommet on the drivers side that you can run the power wire through up to 4 awg. Just put a cut in it and stick a screwdriver through the cut. Go under the dash and use a light to look for the driver and when you find it prop the light up so it lights up the end of the driver. Now you can go back into the engine, and pry the driver off to one side and the light will light up the whole from the inside so you can see the whole to stick the wire through.

Run the rca's on the opposite side of the car to reduce noise. You can easily pop out the back seat to make it easier. Look between the backseat and the floor, directly between where your knees would be if you were sitting there and you will see 3 plastic squares(white I believe). Use a screw driver and push the center one in and that side will pop up.

 

Thanks, but I'm not running RCA's- I'm running control wires and power wires. I'm a Vollie FF.

 

Since you have a converible like me (97 V6 vert).
No, there is no good way to run the power/RCA's to the trunk.
I had to drill a 1/2" hole for the power wires and install with a grommet (Harbor Freight grommet kit). Fused before and after the grommet.
It can be made to be hidden, if you take your time, It took me about 3 weeks working full/overtime at my job.

 

Yes you can! I have done full systems in verts before and never had any problem getting in to the trunk.

Take out the back seat and there is a carpet panel in the trunk(front of the trunk. Where the top sits when its down) remove that panel. Then you have full access for the cab of the car to the trunk. Along with the vert motor that is where 2 of the mach amp are on the verts.

 

what are control wires?

what is a vollie FF?

 

Control wires, for blinky lights/siren, etc

Vollie FF- Volunteer Firefighter.

 

OH MAN......

After almost 15 yrs installing and seeing people do almost anything to their cars, I have never seen anyone do more damage to their car in the name of audio then a fireman and his electrician buddy. They swore everything was perfect but still wanted me to take a look at it and see what was wrong. It was the biggest wire nest of twist nuts and tape that I have ever seen. The electrician said he had been runnin wire in houses for 25 yrs, whats the big deal? I told him that I was an experienced installer but I would be the last person that he would want to wire his house with my electrical eng buddy. Its different but he would not agree....

 

ttocs, I've seen the same type of jobs over here.

No worries about me thou, when I was a teenager me and my friends were entering car stereo competitions... The biggest stereo we ever did was in a 1988 Volkswagen Fox Station wagon. 10,000 watts, 2 main alternators, 2 batteries, countless capacitors, 22 speakers, and it was a daily driver. At shows, we hooked up another 2 alternators and a few more batteries. (yes, people thought we were crazy)

I'll take some photos of my install and post them after I'm done.. but it will be a while, as I'm also dealing with a concussion right now, which is why I'm posting on here lots.

All thats going in is the following (for now)

2 mobile radios (50 watts each)
Some LED lighting (15-20 watt total)
Air Horn/PA/RRB (100 watts total)
TLF (whatever the stock factory lights draw)

Small (100-200 watt) aftermarket Stereo

I'm using a main 6 ga cable from the batt direct to the trunk. Proper splitters, fused, soldered, shrink wrapped connections, batt run down protection circuits, etc. Just trying to figure out how to mount the remote radio head to make it discrete.

 

I would recomend upgrading the factory ground wires before you start adding all your electronics. I show a little about a big 3 upgrade on my cardomain page.