Excellent suggestion -- I completely ignored the original thin black wire, since I thought it was a ground wire that looks just like the black ground wire on the new radio.

I will check the status of the original black wire tonight. Seems like the easiest idea so far. Thanks.

God, I love this forum.

 

Sweet! How long did/has the fix been working? It has been nearly 20 years since I got mine "fixed" and it certainly didn't last long at all.

Have you seen the new reproductions, and if so, were they pretty good quality or do they stick out like a fake Rolex in the shop windows in Tijuana? I'd like to add a Rally Pac at some point to my '65 fastback and haven't seen the repops. That said, because of Ebay, it isn't too hard to locate an original either ... if they work that is.

 

SUCCESS !!!! [sm=bounceybounce.gif]

Highhilleer wins the prize for the best tip! The original Black wire to the old radio was the key to the problem all right, it is a Switched wire. [sm=goodidea.gif]
Credit also to 66GTKFB who also provided that clue in post 6.

And I also found a constant on battery wire without having to dig behind the cigar lighter. I honestly can't tell you where it comes from, only there is a spare socket hanging down from a harness back against the firewall.

Now the new radio is all hooked up correctly, and I don't have to leave any doors open, or turn on light switches to play music. What a concept!

Thanks everybody for taking the time to help me through this puzzle. [sm=thanx.gif]

 

John,
If you found a hot lead hanging at the firewall - with the door open - try it with the door closed.
Jeff,
My 'new' nickle-silvercontacts work fine, it's been about 3 or 4 years. What I neglected to mention is I used watch files and a burnishing tool to get the contacts flat and parallel - a task best left to someone sober and with a lot of patience.
I got an aftermarket Rally Pac from NPD. The tach hooks up like the factory original, under the dash and not to the coil, and the clock is quartz - the best of both worlds.
Jim

 

Sounds good, but does the case feel and look solid like the original or does it scream cheap repop?

I got a repop '65 grille from NPD and was disappointed when I opened it later and it felt really flimsy and just looked cheap. I'm going to try to restore and straighten the original instead.

Thanks.

 

Jeff,
The NPN Rally Pac looks like my original one, minus the scratches. Itwires up the same. I got another one from Dallas Mustang about ten years ago and the only problem with that one was the tach was hooked up to the coil to function.
I'm going to remove the rivets from my 65 grill, bead blast, paint and reassemble it becausethe repro's are 'flimsy'.
Jim

 

There actually were three leads to choose from. Only one stayed hot all the time.

When I originally started the project I thought they were all hot, because when I tested them, they all showed voltage, because I was laying on my back with feet out ofthe car and with the door open.

You really have to curl up to test a wire under the dash with the door closed at the same time. [sm=trust_me.gif]

 

You really need a wiring diagram to make a correctselection.
Jim

 

Here is a website I found when researching a wiper switch, it has various wiring diagrams for classic Mustangs.

It might be a good canidate to add to the FAQ, unless there is already somthing better in the FAQ already.....

Ummhumm,, Soaring or James W......

http://www.hammar.dyndns.org/~djhamma/wiring.htm

 

We have a bazillion wiring diagrams already in the FAQ, but I will add this one. Thanks James. Not sure if JamesW can unlock the FAQ. I have it locked so someone doesn't sneak in there late at night and erase 2 years worth of work.