I am installing a new Customautosoundradio to replace the original AM in my 65 Mustang. The old AM radio had only two wires to it --a black ground wire, and a wire plugged into a wire which leads somehow to the ignition switch. The new radio needs to be plugged into the sameignition switch wire.

The old radio worked just before I removed it.

Problem now is there does not seem to be any voltage in the ignition switch wire, the socket, that the old radio was plugged into. I checked with a meter. The new radio will not turn on when plugged in to that wire.

Radio manufacturer tech supportsays the new radio has to be connected to a wire controlled by the ignition on - off switch, or else the radio will always be on and drain the battery.

I'm sure most of you know how inaccessible the wiring connections are under and behind the dash.(even the fuse box is nearly inaccessible) And I hope to avoid pulling apart a bunch of other connections out of fear of messing something else up. I am dealing with the original wiring.

What is the best way to troubleshoot the voltage in that radio ignition switch wire, or else find another convenient connection that is controlled by the ignition switchto power the radio? Would a connection to the wiper motor work? I can actually see the wires connecting to the wiper motor.

It's a beautifulsummer day and I would like to enjoydriving my convertible with somegood music. Thanks for your help.

John in Anchorage Alaska

 

On my sons 66, the large (very long) center post of the ignition switch is "hot" whenever the key is turned to ACC or ON, if you have this same switch, you can run your hot wire to the center position of the switch, and use an inline fuse very close to the switch. All you will need is a nut to fit the stud, and a small loop connection. You can piggy back this with the stuff that is already hooked to this terminal.,,,, then never mind the old wire...

This terminal should be the only terminal on the ignition switchthat makes connection using a nut on a threaded stud, if you have a later Mustang that uses a different switch, or a coloumn mounted switch,,,,, this advice is useless...........

It looks like this center stud design was used through 67. On the 66, the back of the ignition switch is reasonably easy to get to.

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I just ran mine to a wire that was always hot. I just have to remember to turn off the radio when I get out. It's been like that for about 15yrs, and I've never had it drain the battery.

 

Thanks for the reply, When you say the ignition switch is reasonably accessible, do you mean that I need to pull off the instrument speedometer panel in order to view or touch the back of the switch?

 

have you checked the fuse it may of blown when you hooked the new radio up

 

Stop everything all you radio experts - one of those wires on that beautiful AM radio goes to the indicator light inside the radio, the other is switched power. There is NO ground wire on a stock 64 to 66 AM radio. Naturally, there is the speaker pair included but that's a given.
In most current radios, you need three power leads: switched; indicator; and a constant 12VDC to keep the memory alive.
-The switched power comes from a triple connector that has a black/red tracer going to it.
-The indicator power comes from a triple connector that has a blue/red tracer going to it.
-The memory power should be tapped into the back of the cigar lighter.
Cutting and hacking is not allowed. Get some 0.187 dia male pins and crimp one to the switched triple connector and a second to the indicator triple connector. Now comes the tricky part, if you put a ring lug that fits a number 10 screw on the memory wire, slip off the connector at the back of the cigar lighter, slide that number 10 lug on the post at the end of the cigar lighter and slide the cigar power back on, it will work. See, no ugly splices, no black plastic tape. Use of those will cause fleas to infest your car - forever.
Bonus - there is an extension wire that is plugged into that power triple connector that is supposed to go to the radio. It may have a yellow female receptacle on the end. It has a Ford part number marked on it of C5DB-18A919-A.
Speakers - you're on your own.
Jim

 

On the 66 you can get to the switch from the bottom of the dash, although going this way you will need to contend with the bottom lip of the dash. It is easily accesible by removing the screws from the dash pannel and moving it asside.

<just walked down to the garage and took another look, the access is really easy even from the bottom on the 66.>

<bonus for coming off of the center ignition terminal is that you will have switched power, while making no changes whatsoever to your stock wiring.> (I think that Henry put that long accesory terminal on the switch on purpose, so "things" could be added painlessly.)

 

Or you could use the triple connector and extension lead that came with the car for that purpose - providing switched power to the radio. Don't make it more difficult than you have to.
Jim
Besides, that lead is fused.

 

I see your reasoning on this, and I would probably do what you say above in making the connection, if,, I could readily find the connectors (in my garage)to plug into the existing wires, but honestly, if I did not have these connections readilyavailable, I would probably cut the existing connector off, and do a very nice job of splicing the new wires into the old..... Probably not an ideal situation, but for meit is probably my honest answer. There is absolutly no possibility of this scenario if a new wire is run from the ignition switch, and the wires will remain intact.

 

if I saw you do that, cut and splice wires when you didn;t have to, I would tape your hands together with duct tape and leave you like that for a week. That's why we that restore cars go nuts with the restomod crowd - sloppy work.
Jim
Oh, nothing personal, it's my 45 years of training, design, operation, maintenance and repair of electronics that's talking.
Damn - it's more like 50 years, seems like yesterday.