No wiring for radio?

[MykeNytemare]

So, for starters my car is a 77 (but a mix of an early drivetrain and late body, i think), so not all of the wiring matches up. With that being said, the car runs and drives and everything seems to work (barring wipers, thus far).

However, the car did not come with a radio and I want to add one, but I do not see any pre-existing wiring for a stereo/speakers (unless I am missing that the few unused wires with separate small molex connectors are for that).

Any advice, or will I be running brand new wiring for a head unit and speakers in the future?

[GeorgeT]

In the '75 that I had, radios were dealer installed options so I'm not sure they were pre-wired.

The '82 I had was pre-wired for a radio and antenna - I think.

[tonym]

Wired mine by tapping into a hot wire, a switched wire and ground.

[spider2081]

So I looked at the wire diagram on Mirafiori.com the diagram does not show any wires that I could find. However under the component list item 115 is the radio and 123 is the power ant switch. I forget the number but it also listed the power antenna motor. Then under connectors it lists a radio connector and a power antenna switch connector.
If there are wires in your car the 2 wires for each speaker would be behind the kick/map panels. I'm thinking one side has solid colors and the other side has the base color with a black trace.

[GeorgeT]

When I wired mine, I tapped into the "key" reminder chime circuit. With the key in the ignition, the circuit is hot but when you remove the key there is no power to the radio. You will have to tap an "always hot" circuit for the lead that maintains radio presets.

[76was124]

My 81 has speakers in the map pocket area near the kick panels at driver and passenger feet. I thought my 76 was the same. Not sure on a 75, but if it does, my 'captain obvious' suggestion is you could trace the wires from the speakers back.

[MykeNytemare]

Appreciate the insights and tips. The drivers side map pocket has a hole in it like there was once a speaker there, but alas, no longer...and the passenger's side is solid Also, there is no wiring on either side.

I did not realize that radios were a dealer option for some years, and considering my spider is far from original, I guess I will be running my own speaker wires when I remove the interior at some point to POR the floor pans.

[geospider]

exactly what I did when redoing the interior. Now you can use decent gauge speaker wire instead of using what may have been there.

[MykeNytemare]

Did get a bluetooth retro in dash stereo from China for $14 that at least takes up the empty slot in the console! That will wind up being next summers project by the time I get all the routine maintenance and leaks and such taken care of so the car is reliable to drive!

[RRoller123]

FYI, there is away to determine if the radio that one has in the dash is original or thereabouts. FIAT installed the radios at the dealers after shipment to the United States, so there is a lot of differentiation. Technically speaking, there is no such thing as "factory" when it comes to the radio, unless the lack of one when shipped from Italy is considered Factory.

This website can be used to determine the date of manufacture for radios, tape players, etc.

VINTAGE RADIO IDENTIFICATION
http://www.pacparts.com/library/default.cfm


Using this, I determined that my old, semi-operational cassette deck was made in 1980. Since the car is a 1980, it is reasonable to assume that it is original. BUT there is no certainty that it was dealer installed, any of the radios, players we have could have been owner installed. Anyway, I at least know that it is period correct.

Useful website!

Pete