Fitting a radio to neg earth?

[motown_junk]

Hi, I've recently been given a 1965 traveller and am in the process of restoring her (slowly and on a budget!). I'm going for original look as far as possible, but with a few mod cons - one being that I'd like to fit a radio / cd player. However, I'm aware that the negative earth on the car can cause problems - how can I get around these as easily and cheaply as possible please?

Also, I'd appreciate any thoughts on the best place to mount a radio under the dash and how to do this? She has a heater unit, so it can't go centrally, there's not a radio in at the moment.....

Thanks!

[bigginger]

Do you mean positive earth, as the car came with? Most modern cars and radios etc are negative earth. If it IS positive earth, it's dead easy to convert, and free
http://www.mmoc.org.uk/technicaltips/Ne ... Earth.html

[paulhumphries]

I've had this dilemma myself.
In the end on drivers side under glove box was best place.
I use the glove box on pasenger side so that isn't an option and under the passenger side of dash was too far to reach.

Paul Humphries.

[bmcecosse]

I dunno how you all hear these entertainment devices in your Minors !! I can hardly hear myself think when up to speed.
And yes - modern wireless machines will all be negative earth - so it will fit no problem provided your Minor is negative earth.

[Willie]

It depends on what sort of set you going to install? If it is a modern type
CD/Radio which could be a target for theft then I would instal in the drivers side glove box i.e. behind a lid. The only drawback is that you must not poke your hand through the steering wheel whilst driving.

[motown_junk]

I was being dim - it's currently posative earth and will need to be switched... thanks for the advice!

[chrisd87]

you must not poke your hand through the steering wheel whilst driving

Why not? I do it all the time to adjust the volume, etc on mine.

BMC is right about the noise - I find that above about 50mph you have to turn the volume up so high my speakers start distorting badly.

[bigginger]

And it's lovely to see that there's someone on the planet who still calls it a "wireless". It must be nice to be stuck in the 40s

[chrisd87]

Perfect for listening to the home service...

[Maguire]

So how do you go about plumbing it in? Ive just converted mine to negative earth so if lazy is it possible to take it to any place that installs radios when you buy them (for arguments sake halfords) and have it installed or isnt it that easy?

[alex_holden]

So how do you go about plumbing it in? Ive just converted mine to negative earth so if lazy is it possible to take it to any place that installs radios when you buy them (for arguments sake halfords) and have it installed or isnt it that easy?

You'll be lucky, those places expect to just pop the old stereo out of the dash and swap the connectors over. If the car hasn't had a radio before you'll have to sort out a mounting bracket for the head unit, fit some speakers and an antenna, and run all the wiring.

[ColinP]

A couple of suggestions:-

1) install a modern radio/cd/mp3 - whatever - which has a remote sensor
That's the sort with the sensor on a wire. Fix the radio in the glove box (passenger side) and fix the sensor somewhere like the parcel shelf - or heater surround.

That way you don't need to reach the controls while driving. I've fixed my radio under the passenger glovebox.

2) as above, but use a hard-wired remote (these don't need batteries!).

I'd suggest a DAB radio if you can manage it - then use radio 7 to listen to the period radio shows (Round the Horne, ISIRTA, etc.)


Colin

[bmcecosse]

I prefer the Light Programme myself. And you can be sure that - after the phone ban - the next thing to be banned will be fiddling with the wireless, eating a Mars Bar - even popping in a Polo mint - and most certainly smoking - all will be banned. In fact - changing gear may get banned too because it means hand off wheel for a split second - so we may all have to go automatic!

[minor_hickup]

Tuning a wireless is already a grey area! Eating and drinking while driving is already technically illegal!! All these activities are regarded as illegal if loss of control is a result. Further legislation is planned, oh joy!

As for hearing the radio, I agree BMC, I had to fit bigger speakers to hear mine at full chat, it was cheaper than sound deadening

[bigginger]

Incidentally Motown, it's good to see that somebody else remembers early MSP