Where to wire in a switched live feed for the stereo?

[scrooge95]

Hello.
When I got the Morris a couple of years ago, the under-dash stereo was not working, the speakers had disintegrated, and the position of it meant I barked my shin every time I went to operate the full beam foot switch.

Two years later, I've finally got around to doing something about it.

The new stereo is more towards the passenger, and the speakers have been replaced... but I've only got a permanently live feed to power it.
For the moment I've crimped the two live wires out the back of the new ISO plugs together so that the stereo will work (it's a Retrosound one), but I'm a little worried that it will run my battery down, even though I have it set up so there is no clock etc on whilst turned off.

It makes sense to power it via the ignition, but I have no idea where to get a switched live feed from.
Which wire do I choose to piggyback off? Do I need to take parts of the dash apart? I am a complete novice, so any help would be gratefully received.

Thank you

[Steve Phillips]

A few years ago I saw an article that said over 85% of all car fires came from aftermarket wiring,
So with no disrespects if you have to ask perhaps you should consider getting a local auto electrician to help,

But if you do want to proceed,

There's a switched live on the back of your ignition switch, terminal 9 from memory, should be the same number if its key start or pull start, you can pick up here,
Or run a wire through the large grommet (the one with the 3 screw securing plate on the bulkhead) and pick up on the switched fuse in the fuse holder,

But where ever you pick up from put a suitable fuse inline as near to the power source as possible, (not as near to the radio as possible)
remember that while most factory fuse boxes will accept a little more current being run through them if you take too much you will blow fuses, and NEVER put a bigger rated fuse in the Morris fuse box to ""get round the problem" as it’s a disaster waiting to happen,

A simple multi meter is always useful if you’re doing any wiring on a car, and always disconnect the battery before starting and work,

Hope that helps

Steve

[scrooge95]

A few years ago I saw an article that said over 85% of all car fires came from aftermarket wiring,
So with no disrespects if you have to ask perhaps you should consider getting a local auto electrician to help,

But if you do want to proceed,

There's a switched live on the back of your ignition switch, terminal 9 from memory, should be the same number if its key start or pull start, you can pick up here,
Or run a wire through the large grommet (the one with the 3 screw securing plate on the bulkhead) and pick up on the switched fuse in the fuse holder,

But where ever you pick up from put a suitable fuse inline as near to the power source as possible, (not as near to the radio as possible)
remember that while most factory fuse boxes will accept a little more current being run through them if you take too much you will blow fuses, and NEVER put a bigger rated fuse in the Morris fuse box to ""get round the problem" as it’s a disaster waiting to happen,

A simple multi meter is always useful if you’re doing any wiring on a car, and always disconnect the battery before starting and work,

Hope that helps

Steve

Thanks Steve, and fair comment about 'if I have to ask, I shouldn't do it'.
I should've said I was a complete novice to Morris Minor wiring, rather than implying complete novice in general, but I take it on board.
I assumed off the ignition switch, but having not ventured in that area yet (I'm used to VW campervans with ignition switches on the steering column not in the centre of the dash) I wondered if anyone took a different route.

I'll most likely get an auto electrician to have a look at it all, to be honest... 57 year old wiring scares me slightly, and it would be infinitely preferable to have a new loom.

Thanks for the reply.