Stereo install complete

[Old Boy Bergy]

Aftermarket headunit is a cheapy Sony, running the front speakers (infinity Reference 5.25" Components).
Amp is an Alpine MRD-M501 mono amp driving an Infinity Kappa 10" sub in a Q-Logic enclosure.

It all sounds quite good, though eventually I would like to run the components off an outboard amp vice the HU. Since the HU only has one set of preamps, all I could do was the sub for now.

I will post pics of where/how I mounted everything. I think I may have found the best way to connect power to the HU... pictures of that, too. These pics will be duplicates of the last set of pics in my 'hackjobs' thread... in case anyone is following that saga.

[nino]

Lookin forward to the pics and writeup. As soon as those speakers get in Ill be starting my install which is almost exactly the same as yours. This thread will be my reference

[SamE30e]

Best way to connect power to the head unit?.... The factory wires :O

[Old Boy Bergy]

Best way to connect power to the head unit?.... The factory wires :O

Absolutely the factory wires. No arguments. Unfortunately, I've read many threads where people have tapped hazard lights and cigarette lighter power simply because it was 'easier'. I personally like 'more correct' than 'easier'. There's a four pin connection at the bulkhead, right below the OBC relay. It has the constant (grey/red), switched (violet/grey), ground (brown/black), and another wire that didn't seem to have any power (green/red), all in one plug - no more wires, no fewer.

I re-wrapped these wires (they weren't in any bundles in my car) in a spiral wrap, from the bulkhead to the point where I had to splice them. I carefully routed them and clipped them into the wire ties on the bottom of the center duct.

For the job, I removed all the center console pieces, plus all seating surfaces. I removed the door sills as well, to access the wire channels (see later). Since I'd just spent two weeks removing wires under the steering column, I didn't want to run the RCAs or amp remote lead in the space under there. Instead, I ran them down the metal tube-support that runs near-vertically down the left side (driver's side) of the center console, then under the carpet along the transmission tunnel. At the front of the rear seat, I ran these wires out laterally and joined them up with the rest of the wires going into the trunk.

I had also started the antenna and rear speaker wires down the same path, but split them off around the shifter area to route them out to the wire channel under the door sill and then to the trunk. There are special clips along the floorpan under the driver's seat, and under the floor ducting. I clipped all wires in place under there, and also in the wire channel at the side of the car. They then got connected into all the wire clips and routed to the trunk.

[StereoInstaller1]

green/red is dash lights, IIRC.