Newer cd/cassette premium sound in 87-88?

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Newer cd/cassette premium sound in 87-88?

October 16, 2006, 03:03:30 PM

Hi all, this has probably been asked a million times, but lemme ask again...

My 87 LS has the factory EQ/Cassette, and I'm wondering if I can swap the EQ/Cassette for a newer Cassette/CD Player out of an early-mid 90's Ford, single din of course

Anyone know if I can mate the wiring, or if specific adapters exist? I want a stock look, with a little bit newer features. I don't mind if it disables my factory premium amp, no biggie. Just curious who's done this before....if anyone :nkhk:

Newer cd/cassette premium sound in 87-88?

Reply #1 – October 16, 2006, 05:33:00 PM

When I had access to Ford manuals back in school, I searched to find a Single DIN CD player with the same connections in the back. I found that the early 90's Escort/Tracer used exactly that. It has the same connections as the fox radio's. I didn't have a chance to compare wiring though.

Also, these radios, unfortunetly, mounted differently. Instead of screwing onto supports, like the fox radios, these slide into place. To remove them, you need those special Ford radio removal tools. If you could somehow fab up a cage to hold the radio in place while allowing you to mount the radio/cage assy to the support, it would work. Sorta like a factory retrofit CD mounting kit.

As for the capatability for Premium sound, buy a radio and just plug-and-try. As I said, I didn't get to compare wiring. But if it is similar in nature to the fox radios, and the GM radios, then it should interchange and be able to use the Premiem sound w/EQ. My 02 Grand Prix came with Bose (premium sound), but a basic radio. I just swapped the radio with a 7-band Delco unit from the middle-class Delco system and it worked with no problems. As with the fox radios, any tape deck will work. My 87 XR-7 had Premium sound w/EQ while using a 92 Mustang radio w/o Premium sound. I wanted to upgrade to a Factory Cd, too, but I sold the car before I could try it....although I did have an old Sony unit hooked up to use both the Premium amps and EQ, without the use of the Pre-outs.

Newer cd/cassette premium sound in 87-88?

Reply #2 – October 16, 2006, 06:43:42 PM

Why not just buy a nice black aftermarket stereo with green display,and a wiring harness kit from Autozone or Wal Mart or anywhere else.No cutting to the factory harness required.Easy stuff.

Newer cd/cassette premium sound in 87-88?

Reply #3 – October 16, 2006, 07:11:52 PM

Is there a plug in harness for the factory Ford stereo plug in so you can run and aftermarket deck with the priemium stuff bypassed????

Newer cd/cassette premium sound in 87-88?

Reply #4 – October 17, 2006, 09:52:49 AM

I know they make plugs to replace cut plugs that plug into the back of the factory head units. So if you got a newer factory ford CD headunit go by the replacement plugs and then also buy the factory plugs to plug into you car. Both should come with a wiring diagram teling what wire is what. Then soilder and heat shrink the conections together and you shold be set. I have no idea if it will work with the premium sound but I think it would. Most of the time that the aftermarket units don;t work with the premium sound is the amount of power they put out compared to the factory unit. The aftermarket will over drive the factroy premium amp inputs. Hope it works out for you keep us up to date on whitch factory unit you used and how it worked. I wonder if you could get a new enough unit that it would play MP3's,WMA's That would be really cool.

Newer cd/cassette premium sound in 87-88?

Reply #5 – October 17, 2006, 04:03:27 PM

why not just run new wiring for the new stereo? if you are going to buy an after market stereo anyway, running new wires isn't that big a deal, i just did it last weekend.

Newer cd/cassette premium sound in 87-88?

Reply #6 – October 18, 2006, 10:18:23 AM

Why run the new wires? There is a plug behind the radio that you can unplug it and plug the speaker outputs into it then you have bypassed the premium sound. Not shure exzactly where back there but it is there. Search is your friend. I know many others on the borad have done it this way.