Hey Everyone, I am brand new to Camaros. I just bought an 86' 305 as an extra car to drive whenever. It has a stock Delco cassette player that seems to be shorting out on occasion. It fades in and out from the left side to the right and then from the back to the front. Always in random order. It seems if one of the speakers goes out I can either press on the front of the radio or "tap" the side of the console and it kicks back in. Long story short, I assume it's either bad wiring or bad radio unit. My brother has his stock radio from a 94' Firebird that looks identical in size. However, when I try to plug in the, what I assume is a, antenna plug is just a bit too thick to fit in the Firebird unit. Otherwise it looks like the others plugs will match up. Any suggestions? I am relatively new to radio installs. I know matching up colors is not always correct, but I have no other forms of manuals or paperwork to show what is what. Aside from having Best Buy install a separate aftermarket unit, I would like to just save the money and use the Firebird one. Do I need a new wiring harness or am I safe since they are both OEM parts? Thanks in advance.

 

His is from a 4th gen bird, unless it looks exactly the same, don't count on it being wired the same cause it probably isn't, even if they look the same you should check for a part # to be sure, that being said what you need to do is find a wiring diagram for each radio, as for the antenna, I am pretty sure its a universally standard size(though don't quote me on that).

 

Also, chances are someone on the boards has a stock radio they would let go for cheap.

I have mine still after I went aftermarket, but mine is just a radio, not even cassette, the original owner of my car was...odd, bugger sprung for the t-tops which costed more than a v8(and 10% of the car's base cost), as well as AC, and a 3 piece spoiler, but yet got the cheap crap basic radio and a 2.8, though I guess he didn't stick with the duke at least, lol. But you would think all the t-tops cars would be like optioned out for how much that particular option was, seems like the kinda thing only the people with money to kick around would've got.

 

You're right. I meant it's about the same size dimension wise, but looks completely different. I thought the antenna plug would be universal. But when you're trying to save money it seems like noting every goes right. I tried a couple of times to put the antenna plug but I'm afraid I would have to jam it in and you would think it just slides in. I'll look for a wiring diagram, but if I were to get another radio I may just look around the junkyards to find one. I am sure there are plenty of third gens out there. I would say that previous owner was pretty odd for making those choices. You never know. I had an 89 firebird that had t-tops that leaked like a waterfall. Luckily this Z28 that I just picked up is sealed pretty tight.

 

try to get a radio from 88 or earlier. the wiring harness changed in 89, and in 90 they went to yellow letters, which makes my 89 a very difficult year to find a radio for

you can wire a later radio to work in an ealier car, but you need a wiring diagram to determine which wires to connect. it's just not plug and play

 

Yeah my tops don't leak, I thought they did, but its actually my door seal where it meets the window, its cracked in the corner, but weatherstripping is stupid expensive, seriously someone explain to me why it costs more than tires...and I have bigger priorities, plus my driverside floorpan is ****ed already anyways.
Oh, and as for the antenna, you could just splice the other plug size onto your wire lead, that's what I would do, I'm getting kind of used to making things work that weren't intended to work together due to my budget constraints, lol....

 

I feel your pain with the weatherstripping. I had a 78 Bronco that we had to scope out junkyards to find a truck cap. Once we found it we had to purchase weatherstripping and went with the marine based stripping. It worked just fine. I would do that splice work but the plug is still being used on my brother's new radio. Since it's not my primary car, I'll have to look at some more junkyards to piece the radio together. I hope it's not the wiring and just a bad radio unit. Thank you 58mark for the wiring harness tip.

 

The antenna connector changed sizes I believe in 1989 so you would need an adaptor.I got mine from walmart as I have a mid 90`s buick cd player in my 86 Iroc

 

If the car has the 21 pin connector(89-2002?) then the 4th gen radio will be plug and play.I have a 90`s buick cd player in my 89 Iroc vert and the connector is exactly the same.If his car has the 3 big radio plugs(82-88) you can also get an adaptor which has the pin connector on one end and the big plugs on the other end

 

As for the antenna fitment issue, this should solve your problem. It adapts from the large Motorola jack to the mini GM plug. As mentioned above, Walmart also carries these.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009UHJX/...X&linkCode=asn

 

You can use a factory radio from any 85-88 GM vehice including pontiac,chevy or buick. They all used Delco Din and a Half size factory radios and should all use the same harness. If you want to use another radio from a newer vehicle it should all be color to color and you can just cut the connector about an inch or about there from the connector and ruse butt connectors to reconnect with newer connector to fit radio.

Honestly I would just go get a cheap aftermarket radio I got a $300 floor model Pioneer with MP3 plug in that was a floor model from Best Buy for $79.00. That way if you want to upgrade speakers or run a sub you have all the preouts in the back of deck already for RCA's.

Hope that helps but about your radio problem it sounds like a bad unit and i used to have a car that did the same thing and went away with aftermarket deck.

 

It is a different wiring harness, but adapters are available

I personally can't stand the way aftermarket radios look, except for the rare 1.5 DIN aftermarkets, and the 2.0 units that some people make fit

 

I'll probably end up looking for an aftermarket one then with the mp3 port. I want to keep with the vintage look, I agree with you Mark. But if it's going to be around the same price, I may just lean towards the aftermarket if I cannot locate an original in the junkyards.

 

If price is not an option they make factory radio's with the MP3 port built into it. Totally custom and pretty cool but on ebay they wanted a few hundred bucks for them. Of course they are refurbished with all new buttons and lights which make it nice if your trying to keep it original but too rich for my blood. I like aftermarket better but just an fyi there are other options

 

Come to think of it, if hes really set on keeping it stock, he could probably have it rebuilt for less than an all new unit would cost, or fixed at least.