Hi. I have a 100% original 1988 Trans Am GTA, and it still has the original cassette tape head unit in it. It works fine and i love it, but i long for some better music, so want to put my new Alpine cd head unit with usb port.
How much of a pain is it to get the original head unit out? And is in a major re wire job for the new one as these cars are now 24 years old and i'm thinking, don't have the modern universal type plugs on the back of them???
Thanks in advance.....
Greg

 

Pull off the radio pod trim (WITHOUT breaking it), undo the 4 screws holding the factory unit in and pull it straight out the front. Then reach behind it and disconnect the antenna and the 3-4 wiring connectors. Done.

Buy your new unit AND a GM 21-pin wiring adapter. Wire the stereo wiring to the adapter and plug it in (don't use the orange wires on the stereo harness, usually, and only wire up the blue and blue/white wires if you have a power antenna (blue) and amp (blue white, may have these reversed, but they're labeled on each wire). Double check your power connections as you may have switched the backup wire and ignition wire. You won't need an antenna adapter because the stock antenna actually already has the adapter on it to mate to the smaller stock antenna plug port on the stock unit. Pull the adapter off of the antenna wire and plug it in. Put the headunit into the mounting bracket and then put it in the radio pod. Done. You want the wires between the wiring harness adapter and the stereo harness short because you won't have room for 6 feet of wire curled up under there.

 

Does the front black plastic trim just pull off to reveal the screws that hold the head unit in?
I'm always scared to just start screwdrivering or levering off delicate trim because, i'm gonna break something, and usually, i break everything
Thank you for the information
I really appreciate it

 

No screwdriver required for the trim plate. Just pull it off.

 

You have to tug a little bit. Use both hands (one on the left and one on the right) and pull straight back, it should come out pretty easily.

Don't pull on just one side as you will likely break it at that point.

Once you get it off you'll see how easy it really is.