TeamPoisonOil

If I pick up a factory stereo from the junkyard to put in my '85 Firebird, will I need to override the factory security system?

If yes, how do I do that?

-Mark

OLDYELLR

I have not seen a stock stereo of that vintage with a security system.

TeamPoisonOil

how about a newer radio? 2000 or newer?

CorvairGeek

Most by 2000 are serial bus (must see mating VIN on the bus) and are a whole other can of worms, besides being double DIN. Others will be fine as long as some did not set the code. Those can be unlocked.

John in RI

iTrader: (167)

This Pontiac deck is from the late ninties/early 00's and not all that hard to find in the boneyards. They use have - an can use - a basic code lock,.... but most of the ones I've pulled from local yards are not locked. The 3rd gen radio plug is (almost) a direct fit for this kind of radio but it looks like you'd need to modify the bracket a little to get it too fit properly. ( use the SEARCH ! ) As described by CorvairGeek; any Pontiac head units after about 03' are (much) more complicated and in most cases - not worth the effort.

CorvairGeek

That's a nice radio! I'm glad someone pointed it out, as I forget that there are a few good for swaps into older vehicles.
Do you know if it suffers the burn out of the LCD backlite bulbs like the later units (or like all the button backlite bulbs)? I frequently find the Pontiac radios look dead, even when functional, due to the unique LCD display. Makes them challenging to test, unlike all the Vacuum Florescent Displays (even if dimmed) in bright daylight at my favorite yards. There seems to be a break point after the early 90s when the bulb life goes to crap.

John in RI

iTrader: (167)

I've got a few of these head units ( with good display, working CD and good lighting) and your right,..... about 1/3rd of them I pull have got a bad/dead display bulb. A dead CD player is the next most common fault followed by dead face-plate/button light or 2 and many of them have badly worn buttons.

If you plug one of these in and power-up and notice that the display is dark, you can place a flashlight up to the display from the outside & can kinda' see the radio station text on the display. I'm not sure how well this would work in the daylight because I don't test when I'm at the yards, I test them at home and return dead units when the problem is more significant than a CD player or a bad display bulb. Thankfully; theses radios are really easy to open up & replacing a dead display bulb is quick and simple.

sonjaab

These 80s-90s GM Delco radios may be locked.
But there are several threads out there to unlock yourself.
( I posted one a long while back. a search will bring it up)

Aside from That the only issue is the plug in pin size.
Early years have big pins. Later have the little pins.
Crutchfield and others sell crossover/adapter plugs.

Remember 2003 and up GM radios are VIN# locked and
a visit to a GM Tech2 machine is necessary.