Category: Automotive

This blog entry shows how I replaced the original radio cassette with a Panasonic unit, installed rear parcel shelf speakers and a sub woofer with amplifier.

The car – a 1991 Toyota Camry SV21

This picture was taken new years day 2004 at Kalista up in the Dandenong’s.

The sound gear

Purchased a Panasonic CQ-C1101W 4 x 50W RMS CD Player from Super Cheap Auto for $149
 

and for the back parcel shelf a set of Panasonic CJA1600U 6-1/2" 2-Way Coaxial Speakers for $59.

  

US-Audio 12” sub and USA404ZA 4 channel 600W amp. I wanted a 2 channel (see further down).

Installation preparation

 

Take out the rear seat.

 

and and clean out the boot. Prepare to run some wiring, 12V from the battery through the bulkhead and from the console include the audio cables and remote turn on (blue) wire. With my particular model (Executive) the wiring loom includes the rear speakers but no speakers are installed so I don’t have to run those wires.
The original sound system was just a basic radio cassette with front speakers mounted in the dash – pretty tinny.

Installing the Panasonic head unit.

 

I usually don’t bother with a wiring harness that mates the unit with the car’s wiring loom, just use a standard terminal block. Work out all the wires with a multimeter, label as needed and then cut off the wiring loom sockets.

I used a Rampage 8G wiring kit, the usual painful bit is finding a way through the bulkhead for the 12V wire that runs from the battery directly to the amp.

 

 

Tidy up everything and prepare to screw in the new unit. Lots of duct tape over the terminal block.
At this point before mounting the unit power up and check that the radio and speakers are working OK.

     

Unit is screwed in, now line up facia assembly and snap into place.

   

Just about done at the front, let’s pop in the first CD and take a break.

Installing the amp and sub

    

Here is the amp screwed to a piece of laminated MDF which in turn is screwed to the metalwork. The wiring is fairly simple; Ground, Remote and +12V straight from the battery. I found a spot nearby to bolt down the earth; cleaned/scraped around the screw hole and used star and spring washers to make a good electrical ground.

When I went down to Autobarn in Ringwood to purchase the amp and sub they were sold out on the 2 channel amps but no problem we will order one for you – cool. Anyway…when I went to pick up the amp I was informed they were not able to source the 2 channel so they got me a 4 channel for the same price. I really wanted a 2 channel bridged to run one sub. I checked that the 4 channel was bridgeable and said OK. In the picture you can see the sub speaker cable connected to the rear channels (top set) in bridge mode.  The bottom unused set are the front channels.

Installing the rear parcel shelf speakers

The rear shelf metal work already has the holes for the speakers so all I have to do is climb into the boot and with a fat marking pen transfer the holes to the underside of the parcel shelf, working around things in my way like the boot torsion rods etc.

   

Remove the shelf and find somewhere suitable to cut out the holes, I used the green bin with a towel to protect the vinyl covering.
To make the cut’s I used a Stanley knife and small ball peen hammer, tap, tap…slowly working my way around each one.
Then I marked and drilled the speaker holes, pushed on speed clips and screwed down the speakers.