88-89 radio change

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

if you are like me and love loud high quality music here is a tip to improve the sound in your reattas. the radio brain box can be replaced with the one out of mid to late 90's chev pick-up, and also some buicks in that range. (thes units have aux inputs that may be used for many devices) Your crt will control any of them but you may lose your eq for a bass and teble control (losing the eq is not all a bad thing. the eq in the reatta limits the band freq from that of newer radios. I will post a bit more specs an maybe a couple pix of my litte removal of the reatta tape deck shotly

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

here are a few picks of my little radio upgrade

this is the pic of the controls for a radio that does not have the EQ option

this is my half din DVD player, from Power Akoustic (works great), and wired direct through the radio.

LCD sold at target as a add on screan under the Kawasaki brand name, repackaged to fit the old tape player spot

sub box fiberglassed in, raised 1.5 inches above the trunk floor, and coveredby the original carpet(sounds even beter than I hoped for)

[Guest TommyH]

does the crt automatical change to the pic? and how did you add the sub? thanks

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

Yes the CRT automatically changes to the new screan. To add the sub I used a device called a LC6 from Audio Control $250, but if you are not looking for competition sound walmart sells a line converter (scoshe) for around $17 that rivals and surpasses most you will find in a audio shop.

I can not stress how much of a improvement the later modle radio box is in these cars

[Guest Durahansolo]

I wanna be like you and F14 when i grow up <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> .

Your install is cleaner than mine, i likes it. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Guest F14CRAZY]

NX's looks a lot sharper than mine

[manikmekanik]

...but I LIKE to play with my EQ!

[Guest TommyH]

thats what the eq in the carPUTER is for!!!

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

there are later model radios with the EQ (have not used one yet)

[Guest TommyH]

could you mention the years? i cant just call a junk yard if i dont know what im looking for!

thanks

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

I believe mine came out of a 94 buick regal, but I know they also come out of 92-94 chevy full size pickups

[Guest F14CRAZY]

I thought that all Reattas had the equilizer, and Riviera's had it as an option...I may be wrong, but that's what I've always thought

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

I think youn are right about the eq but the crt will automatically change if you install a radio brain box with out the eq

[Guest F14CRAZY]

Agreed

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

Quick note to ensure you have the newer radio. the newer radios are lighter in weight and the heat sink fins run the oposite way of rhe original stock Reatta radio

[Guest TommyH]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Quick note to ensure you have the newer radio. the newer radios are lighter in weight and the heat sink fins run the oposite way of rhe original stock Reatta radio </div></div>

how bout a pic?

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

reatta's radio

sorry if it is not the best pick. it was the only one I could find on line

newer style

[Guest F14CRAZY]

Sry it took me a while to figure out what was going on here...but this is a very innovative find. Do the newer boxes have aux inputs that work?

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

Yes I wired in a DVD and a head phone jack as an aux input (in the ashtray compartment) to get the aux to work you must plug your tape deck into them and press play (with a tape in). Then when you remove it from the radio box the aux inputs will accept most any low power audio signal. to acsses the aux inputs you must press play on the CRT (radio). I am also checking into finding a delco slave CD player. Hopefully one will work with all the CRT controls (just a whisper of a dream at the moment)

[Guest F14CRAZY]

Ah yes, seems to be the same as Tommy did. I'm gonna have to look over his post again, for when I did it back in the day it didn't work for me and I've been stuck with a hardwired FM modulator.

Heh a CD would be really cool through the CRT. Will have to find out

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

this slave cd player may work. I will have to try to find one for less than this ebay one 110066777036

[Guest F14CRAZY]

Wonder how the CRT will react to having a CD player connected to it...

[Guest F14CRAZY]

hey NX, I got thinking...

Is the radio unit from like a '95 Regal? I've been thinking, that since there's some with regular audio and some with the "Concert" 8 speaker system, that maybe that one has the equilizer...maybe?

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

not sure about the regals but some of the trucks have the Eq. I also found a 6 disck in-dash changer that may work completely with our CRTs but I have to find the money to research it

[Guest F14CRAZY]

yeah I know what you mean there. I've thought up some dream A/V/computer systems in my head, but the lack of funding always gets in the way.

I do commend you for your finding and continuing research.

[Guest TommyH]

so, i need to have my tape deck? i wanted to scrap it.it doesnt work, and it seems to leak oil like a sive. i dont know why it does that, but it does. and a hardwired fm modulator only put out about 96kbs, while most of the a

songs you get from itunes for example, are 128Kbs. fm doesnt sound good when played loud,nomatter what you say, also, i am kind of an audiophile. so do i need to hold onto my tape dck? how bout taking the slim onefrom a 94 silverado. my dad had one, and it had the control head, and i think it had some kind of eq. i will look. emailmethe years that that cd deck cameout of, and i will make some calls.

[Rawja]

I had issues using a TransPod with my '89. The 120V inverters for the dash lighting would create interference when the parking or headlights were on.

I had a cassette adapter that came with an XM radio laying around and just for S&G deciede to give it a try.

I'm glad I did. The sound quality was much improved over the FM modulator even without considering the interference problem that made it annoying to listen to at night.

I've left the adapter in, and have routed the (black) connection wire under the trim to the location I keep my iPod so it's invisible, and sounds great.

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

This Cd player came out of 1995-2002 full size pickups and SUVs, 1996-2005 Astro and Safari Vans, 1997-1999 Vanture, Shilouette and Montana Vans.

I also am looking at a 6 disk changer (This unit was used on the following 2001-2003 General Motors vehicles; Tahoe, Yukon, Denali, Escalade, and Suburban. Model # 15095685) that has just about the same dimentions as th CD player and the plug "looks" the same as the nine pin on the back of the cd player, but I am still researching it

[Guest TommyH]

so im still not understanding this, if i got a newer radio module, would i still need to keep my casset player? i realy want to see it gone. im bidding on a possible damadge ctr, so when i move it down the where the casste player was,i wont damagemy good one with all the cuting n stuff i might do. so if i got a new module, would i still need the casset player???

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

only for the intial use of aux and if you loose battery for a long period of time. when I installed the new radio I did not have to use the tape deck to enable the aux (play option) but I would keep the tape around just incase

[Guest F14CRAZY]

NX is correct. Only need the tape deck connected for the first time

[Guest TommyH]

cool. i will call around, and try to find a slave cd player. i dont think a cd changer would work, because they are much more advanced that just a slave cd player.

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

you are probably right but the plugs do look the same. I will try it some day. I found a pick on Ebay and the players look about the same width as our tape decks, but I will have to see one up close

[Guest TommyH]

hope it works, but i think i will stilll use a carputer. i hate changing cds.

[fishbone]

I found somthing that may/ or may not work just wanted to run it across you guys first.

http://www.oem-auto-accessory.com/aux_pod_with_plug_for_gm_radios_95_2000.html

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

Hey here is a little help (wiring diagram 99 blazer) if any one wants to find and try a slave delco cd player (like the one above)

[PlymouthMass]

I saw your post on the Regal Radio Swap. Will this work on a 90 Reatta? Is it an exact fit? Does the wiring plug right in or is their some creativity involved. Is the 95 Regal the easyiest swap ?

Thanks.

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

The 95 Regal and 88-94 gm full size pickups are a direct swap for the 88 and 89 Reattas, and the wiring is plug and play. But in 90 and 91, if I remeber correctly, our reattas went to a standard GM head unit and lost the TCC. There are many adapters sold, for under $20, that allow for the use of a standard single or 1.5 din aftermarket head unit. If you are looking to improve sound quality in a 90/1 I would recomend the upgrade to an aftermarket head unit. Installing one of these units is fairly painless. There are wiring harnesses sold to simplify installs. Also if you do not want to take on the install yourself, most of the major electronic stores will do the install for free when you buy the head unit and install accesories. This thread is aimed more twards those who want a improved sound and aux imput without loosing the TCC radio control in 88 and 89 Reatta and Rivs

[Guest Stormin]

Any updates on the newer radio installs? I have an 89 that the radio just took a dump and figure now would be the time for the newer setup. The radio only hums now with a little bit of static. Antenna goes up when you turn on the ignition and stays up until you turn off power or after opening the door. It will not retract if you turn off the power to the radio. Also the hum does not go away when power to radio is turned off. Station scans will not work,but presets do change. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.....Norm

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

Norm,

It sounds like some one spilled some water on your center councel, or it could just be an old radio brain. The easiest, quickest, and cheapest fix, would be to pull a new brain box out of a Regal (95+/- a year) or GM pickup (88-94). If you want to keep the factory 7 band EQ it will take you a bit longer to find a replacement radio. Most of them only have bass ant treble fnctions, wich look like the picture above. Or you can drop me a pm, pay shipping pluss the twelve dollars, I payed for my spare radio brains and I will send what ever one you would like. I prefer the bass and treble modle over the EQ version, but that was running through amplifiers.

There is one other radio brain that works, but it has to be used with an aplifier. It is out of a 96'+/- Cadilliac. This is the one I am currently using. This brain has very little bass roll off, for installing aftermarket speakers.