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85 Subaru GL radio questions.


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I got an 85 Subaru GL, I guess it started life with two crappy speakers in the front dash, previous owner wired (poorly.... jesus) some bigger square speakers and left them sitting in the backseat foot rest area.  

 

My "stereo" is hot garbage, and is currently just one speaker. 

 

Really all I want is to listen to NPR on AM radio and the occasional podcast while I drive.  

 

IN my dreams when I close my eyes and think about unicorns and magic and that love is truly real I picture buying a stereo kit off amazon for around 80 bucks that has a head unit and four speakers and wiring it in.  

 

Is this just going to end with me getting tangled in wires behind the dash and going from one crappy speaker to no speakers? 

 

I know the radio is built in to the dash so I will have to do some cutting.  My car is a beater but I don't want to murder her any more than she has been. 

 

Anyone have experience with this? I know how to read a schematic and solder things, I'm a maintenance guy and troubleshooter by trade, though cars can be stupid. I really don't want to go to a audio store and pay (probably) more than I paid for the actual car. 

 

I have a WRX that I'm trying to drive less and a list of things I need to fix on my GL to make that happen, stereo is second under my broken window regulator.  

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This will be a shameless plug for my favorite car audio guys Crutchfield.com https://www.crutchfield.com/Car/outfitmycar/mycar.aspx

 

I plugged in your car details and found a Dual branded radio head for $44 and 4" front door speakers for $30 for the pair. 

I think that fits in your perfect world scenario where elected politicians make wise decisions. :)

 

What makes these folks standout is that they make available radio to car adapters wiring kits and Install checklists with the new Radio Bezel for your car available as a kit.

 

I have two of these cars and put extra speakers in both.

The Loyale is a pill because the rear doors do not have the space cut out for speakers in the interior door panels.

The speaker wiring is there and ready to be used.

 

Remember to never let the speaker frames ground to the car chassis ground.

 

Have fun.

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crutchfeild will not have a wiring adapter for this car.

 

You need to run new speaker wire to the front door speakers.  Tis is because the factory wiring uses shared grounds for each side speaker set.  Needs to be seperated to work with aftermarket decks.  

 

You can merge into their wiring at the kickpanels .  Pink 2 pole connectors.  Blue is ground, light colored wire is +

 

Connect behind radio:

 

large white wire in the dash is the Batt. +,

Blue/yellow is Ig. switched power.

Black is ground

 

Rear speakers :

RL+ Yellow/white

RL- Blue/red

RR+ White/blue

RR- Blue/black

 

Connect with new front speaker wires at pink connector before door.

 

Speakers:

FL+ yellow

FL- Blue/red

FR+ White/red

FR- Blue/black

Edited by Gloyale
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Awesome! I kinda figured that was how it was gonna go down.  I'm not overly afraid of the process if I know where I'm going. 

Did you guys just chop your old radio out? Since it is built into the dash I figure that is what is going to have to happen, that or I will just mount it somewhere else.

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Awesome! I kinda figured that was how it was gonna go down.  I'm not overly afraid of the process if I know where I'm going. 

Did you guys just chop your old radio out? Since it is built into the dash I figure that is what is going to have to happen, that or I will just mount it somewhere else.

 

It's retained with a bracket.  It can be removed.

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I got an 85 Subaru GL, I guess it started life with two crappy speakers in the front dash, previous owner wired (poorly.... jesus) some bigger square speakers and left them sitting in the backseat foot rest area.  

 

 

 

I just reread and noticed that you say the speakers were in the dash?

 

Is your GL a 2 door hatch?  If so it is technically an EA81 body car and very different than later EA82 (Loyale body) car.

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No it's a wagon. I had one speaker on the far left side under the dash, and I believe I had one on the other side as well. but now I'm doubting myself.

 

should be in the doors.

 

And there should be wires and cutouts for the rear doors speakers too.

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