Stereo

[Dean]

Calling all those with a talking dash.......

I want to fit a more modern radio in my VDP, on removing the original radio, i've noticed that it has round type connectors, is there such a coversion harness available, don't want to cut the wiring.

Also, while reading handbook, it says that the speakers have to be earthed themselves for the voice unit to work properly, how is this done?

The first of many posts regarding the Mk.1 ! ;)

Cheers

Dean.

[tony]

there is no plug avalable that i know of that lets you plug and play.you have to cut the wiring , or cut a plug off a old radio and wire that into your new radio and plug that in .
Also, while reading handbook, it says that the speakers have to be earthed themselves for the voice unit to work properly, how is this done?
not sure which hand book you have there but the speakers have no earth connection ,they wire from the radio thro the voice cut out relay onto the balance control(if fitted) to the speaker then back to the radio. all of this is wired into the car allready :) .

[Simon]

If you are clever you can make one from an old multiplug and some new connector pins and a new ISO block connector to fit a modern head unit that'll just slot in meaning nothing need be cut up.

[Jonathan]

I've been having the same problem trying to wire in a spare R950 from my old 800 and the active sub which are all ISO. At the moment it's a right mess with terminal blocks holding it all together for test purposes but that was only meant to be temporary. I can only get the complete ISO blocks with leads already installed, I can't get the blocks and pins separately anywhere.

[Beaker]

There is a conversion harness avaliable to avoid cutting the wires. I was looking at them to allow me to use a more modern stereo in my VDP, whilst changing back to the orginal radio to obtain the authenticity for shows. Try your local Halfords for one, they are normally a tenner.

[Ricky]

From memory, you need to make sure that the speakers earth through only the one earth point, so that they cut out when the voice box wants to talk, as this is the mistake I made when I wired in my Kenwood, was rather odd to hear garbled radio stations and the maestro trying to talk over it! If you look at the multiplug on the old radio, you should realise what I'm wittering on about, mine had just a little pass through wire joining the two earths together.

HTH,

Ricky.

[SimonR]

Calling all those with a talking dash.......

I want to fit a more modern radio in my VDP, on removing the original radio, i've noticed that it has round type connectors, is there such a coversion harness available, don't want to cut the wiring.

Also, while reading handbook, it says that the speakers have to be earthed themselves for the voice unit to work properly, how is this done?

The first of many posts regarding the Mk.1 ! ;)

Cheers

Dean.

I've done this upgrade without any need to cut wires.
On the multiplug that has the power connections for the stereo you can use individual bullet connectors pushed into the female part of the plug. You'll need to run a wire from the battery, via the fusebox for the permenent +12v and also this may be the ideal time to upgrade your speaker wires. Many new stereos don't like the common earth setup of the early Maestros so upgraded speakers is reallly the way forward.

On the subject of making the voice systhesis unit work with a new stereo, it's true that you have to earth the speakers *only* if you don't use the original speaker connections. When I did my conversion I put two new speakers in the doors and left the Voice synthesis unit talking through the dash-mounted speakers.

Come to think of it, there is a thread I posted all this on:
Here (http://www.maestro.org.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1257&highlight=a335)

[SimonR]

And here (http://www.maestro.org.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1070)

[mtamin]

Just to confirm there is definitely a conversion harness available. I have just fitted one and it took about 2 minutes to fit with no cutting of original wiring.
Mine cost £10.99 - a bit steep but its worth it for the hassle free fitment.

Mine is by a company called Autoleads LTD see www.autoleads.co.uk and the part number is PC2-16-4.

On the pack it only mentions Metro and Montego but it worked a treat on my 1988 Maestro.

Hope this helps

[Mariocart]

Just a quick thought, but a friend helped me with the speaker earth problem on my Maestro a while ago when I fitted the digi dash, I think, if memory serves, we used a bi-polar relay to pass the earth over(about £5 from Maplins, who can probably help with most queries for connectors, terminals etc. www.maplins.co.uk ), this cuts the radio output and gives priority to the voice synth unit by switching the earth.

If possible, I will try to get in touch with him about it (though we don't often have chance to speak these days), as I can't remember exactly how the wiring went.


Chris

[E_T_V]

Just to confirm there is definitely a conversion harness available. I have just fitted one and it took about 2 minutes to fit with no cutting of original wiring.
Mine cost £10.99 - a bit steep but its worth it for the hassle free fitment.

Mine is by a company called Autoleads LTD see www.autoleads.co.uk and the part number is PC2-16-4.

On the pack it only mentions Metro and Montego but it worked a treat on my 1988 Maestro.

Hope this helps

The conversion kit only works with the middle aged cars with DIN connectors. The early ones have a multiple bullet type conenctor which I've not found a kit yet for. Although as simon says you can use bullets attached to an iso connector which are really easy to get hold of.

[Beaker]

There is a conversion harness avaliable to avoid cutting the wires. I was looking at them to allow me to use a more modern stereo in my VDP, whilst changing back to the orginal radio to obtain the authenticity for shows. Try your local Halfords for one, they are normally a tenner.

My mistake on this one, I assumed the VDP radio had DIN connectors but it turned out after looking at Deans setup at BL rally that it is the bullet type connectors. Shouldn't be too much trouble to make a conversion harness up tho'

[Simon]

Pre 1986 Maestro's had the 7 way Rists "Total Terminal Security" multiplugs. The one for the stereo is a 7 way unit and should already be prewired with ignition control (Green) permanent live (purple) earth (black) and front speaker wires with separate earths. You could fit a more modern stereo adaptor harness bygoing to your dealer and buying a new 7 way plug moulding (AFU1488) a locking bar (AFU 1472) and a pack of 10 terminal pins (ADU 7537). Alternatively, a company called vehicle wiring products 9 Buxton Court, Manners Ind. Est. Ilkeston, Derbyshire. DE7 8EF. 0115 9305454 www.vehicle-wiring-products.co.uk will sell you a complete kit complete with plug, socket and the necessary terminals. Once you have got hold of the the multiplug that's the car end taken care of, the new stereo end is an ISO to plain wire ends adaptor available from Halfords or Autoleads. Use the markings on the ISO connector leads to enable you to solder the correct wire to the correct pin on the multiplug. Incidentally these pins are not bullet connectors.

[skipweasel]

"Total Terminal Security"
Cradle to grave care?

[D87 SMW]

Cradle to grave care?


:laugh: :laugh:

[threelitre]

I'll have to check this out, but if my mind serves me right I do have a few old style multiplug to DIN converter sets (original Austin Rover stuff) lying around in my storage. If anybody is interested I can look them up...

Regards,

Alexander

[Simon]

They would be useful. You can re-use old mouldings by pushing the barb on the connector pin in using a small screwdriver. You always need new pins though..

[Beaker]

I'll have to check this out, but if my mind serves me right I do have a few old style multiplug to DIN converter sets (original Austin Rover stuff) lying around in my storage. If anybody is interested I can look them up...

Regards,

Alexander

Sounds interesting.....let us know if you find any.

[Dean]

Alternatively, a company called vehicle wiring products 9 Buxton Court, Manners Ind. Est. Ilkeston, Derbyshire. DE7 8EF. 0115 9305454 www.vehicle-wiring-products.co.uk will sell you a complete kit complete with plug, socket and the necessary terminals.


Cheers Simon, that place is 5 mins from my work, i've been looking at their website but can't find the part you're talking about, can you help me please?

Also I need help with additional wiring because i've got the fader control next to handbrake and i've been told this won't work properly and needs modifying. The voice unit needs to be earthed properly too, so i can hear the dash speak rubbish! (like telling me the engine is hot when it's stone cold, but that's another problem for another day.)

Alexander, if you find these connectors, i'd be intertesed in one, if I haven't got things sorted by then.

Cheers

Dean.

[Simon]

I dont think these connectors are in the online catalogue for some reason, but they are in the paper catalogue for certain. Whatever the end connector is on a Maestro or Montego (at least until late 1988) there will be a Total Terminal Security on the other end for sure. Just pop in and ask them for the BL type Rists multiplugs with the yellow locking bars in them. The guys are friendly.

[threelitre]

Hi!

I've got at least 2 of the sets I mentioned. They do connect the BL 7-pin multiplug to a DIN connector (the longish one for the power feed and 2 additional speaker connectors). So if you go to a HiFi-place and buy a DIN-to-ISO converter, which should be readily available, and plug all 2 converters into your old Maestro to fit a more modern radio, you should be sorted in the end. Even the fitted fader control should work if you just connect it as it is (e.g. only front on the radio). The only problem might be that the voice synthesizer makes itself not heard, if the new radio doesn't earth the speakers properly... Oh, the parts number of my BL-to-DIN-connectors is DRC 8925. Probably you could give Rover a call about these?

Alexander