Topic: Switched Power for '69 AM Radio?

[drummingrocks]

Hi guys, I have a quick question that I hope has a relatively quick answer.  I've had the original AM radio in my '69 Mach 1 converted to AM/FM/iPod by Gary Tayman.  The radio has always had a problem with cutting out, like someone literally pulled the power wire.  You can never predict when it will happen; the radio will work fine for days, and then won't come back on for months.  I had it wired up to the original two-prong radio power connector, and later, while troubleshooting, I ran a new wire from the radio fuse in the fusebox to the power connector on the radio (hoping to bypass what I thought might be a bad wire in the original harness).

The problems with the radio have persisted.  Before I call Gary, I'd like to be 100% certain that the radio isn't the problem.  I know on a '65-66 Mustang, you can get power from the stud on the back of the ignition switch.  However, the '69 doesn't have this setup, but presumably has a wire that functions like the stud does on a '65-66.  If I wanted to verify that there's not a problem with the fusebox and/or a wire in the original harness, would this wire on the back of the ignition switch be the next best place to pick up switched power?  I'd like to bypass the radio circuit once and for all and verify that the problem isn't in my wiring harness.

Thanks for the help!  This has been driving me crazy for a LONG time!

[Paperback Writer]

I had one of my ’67 AM radios converted to AM/FM/MP3 Input by Gary Tayman as well, and had a similar problem - the radio worked fine for a few weeks, and then nothing.  However, I noticed that while I couldn’t get anything to tune-in on the radio, the MP3 Input worked just fine…

It turned out that the problem was actually with the repro antenna I had on the car and not with the radio at all.  The cheap plug at the end of the repro antenna wire wasn’t making very good contact inside the radio, and that was why the radio stopped working.   So I spliced the plug from what was left of my damaged, original antenna onto the repro wire (the antenna wires are really nothing more than a small coaxial cable), and haven’t had any problems with the radio since then…

Does your MP3/iPod input still work?  If so, try plugging a different antenna (preferably, an original one from Ford) into the radio and see if that helps solve the problem.  If not, then give Gary a call…

Good luck!

[drummingrocks]

Does your MP3/iPod input still work?  If so, try plugging a different antenna (preferably, an original one from Ford) into the radio and see if that helps solve the problem.  If not, then give Gary a call…

No, when the radio goes out, everything goes, including the MP3/iPod hookup.  Took the car to a show yesterday, and had a working radio for most of the way there.  On the ride back home, nothing.

[J_Speegle]

I think I would run a hot wire with a fuse in line to the batter or starter relay and run it like that to eliminate the old wire loom and everything up stream for a test and base my next step on my findings

[drummingrocks]

I think I would run a hot wire with a fuse in line to the batter or starter relay and run it like that to eliminate the old wire loom and everything up stream for a test and base my next step on my findings

I think this will be my next step.  I can take the wire I ran directly to the fuse panel and extend it through the firewall, then on to the engine bay.  That should bypass virtually all of the factory wiring.

[jwc66k]

Make sure that the lead is fused.
Jim