If running an amp, I've always adjusted the amp "gain" to maximum volume without distortion while the radio or device is at 3/4 volume.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Moto...698319?pt=Car_Audio_Video&hash=item230cdd808f just came accrosed this amp on ebay it has more than you will ever need fm,usb,sd normal input, 5v usb for charging and a remote!
Quick question for you guys smarter than I. I am running a 6V system in my '50 Chev. If I run a voltage booster to get from 6V to 12V, how many amps should I expect to need to run this style of system? 3A? 5A? More?? I was thinking of running my ipod and/or a head unit.
Hid my player in the unused/modified ash tray on my '51 Merc, a couple of years ago. The original radio has been modified AM/FM/STEREO/MP3. Aren't these little devices great?
I took an original AM radio and gutted it and placed inside an amp and also a MP3 player. Volume knob on the radio powers everything up and the push buttons on the original radio now control the mp3 player. I got an AM radio and gutted it to this: Smallest amp i could get :wink: Built this control board. These small switches will line up behind the push buttons on the radio. The circuitry is just a voltage regulator so i can step 12v down to 1.5v for the MP3 player. Took an old MP3 player and ran leads out of it that connect through to the switches on the player. Those leads than connect to the switches on the control board. You can see the headphone jack connects through to the amp. After i took the picture i also connected a usb cable to the player and have the end hanging out of the radio so i can bring a laptop in the car for music updates. Here is the control board actually mounted to the back face of the radio. You can see rubber grommets between the board and the housing just for a little protection to the switches. You can see one of the radio push buttons is all the way in and how its activating the control board switch. Put the cover on (amp is mounted to bottom side of cover) and put the radio in the dash and looks 100% stock from the front. I even left the dial indicator in it. The power for the amp and mp3 player run through the volume dial. Turn the volume knob to power on and use the push buttons to control the music. A fun little project. Amp cost me $20. All the rest of the parts i had hanging around.
There wasn't much mention of running this setup with a generator. Anyone running a generator on theirs?? I was planning on using two small speakers with the smallest amp. possible. I would like to use an I-phone as my music source.
here's an idea to hide that iPod. Put the dock on flip side of the sunvisor. Props to Eddie's Rod and Custom of Cedar Rapids Iowa. Creative and energetic guy, does beautiful work. Here's the link to his site http://www.eddiesrodandcustom.com/index.php
Jeeze, I thought I was doing well with the Wonderbar radio in my Rivi, it has a foot switch to search for stations. Too bad, it is AM only. Funny , from 8-tracks to I-pods Man I love technology!
Has anyone done this setup with an ipod touch? If so, do you lose control of the ipod itself outside of volume? Can you change tracks and such through the ipod still?
I am setting up this same system right now in my wifes 63 Nova. I am realizing that the way this is wired the on-off switch for the amp is the ignition switch so the amp is "on" whenever the key is set to ignition. Can any of you audio guru's tell me if this is a problem? If Ryan is driving without the ipod on, will the amp be drawing a lot of power even though it has no signal to amplify? Or does it just kind of sit in standby without an audio signal and draw little power?
there should be a wire for power from the amp that goes straight to the battery, usually red, and a wire to turn the amp on and off, which is usually blue, this is hooked to a keyed power.
yes, that is how it's set up. that blue wire . . . in a "normal" amp instal goes to the head unit so the amp is only on when the radio is on. in this system the amp is on whenever the car is running. . . whether the ipod is on or not. just wondering if constantly running the amp is a problem.
I followed this info on my 64 belair and couldn't be happier - made the ashtray knob the new volume knob. Thanks HAMB!
I wouldn't have the amp on all the time, it can drain the battery amongst other things, at the ver least I'd put a switch on it...
I just bought one of these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item53e8989a54 ipod, mp3, SD card or memory stick.
Me and my buddy did this install in his 62 tbird, ran a headphone input instead of an ipod specific input so it doesnt charge while in use, but you can use other phones/mp3 players. Used a 4 channel amp to run 4 speakers and a toggle switch for power going to the amp. Everything is hidden and works extremely well
I took the original dial and took it apart to just keep the rod itself. I measure the distance I needed for the knob to fit right and all and I cut the excess I only kept 3 parts of the original dial I shaped the end of the rod to fit inside the shaft of the PAC LC-1 and used industrial epoxy to hold together I then went to my local hardware store and found a nylon spacer that fits over both shafts and added more epoxy to hold it in place I did the same for on/off switch and here it is all assembled
I know a severe bashing will come my way for asking this but here it is: My 62 Chevy wagon still has the original radio in the original position, it lights up but doesn't work. There is a single CD player/radio in the glove box that works with speakers all over the car. In the back right rear wagon storage compartment is an Orion amplifier. Rather then mess with CD's, I'd like to hook up my I-POD but there must be what seems to be miles of wires running from the original radio, the CD player, the amplifier and all the speakers. I sure would appreciate some help on the I-POD hook up.
With a removable faceplate stereo and computer ribbon cable. Solder the ribbon cable to stereo and faceplate then mount the stereo somewhere out of site and faceplate anywhere you want.
I found an even easier way to do this... and just put it in my 54 Ford today. I bought this on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Pyle-PLMPA35-Channel-Amplifier-3-5mm/dp/B004HJ931M It's a small 2 channel mini amplifier that uses a 3.5mm jack input! Soo... install was this easy: Reach under dash, remove original Ford speaker. Watch what's left of 57 year old speaker cone turn to dust in my hands. Put speaker cone in garage. OK ok, I know, but it's old and says Ford on it, I can't pitch it. Smoke cigarette. Install modern stupid looking speaker in original 6x9 speaker's location. Thankfully the speaker grille will hide this chrome and red shiny plastic thing. A pair of these cost me $25 or so on Amazon. Smoke another cigarette. Open diet pepsi. Connect speaker wires to one channel on the amp, connect hot and orange "signal" wire to switched 12v, ground the black wire. Plug in aux cable. Turn key to "ACC", plug in iPhone. It works. Listen to Bruce Springsteen's Badlands while smoking a cigarette. Grin. Play with gain control dial on amp while playing with volume control on iPhone. Boss calls, take call, talk business, tell dirty joke. With settings set, mount amp under dash, clean up wiring with zip ties, go for a drive. Success. Also, this little amp is about the size of a pack of smokes, maybe a little thicker. It's easy to hide. Also, for shits and giggles I replaced the cheapo speaker with an MB Quart 6X9 that I had lying around, since this is an el cheapo amplifier with only like 15w RMS output per channel it didn't really sound appreciably better, so the el cheapo speaker went back in.
maybe I missed it but how can I use this setup with 4 speakers with one subwoofer for a 62 Impala. I plan on intergrating the knob on the original AM radio. Help!!!!!!! dont want a radio in glovebox or ugly pod. I love my IPOD!!!!!!!!!!
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