Antique Automobile AM-FM radio install help needed

[CS1972]

My Antique Automobile AM-FM Radio arrived a week ago and I removed everything I needed to today in order to install the new radio and speaker. What I have left is 3 wires: one appears to be the factory Red wire (I’ll refer to as R6) which was plugged into the fuse block labeled “Radio”, the second red wire (I’ll refer to as R5) also goes to the fuse block (without connecting to anything else) but it is “jammed in” with the fuse labeled “Tail stop” (see pic) and lastly a black ground wire. I know that second red wire (R5) shouldn’t be jammed in with the fuse and plan to remove it.

Based on the new radio instructions, R6 is the main power input and connects to the Red fused wire on their harness, got it. But then the new radio instructions says: “There is a green wire that is used for the dial light and should be wired to the dash light circuit ahead of the dimmer rheostat so that the radio lights come on when the other gauge lights are turned on”. So this is where I need help, where do I need to plug in and/or connect to an existing wire to make this work? Wiring is not my specialty, so be gentle.

[LockDoc]

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Here is a good image of the fuse panel layout posted by member "dmjlambert". It should help you. It may be a little different than yours depending on the year.

LockDoc

[randy500]

Plug the illumination wire into the grey pigtail which is plugged into clstr feed, upper right hand side of panel, which is upper left in your picture.

[CS1972]

Ok, so I read both replies this morning and have a few comments / questions. From what I'm reading I need to somehow connect/plug into the "Cluster feed" (as shown in the picture I took this morning) OR do I connect/plug into the 2nd connector that is about 3 inches away from the spot the 2 gray wires are plugged into the fuse box "cluster feed". I followed the gray wires from the fuse box plug in and both go to another connector type plug where one goes into the plug from the bottom and appears to come out the top of the plug and the other one just appears to be taped to the plug (can't tell without removing the tape if it is actually spliced / connected or just taped to it)??? Then each one either goes to the dash cluster main plug or to the optic PRND shifter light.

So what is the best way to "tap into" this circuit since there is no extra place that I can tell to plug into (no extra pigtail hanging there)? If I unravel the tape on the 2nd plug is there a way to connect there? Should I buy a plug connection that has 2 pigtails: so I plug in what is already there and the new wire? What is the best approach? And where do you go to get the plugs you may suggest and what is the "size" I should buy?.

[randy500]

Your truck must have air conditioning and tilt.
That means all the places to plug in are used up.
I wouldn't modify or tap into either, i would make a pigtail, to go in between one of the sets of wires, just like the first wire that is plugged in which i think is the tilt column wire.

[CS1972]

Not sure why I'm having so many problems loading the pics, hopefully this works.

[CS1972]

You are correct...............AC & Tilt are a few of my options

[CS1972]

So put a pigtail as indicated by the "X" in the picture?

[randy500]

Carefully examine what is there...the ac wire has a pigtail on it, one end has 2 wires one going to the ac and one with a connector for another accessory...do that for the radio to preserve the original wiring.

[randy500]

Daisy chain it...does that make sense. A set of male or female connectors between the connections that produces a new connection and preserves the existing ones, there are red wires on the fuse panel that are the same way, just build another one for the radio light.

[dmjlambert]

When I add an accessory, I add a piggyback connector to the wiring of the accessory like this, so I can just unplug whatever is plugged into the fuse panel, add my plug, and plug in to my cord what was originally occupying that spot on the fuse panel.



The connectors and terminals to use are called Packard 56, like this


https://www.ebay.com/itm/381536497305
I did not buy from this particular seller on eBay, so I don't endorse him, I'm just including the link for illustration.

The metal part you crimp onto the wire is called a terminal, and the plastic part is called the connector.

I crimp the wires in those terminals, and also solder them so I know I have a really good connection that will last forever. I do not add a big blob of solder, just enough to wick into the connection. 60/40 rosin core electronic solder.

randy500 posted before I did, with the best term, daisy chain...

[CS1972]

Ok, so now I know where to connect and the connectors I want to use.

My next question is concerning my dash cluster. I'm curious as to why one of the light bulb sockets (by the speedometer) is white and has what appears to be a metal male connector, what would plug in there? When I took it out nothing was attached and I scoured the entire area to see if a wire was hanging without being connected and nothing. Is it an aftermarket replacement socket or ???

[randy500]

Thats for a fiber optic cable that lights up the shift pointer in a non tilt column.

[CS1972]

That was my guess as well as my brothers. So, does that mean I could potentially use this plug for my radio dial light?

[dmjlambert]

No, that is not a wire, it is a clear fiber element. The light comes from the bulb in the cluster, and travels through the fiber to the steering column shifter. The most appropriate place to plug in a radio dial light is to the fuse panel.

[dmjlambert]

connection points