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700/900 Series General Forum for the Volvo 740, 760, 780, 940, 960 & S/V90 cars

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OE Radio help.

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Old Oct 21st, 2019, 23:56   #31
bob12
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It's difficult to say because you haven't got rear door speakers or an amp so I am unsure of your wiring set up. You will need to get those door cards off first both back and front and try and see what you are working with and the loom at the HU. I would always be reluctant to chop off original loom plugs. Explore a loom ISO adapter kit for your car.

I would say go for one of the HU's Dave suggested (although I have no working knowledge of them) if you want to install a modern upgrade.

Cosmetically, with a replacement modern HU facia surround/fitment for an 'old Volvo' you shouldn't have any gaps!

Bob
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Old Oct 22nd, 2019, 00:05   #32
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What would you guys do in my position?

The only reason I want an OE radio is to keep the dash looking right.
It’s looking increasingly likely that I’m not going to get any of the original stuff to work again though...

Can it be made to work again easily?

Or

Should I accept it’s all knackered and live without a working radio or get one of those modern HU’s off eBay that will work?
Neither. I'd go for a "middle of the road" approach (no pun intended) and get the patch lead and facia adaptors then find a period head unit from the late 80s/early 90s and fit that.

At least you have the OE connectors so your job should be easier in that respect than mine was but don't forget many people would change the radios in their cars back then so a newer stereo than the car isn't going to look out of place.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2019, 00:13   #33
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It’s quite an annoying problem on these cars!

I’m restoring a mk2 Capri at the moment and that never had a radio when new. Someone at some point early on fitted a Radiomobile radio.
All I’ve done with that is swap the old Radiomobile for a fully rebuilt one that’s been modified internally with modern components and an extra lead to connect to an iPod. All the boxes ticked for me with that - adequate sound, can play music via radio or iPod, and most importantly it looks period and ‘right’ in the dash.

There’s just no option available like that with the 740! It’s annoying aswell because with old Fords you can go on eBay and get a used 30 or 40 year old radio, fit it and it works. Easy!
Yet on the Volvo, a premium brand over Ford you just can’t!

My previous 740 saloon (also a GLE but an 87) had a weird Blaupunkt head unit in it, but it worked perfectly. It was one of those ones with the fold out handle on the front so you could pull out the entire HU and remove it like those anti theft facia things some radios had or the removable fronts more modern units have.
I wish I’d taken it out to see how it’d been fitted so I could copy it now!
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Old Oct 22nd, 2019, 00:16   #34
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Originally Posted by Laird Scooby View Post
Neither. I'd go for a "middle of the road" approach (no pun intended) and get the patch lead and facia adaptors then find a period head unit from the late 80s/early 90s and fit that.

At least you have the OE connectors so your job should be easier in that respect than mine was but don't forget many people would change the radios in their cars back then so a newer stereo than the car isn't going to look out of place.

Tbh, that sounds like the best way to go...

I don’t suppose you could link to a suitable patch lead and facia adaptor I could buy to do this?
Pretty please!?
I’m not 100% sure with stuff like this!
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Old Oct 22nd, 2019, 00:57   #35
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Originally Posted by swedish brick View Post
Tbh, that sounds like the best way to go...

I don’t suppose you could link to a suitable patch lead and facia adaptor I could buy to do this?
Pretty please!?
I’m not 100% sure with stuff like this!
If you look back up to the post where i linked to the complete kit (HU, facia adaptor and leads), click that link and then use the "Ask seller a question", they can provide you with links to the exact facia adaptor and also check with you on the wiring and give you the link to the right patch lead.

As there seems to be some confusion over whether yours has the amp or not, i'm sure that they will have come across the configuration you've got and be able to point you in the right direction of which lead to use and whether that gives the capability for rear speakers too.

While that seems like i'm passing the buck and in a way i am, there's a good reason for it. First by you telling the seller you're after the facia plate and the lead, they know they're going to get two sales. Second and more importantly, they have a vested interest in getting the right product. If they don't then it'll be their mistake so they'd have to put it right.

Save you looking for the link, here it is :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-740...X/162552385453

They've always been helpful whenever i've contacted them so should be able to sort you out.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2019, 12:10   #36
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I’ve found the right (I’m 99% sure!) converter lead. I’ve also found a dash facia converter.
Ordered both, so we’ll see what’s what once they arrive!

I’ve also found the CD player HU I mentioned earlier in the thread, it’s quite a nice looking front on it actually so I’ll use that to test with once the converter lead arrives. Depending how I feel about it once it’s in the dash I might just use it permanently.
If not I’ll be looking for an older looking radio cassette. Trouble is though, almost all the ones I’ve been looking at that would be period correct (ie, 80’s looking!) don’t have the standard iso style connectors on them, just a bunch of wires with bare ends or bullet style connectors.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2019, 13:50   #37
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Originally Posted by swedish brick View Post
If not I’ll be looking for an older looking radio cassette. Trouble is though, almost all the ones I’ve been looking at that would be period correct (ie, 80’s looking!) don’t have the standard iso style connectors on them, just a bunch of wires with bare ends or bullet style connectors.
There are quite a few around that have the right ISO connectors on, try looking a little later like early 90s - this would still be period-correct for a late 80s car as someone could have retro-fitted a new set when the opriginal died or was "outgrown".

That includes the option for CD-radios or radio-cassette head units and in-car CD changers around from the late 80s and standard fit on some cars from 1992 onwards.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2019, 15:35   #38
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https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Panasonic...r/174049916328

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_n...ssette&_sop=15

First link there is to a Panasonic head unit, second is to the search where i found it. The one i linked to first has the ISO connectors on the back, you can change the brand name in the search abr for Sony, Pioneer, Kenwood, JVC or whatever your preferred brand is and you should be able to find something suitably late 80s/early 90s looking if you don't like the look of your "modern" HU from the loft.
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Old Nov 3rd, 2019, 15:59   #39
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Had a play with this again today now all the bits & bobs I bought have arrived, and the weather has been ok for the first time in ages!

So, as I left things, the old Volvo radio was hanging out of the dash doing nothing apart from lighting up and appearing to work but not working.

I bought two iso converter wires. Both looked more or less the same except for the big ‘Volvo’ loom plug had some extra pins in one that the other didn’t. My thinking here was that I’d get both types as you can guarantee if I hadn’t whichever one I did buy would be the wrong one!
Also bought the required dash facia adaptor since the new replacement radio is a different size to the original.

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I had a Pioneer radio/CD player already from a previous car so since I had it I decided to use it to try getting tunes with before buying anything else!

So, unplugging the volvo radio and plugging on the first of the new iso leads, then the new radio left me with absolutely nothing! No power to the head unit whatsoever. Ok...
So, onto the second of the two iso leads. Plugged it all in and...

We have sounds!! Also, the radio is picking up and seeking stations fine, CD player works, electric aerial still works and the speakers both work perfectly. Result!
I then pulled it all apart again, fitted the facia adaptor and security cage, plugged everything back onto the head unit and slid it back into the dash taking care not to trap any wires. There isn’t a great deal of space in the centre console/dash on these cars!

The only slight issue I’ve got is the radio’s face has a plastic trim around the edge to hide the edge of the security cage. It seems a bit loose so you can just see a tiny grey strip between the radio front and cage & dash. It’s not a big deal but I might paint the cage black later to make it less obvious.

For now I’m going to just go with this radio. It actually doesn’t look too bad for a modern(ish) radio, but on the positive side it’s got a CD player, AUX for iPod etc and it works! So no longer do I have to drive in silence!!
Maybe later I might get an old radio that is more in keeping with the cars age? Maybe not? but for now everything is working so I’m happy!

One other thing I might still do is invest in a pair of rear door speakers. How easily they’ll fit and wire in I don’t know but four is always better than two. Or, maybe I’ll just buy a full set of four new speakers? At least then it all matches and should work together ok.

Thanks for all the help with this guys! Much appreciated.


Next job I’m going to tackle is adding front fog lamps.
Mine doesn’t have them but I’ve bought a pair of new fog lamps and behind bumper brackets, various wiring bits and relay etc and an original pre facelift style front fog dash switch so it all looks as it should! Might need some dry weather for this though...
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