I am installing a new stereo in my 93 940 and in the process of pulling carpet, trim panels, etc. Does anyone have any suggestions on how or where to run amplifier cable, RCA patch cable and speaker wire from the front to the trunk? Is there a convienent path? I will also be removing the back seat to make this easier. Should I remove the front seats?

Thank You!!

Luke
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89 240 190K, 93 940 80K

the easiest place I have found is along pass side outer floor trim,
start at radio, go behind dash / glovebox, down behind side floor kick
panel, under plastic trim all the way back to trunk. I did it in a 740
wagon and you could not see anything, I did amp power, amp turn on, 3
RCAs, and reverse speaker wires to front door speakers from amp.
be cautious - old plastic is brittle !

The along the sides of the car along the door sills is where most of the OEM wires are run. I don't have an amp , but that is where I routed cabling for my CD changer. You remove the trim piece in the side under the dash, the B pillar trim, then the trim along the bottom of the doors. Then you don't have to pull the carpet or the front seats. Since the drivers side already has a sizeable wire harness running down it, the passenger side may give you more room. Or maybe amp cable down one side, everything else down the other.

Your idea of running the power supply wire down one side and the signal wires (RCA) down the other is desirable for another reason. These should be separated to prevent the signal from voltage contamination from the power supply. It can lead to distortion ie: poor quality sound. This is more important with unshielded speaker wires and power supplies.

Factory wiring runs along the outer edges of the floor pan, next to the rocker panels. As soon as you untuck the carpeting you'll see it. Some tie-wraps or tape will nicely hold your added wiring to the original bundle. Passenger side wiring path less busy, and the easier side for access to the radio.

Dear Lukester,

Good p.m and may this find you well. If you've not already pulled the plastic parts alongside the rocker panel, see my post of early January for a step-by-step explanation of how to do this without breaking anything.

Yours faithfully,

spook

p.s. should you decide to remove the driver's seat be SURE to disconnect the NEGATIVE (BLACK) BATTERY TERMINAL, AND PUT THE TERMINAL IN A PLASTIC BAG. This will prevent an accidental discharge of the airbag, which could result of the sensor - under the driver's seat - is thumped or jostled.

Spook,

I would like to read your post ref removing panels and trim without breaking anything. I can't find it. Can you help? What was the date? Was it a post in response to someone else or an original?

Thanks,

Luke
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89 240 190K, 93 940 80K

Dear Luke,

Good a.m. and may this find you well. The post was on 8 January, in the afternoon. It was a reply to one from Chris W., relating to installation of a power passenger seat, in a car that was not made so.

For your ease of reference, I append the part of the post relating to removing the threshhold strip and the center column cover.

Other parts of that post may be useful: they relate to running wires from the front center console (where the radio is located) over to the threshhold strip.

Excerpt follows:

A. Preparations
(a) Cover the inner face of the passenger door panel with a sheet of cardboard. Cover with cardboard the rocker panel section at the bottom of the door opening and the plastic strip on the interior that rocker panel section (the door threshhold strip). This will protect them against damage. A power seat is heavy, bulky, and unwieldy.
(b) You may want to remove door threshhold strip. To do this, pry up the three plastic screw covers, using the edge of a putty knife, with the blade blunted. Remove the three torx screws. To remove the door threshhold strip, you must remove the center column plastic cover (at the top of which, the seatbelt emerges).
(c) To remove the center column cover, two screws, covered by screw caps, need to be removed. Remove the screw caps, using the tip of a small screwdriver. The caps are secured by lugs at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions. Pry gently. Remove the screws. Then, using the edge of your putty knife, start at the top of the center column cover. Insert the knife at a 45-60 degree angle between the black plastic edging and the edge of the center column cover. Pry gently, to free the cover from the edging. NOTE: be very gentle, as the top of the center column cover is slit on one side, so that the seat belt can pass through. As a result, there is only 3/4 of material connecting the top of the center column cover, to the rest of of it. The center column cover is secured by four metal clips, at intervals between the two screws (which you have removed). Thus, the rest of the center column cover can be removed by prying gently, moving from top to bottom. If it does not come free, use the blade of the putty knife for leverage. Once you insert the blade between the black plastic edging and the cover, push the putty knife handle towards the door opening. The cover should then "pop" free of the clips.Remove the center column cover and the door threshhold strip.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

spook

Spook,

THANK-YOU! Great info. I am not going to remove the seat, but this will help me remove trim pieces without breaking them.

Thanks again,

Luke
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89 240 190K, 93 940 80K