Wow! If you can reach in those gauge blanks and reach stuff, your hands must be even skinnier than mine! (and mine are mighty skinny!) :-)

The problem with your radio is likely with the radio itself. Pulling fuses and harness connectors interrupts the constant 12 volt current (that runs the clock and memory) and likely resets some parameter that's "confusing" the radio. Sort of like how curing problems with Windows can be done by restarting the computer. Bet if you pulled the fuse (that supplies constant 12V - different from the one for the radio proper) from the fuse box, or disconnected the battery you'd have the same result.

The original radio should have a single ground (and the speakers ground through that via the radio itself).

-Ryan
--
--------------------------
Athens, Ohio
1990 245 DL 133k M47, E-codes, bunch of fun accessories
1991 745 GL 290k (Girlfriend-mobile)
Buckeye Volvo Club