The constant power source I've always pulled from teh battery. The better decks, sounds like you have one, really benefit from 10 or 12 gage wire and the lower resistance (I guess) that it provides. If you ever plan to add an amp, run 8 gage to a seprate distribution block then 12 to the deck and either 10 or 12 tot he amp, depending on the amp. I don't know how much wiring you've done but if you have signal and power wires running parralel to one another, that's a serious potential for noise. At the back of the deck and for 4-6 inches, it's not an issue, it's when a speaker wire and a power wire a runnin in lcose proximity to one another for a foot or so. If they must cross, 90 degrees is the jey, or close to it. When I've installed amps I've always (well, since the first install in high school when I learned this lesson) run power on one side of the car and signal on the opposite side. It varies from car to car depending on access to the battery. In my volvo power runs along the passenger side. Running the wire was easy, while the carpet was out drying (it's still out) a simply laid all the wires down and duct taped 'em to the pads steel or wherever. When I put the carpet back in, whamo, everything is clean as whistle! Enjoy this stuff, it's supposed to be fun
--
Portland, OR 1987 240 dl wagon 'rustbucket'