Mach 460 wiring help! (time to upgrade)

[WhiteCobra95]

The time has come to upgrade from my stock 460 radio, but I need some help getting the factory parts out!

I’m trying to remove the rear speakers. I want to pull out the whole rear speaker box, amps/wiring and all. The problem is that I can’t find a junction connector to separate the rear speaker/amp wiring from the body harness. I already removed the inner left trunk panel. The wiring harness which attaches to the speaker box runs over the wheel well forward towards the front of the car, in behind the left-side back seat interior panel. Are the junction connectors located in there? Do I have to remove the interior trim to get to them or can this be done from the trunk. I can’t believe Ford would integrate this harness in with the whole body harness, but I’ve been surprised before. I checked the service manual and it doesn’t show a junction connector? How did they set this thing up?

(I checked out harnesses on Ebay, and it looks like there should be an intermediate connector…unless they changed this after 1995.)

Thanks in advance – whitecobra95

 

[Chythar]

The junction connectors are behind the driver's kick panel. Yes, all the way over there. If you want to remove the entire Mach 460, you have to disconnect it from behind the kick panel. Oh, you'll have to remove the left rear panel, which means removing the rear seat. What a mess, I know.

What specifically do you want to upgrade? Just the radio? Do you plan on keeping the amps and tweeters? The Mach 460 main speakers are a special set, they provide midrange AND bass at the same time. If you just replace the speakers you'll lose all your bass.

 

[WhiteCobra95]

Thanks for the info. They really didn't make this an easy job!

The plan is to replace everything. I already installed a Sony head unit. It was a good upgrade over the stock head unit (and it plays MP3's). The upgrade itself was kind of a pain to figure out the stock wiring. The original head unit must have some relatively high voltage pre-outs because the sony I installed uses 4V pre-outs and I have to set the volume at about 75% to hear music on the highway.

The main problem with the Mach460 is that it's about equal to a standard radio/CD installed in current prodcution cars. I'm not really a car audio guy, but I can tell when in system is lacking.

I'm also trying to figure out a good location for an amplifier. I'm not looking to show it off, just get it out of the way so I can still use the trunk. I'm a little worried that it won't get enough air flow if I mount it under the speaker box below the rear deck. There aren't a lot of options on this car. After messing around in the trunk tonight I have a much better idea of just how small a Mustang trunk really is!

Thanks again.