[Mister_T]

Ok, three things: Where can I find one of these? How much do they cost? How hard is it to install one?

Thanks
- Rick

 

[Casper]

super easy to install. can get it at walmart or meijer(cheaper, about 10 bucks), or best buy and circuit city( about 20 bucks).

 

[Mister_T]

Cool, any specific way of wording it so I don't confuse the guy? I'd guess just ask for a ford premium sound amp bypass cable... I'd just hate to get that "Huh?" look.

 

[Casper]

it is mostly the aftermarket heudunit wiring kit that includes it. best buy/circuit city sell the metra kit and walmart/meijer sell the schosche kit.

get the schoshe one because half the price for basically the same thing.

 

[SplitPortBird]

In order to BYPASS the factory amp a new cable has to be laid from the front to the rear of the car. the reason I say this is the AMP is in the trunk.. theres no way to BYPASS it from a simple adapter where the radio is.

The harness they sell at BestMuy or likewise all adapt to the factory type connector. and even if it does connect all it does is plug the HIGH inputs from the radio into the low inputs of the factory amp which leads to poor sound and being way overgained.

I believe they do sell a harness that removes the factory amp and patches the inputs and outsput together which still used the existing wiring.

I have yet to find a simple harness that allows me to plug into the Premium Harness and has Low (RCA) Inputs attached to it.

 

[Casper]

In order to BYPASS the factory amp a new cable has to be laid from the front to the rear of the car. the reason I say this is the AMP is in the trunk.. theres no way to BYPASS it from a simple adapter where the radio is.

The harness they sell at BestMuy or likewise all adapt to the factory type connector. and even if it does connect all it does is plug the HIGH inputs from the radio into the low inputs of the factory amp which leads to poor sound and being way overgained.

I believe they do sell a harness that removes the factory amp and patches the inputs and outsput together which still used the existing wiring.
I have yet to find a simple harness that allows me to plug into the Premium Harness and has Low (RCA) Inputs attached to it.

that cable is in the kit that i mention...

 

[The Great Obucina]

crutchfield.

 

[SlowProject]

I'll second crutchfield, not sure of the price though.
They sent the cable with a stereo I bought from them years ago.

On a side note, before I tear into my cougar, does anyone know if the cables are the same from the 96 tbird trunk mount amp to the cougar dash mounted amp?

I think I am going to tint and alarm the car before I switch out the stereo stuff, and I don't want to tear into it to find out I need a different amp bypass cable.

 

[The Great Obucina]

I'll second crutchfield, not sure of the price though.
They sent the cable with a stereo I bought from them years ago.

On a side note, before I tear into my cougar, does anyone know if the cables are the same from the 96 tbird trunk mount amp to the cougar dash mounted amp?

I think I am going to tint and alarm the car before I switch out the stereo stuff, and I don't want to tear into it to find out I need a different amp bypass cable.

unless you have premium sound, which is indicated by a small badge next to the radio that says "Premium" then just get the appropriate harness, particularly the Ford spec one.

 

[SlowProject]

My cougar has premium sound also, I can just use the same harness between the two cars, I just need to know if, even though the factory amps are in different locations, they still use the same bypass wire.

(96 premium sound Tbird to 97 premium sound cougar)

 

[The Great Obucina]

i dont see why not.

 

[SlowProject]

Thanks,
I'll make sure I pull that out of the trunk tonight.

 

[SlowProject]

Mister T,
Sorry for the thread jack.
Crutchfield does sell the bypass wire, it is called a factory system integration adapter. The part number on their website is 142C4FDK5, it will set you back $40.

 

[Mister_T]

As far as the thread jacking, no proble, but Crutchfield says that harness doesn't fit.I did find this: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-8TQ7rtYC1t4/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=103000&I=120705004 which it says fits. I think I'll just go ahead and order that.

 

[SplitPortBird]

Mister T: the thread you posted does not bypass the factory amp but plugs the high side into the low side of the factory amp.

I dunno why all these companies have a hard time just selling a product that actually works.

Also,, I ordered those kits and ford actually used a couple different cables for the premium sound,, I found a 93' mark 94 thunderbird and 96 Tbird all had different connectors.

I've had even more of a time trying to find one to replace my complete cable (back of radio to kick panel and previous owner had cut the connector off it (jackazz)

for the time being I hardwired a non-premium connector onto it so it make hooking up a snap without trying to source a new cable.

Last note,,,, I bought a cable off scosche that has 4 RCA inputs and adapts to the OLDER style premium sound (like the ones in 90's Mustang or fords) but the new style has a CAT5 looking cable and nobody makes a RCA to Premium for that style so we can keep the factory and amp.

 

[OxmanWI]

So this is what he needs right here?

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-CYdNGLodMjg/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?search=142C4FDK5&i=142C4FDK5

 

[FunktasticLucky]

as I recall when I did my stereo I just got a scoche adapter that allowed me to get power and the antena and the remot wire... then I ran the RCA's to the trunk to my amplifier and then just cut the speaker wires from the ford connector to the ford premium amp. then I just wired those up to the new amplifier. If that made any sense at all ahaha.

And ox... that right there allows you to use an aftermarket stereo with the ford amplifer. The ford amps are controlled by the ford head unit. That device allows you to turn down the gain level for each speaker. He's wanting to bypass the amp completely.

 

[SlowProject]

As far as the thread jacking, no proble, but Crutchfield says that harness doesn't fit.I did find this: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-8TQ7rtYC1t4/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=103000&I=120705004 which it says fits. I think I'll just go ahead and order that.

I was just doing a little more research and though I would call first, the page on crutchfield's site before your link states that the factory amp bypass wire is included with that item.
So it looks like that's what you are looking for.

 

[SlowProject]

Here is a link to that page,

edit: link takes you back to the car select screen

 

[Casper]

why can't you guys listen to me?

the link in the critchfield is the stuff i mentioned thta you can get at best buy or circuit city or cheaper at walmart or meijer.

no bullsh*t s&h charge.