Radio ground

[Donald H.]

I should have taken pictures!!!

I putting my 66 back together. I put the speaker and radio in yesterday. Have everything connected except the ground wire.

This is the wire that comes off the three pin radio connector from the wiring harness. There is another black wire coming off the center connector with a round terminal. I'm thinking it probably connect to the Z bar somewhere to ground the radio, but I can't figure out where to connect it.

Thanks,

Don

[Stephen L.]

Re: Radio ground

I don't have a 66 AIM but there is a similar wire on UPC12 B3 (67 AIM) items 22 & 23 connecting the ground coming from the 3 pole connector to the "Z" bar. Look for a hole adjacent to the radio within the length of the wire.

[John C.]

Re: Radio ground

Hey Stephen. Can I ask you a question. I have a 65 with all components either new or restored. It worked fine for a short time and then quit. Unit has power and comes on, but the AM is loud static and FM picks up, but I can barely hear it with the volume turned all the way up. You have any thoughts ? Any chance the ground could be part of the problem? BTW, when Jerry did the restoration he installed an IPOD jack, which works perfectly.
Any help would be appreciated. I've got more time invested in the dang radio than all the other things I did to the car. AND, I've sent the radio back to Jerry thinking maybe something was wrong with it. He said it checked out fine and played for hours without a hitch. There has to be an issue with the other components.
JC

[Donald H.]

Re: Radio ground

I had trouble with reception also. I would suggest you got to a local auto supple and purchase an inexpensive antenna with cable. You can get one for around $10. I got one, hooked it up inside my car. This eliminate the possibility that the problem is in your antenna cable or antenna cable to antenna connections.

What I found was I had a bad antenna cable.

[John C.]

Re: Radio ground

Thx Donald. I've eliminated the cable. Bought a new cable from CC and ran it outside the car to the antenna, and supposedly it's the correct cable ( RG 62 A/U ). The antenna itself is the only component left that could be bad, even though it's been restored. I don't have the aluminum antenna ground plate installed due to having the same problem a lot of guys have in that there isn't enough threads left coming through the fender to screw on the antenna base nut. The original ground strap is connected. Will the radio work properly without the big aluminum ground plate installed ? You think there could be a ground issue at the radio ? If there was a ground problem at the radio, would it come on at all ? Thing is, the radio works fine when the IPOD is running, but not working right through AM & FM. AM is very loud static, FM plays but at a very, very low volume.
JC

[Donald H.]

Re: Radio ground

If the background light in the face of your radio works, then I would think it has a good ground. You could make sure of the ground by taking a jumper cable and connect to the radio case then a good ground elsewhere on the car.

For peace of mind I would still get a inexpensive antenna from the auto supple and try it.

I also purchased a Corvette Central antenna cable and as far as I know it worked fine. I do know that there is also a resistor at the radio connection end of the cable. I took my old able apart and found the resistor. CC says theirs is correct with the correct cable and resistor.

My AM still isn't the greatest, but Jerry Rudbeck told me that the AM would not be that great inside the garage. My car is still under restoration and is not running at the moment.

I searched the internet and was able to find an NOS original antenna cable which I ended up installing. But I can't say that it is any better than the CC one.

Don

[Greg W.]

Re: Radio ground

John, I happened to be doing a ops check on my 66 last night and the radio was weak. I put the antenna up and lost all sound, put it down and the radio came back on. Saw this post and checked it out, found the copper ground strap from the frame to the antenna moter mount was installed behind the frame not under the one of the two bolts. Replaced the strap that was corroded and bolted it correctly and it works great. I think as the moter put the antenna all the way down it must have shifted the mount slightly and grounded it self. Worth a look. Greg

[Richard M.]

Re: Radio ground

Don,

As Stephen explained, the radio harness ground terminal is attached to the Z-bar using a hex head sheet metal threaded bolt. Configuration is ...

-Z-bar
-Toothed Lockwasher
-Ground terminal lug
-Bolt

This one below is a '67 with speed-minder buzzer. '66 similar ground hole location. This one has a additional bolt to hold the buzzer, but uses the same hole for U69 radio ground wire as shown on the left side of the buzzer also showing the black ground wire coming from the radio harness. FYI this same ground eventually ties into the harness ground blade terminal attached at the top of the instrument cluster at the brass 90* terminal.

[Alan D.]

Re: Radio ground

Take a look below at
Re: 1967 Radio Antenna Ground Plate

[John C.]

Re: Radio ground

You guys have ben very helpful. I'll continue searching for the problem today. I'll let you know how it goes.
Thanks fellas !
JC