need Radio install help

[71 LONG BED]

I just bought an original AM radio (thanks f1hundo) that I just got finished installing. It looks good but doesn't come on.

There is a plug for the speaker and one other black wire. Is this the positive? I assumed the negative ground was the bracket that mounts to the back and goes to the dash support. Is this correct? I am thinking that it isn't working because there is no ground. I get absolutely nothing.

The only wire, besides the speaker wires (which have a plug on them), is black, which I allways thought was ground. But there is no other wire that could be the positive. If anyone has any info I'd appreciate it.

Everyone loves pics,so here are some.

[wt4speed#2]

Have no idea on the wiring,looks good tho.
Just bob your head and prentend to sing to yourself and anyone watching will think you listening

Tony B

[theskytoucher]

NO idea on your peoblem but botht he radio and the new cover plate look really good!!!

[ICEMAN6166]

i thought there was a black and a blue, with the black being radio power and the blue being for the light.not sure if they all had lighted dials or not but at any rate there is no ground wire, the black is the power in.

[71 LONG BED]

Thanks ICEMAN. Any suggestions on what to check to see why it isn't working? It is obviously not getting any power at all. When I turn it on nothing at all happens, no hum, nothing.

It looks like the base model, no push button presets, so it wouldn't surprise me if it didn't light up. Therefore no blue wire. The power wire I used was the same one from the radio I took out. Which was an after market AM/FM that worked fine. Thankfully they didn'y cut up the dash or the doors for speakers. They just wired one side to the stock speaker.

As far as the bezel, it was the one that was there. That is the one thing they did trim a little. It will do the job for now, condidering how expensive replacement ones go for. I'll keep my eye open for new knobs and a replacement bezel.

[Jake11]

Where's the push buttons? If it's got power and ground to it, and it
don't work, it's most likely inop. Open it up and see if theres a fuse inside
it or a broken wire or sumpthin.

[DuckRyder]

On mine the black is the power and it definitely grounds through the bracket and rear stud.

You have the antenna plugged in, they often need that as well.

[71 LONG BED]

Maybe she don't worky...
Don't worry f1hundo, I'm not mad, you didn't know. I bought it as is.

[rjewkes]

mayb that fuse from the power wire blew? when you wired it did you wire it with soderless cannectors and did you get realy good and crimped?

[fordman]

i thought on my 68 it was blue and a black also. but on a 69 harness i have it is a brown only. also another harnees i bought out of another truck is brown only. i hope that helps. and my 68 radio does ground to the dash via the bracket on the back support. to test if the radio works at all run a wire directly to the battery and see if it comes on. if it does its the wiring or fuse. if not its the radio.

[71 LONG BED]

to test if the radio works at all run a wire directly to the battery and see if it comes on. if it does its the wiring or fuse. if not its the radio.

Good idea.

It is an inline bus type fuse and it is still good. The power wire is the one that was hooked up to the radio I took out. I disconnected it where the fuse goes in. I just cut the pigtail off of the old radio and soldered it to the original radio. Then installed the radio, plugged in the speaker, and put the fuse back in the holder and reconnected the wires via the fuse holder. Should work, right?

I should bench test it.

[ToughOldFord]

You know, up to recently I thought old stock AM radios were nearly indestructible, but I'm thinking that whoever made Ford's radios didn't do a very good job. The stock radio in my '69 was dead and I just discovered the stock radio in the '67 is dead also. Really stinks about that '67 since it's got the odd-ball opening, now I'm going to have to modify it.
Looks like that U-Haul radio I got from 72Highboy has just graduated from novelty item to replacement radio.

[fordman]

those radios can be fixed. they aren't like the new jap throw away radios.

[Dropped 68]

I like the looks, but no way I'd go without a CD unit and some subs......Guess that's just the kid in me though

[ICEMAN6166]

I like the looks, but no way I'd go without a CD unit and some subs......Guess that's just the kid in me though

i like the sound of the engine.a working radio is nice to have but if you cant hear any engine or driveline noises over it you could end up breaking something because you could not hear the warning signs.