Replacing series 3 radio, unexpected wiring set up
 

Just starting this afternoon to replace the original radio/cassette with a modern single DIN head unit. Removal was OK , looks original down to the plastic rivets.

When I pulled the old unit out I was expecting (based on other changeovers) to see one or two multi pin plugs (naive aint I?). Instead I had a single molded end cable , sort of like the molding near the end of a modern power plug, going into the box and two other wires entering via a small screwed down cover.

Dissecting the molded cable reveals two shielded two pair cables, one fairly standard gauge wire and one very fine gauge wire. I am thinking maybe the unit is sending a signal to another amp buried somewhere, but that doesnt seem very 1983.

Will start to identify wire function tomorrow. Has anyone else seen this type of original radio wiring before? or have some thoughts on what the fine gauge shielded cable is for?

Just a guess (sorry) -- but wouldn't that be to the antenna relay?

Hi, is there a sticker on the headunit with a model number something like AJ8600? If so, just google the instructions or specs for an Alpine 8600 (or whatever number yours is. It MAY BE an Alpine).

EDITED: so incorrect answer doesn't appear in searches.

Could be I guess, I was expecting that to be a single wire , but nothing else is as I expected :) will see what activates the aerial today.

Good thought, I will have a look. Lucky its not garbage day and I can retrieve it.

I stand ready to be corrected but I think Jaguar started using the AJ series ('Alpine Jaguar') circa 1986. Prior to that I'm pretty sure Jaguar used several different brands.

Cheers
DD

In this case its a Pioneer KEX20, which (after taking MKii250's advice) I found to be a vintage head unit, that does have an amp buried somewhere. This info makes the wiring make sense as the two shielded pairs would be signal out for the cassette and the radio.

I will see if I can trace the cable back to the amp and hopefully find some speaker wires, which would be useful at the moment.

Anybody know where the factory might have put accessory amplifiers? There appears to be so little room in the dash I am think in the console or under a seat might be likely.

I stand corrected, thanks Doug.

The cable does a tight u turn and heads back into the console area. Nothing under seats or in the boot. Will have a quick look under the back seat tomorrow before dismantling the console area to see if the amp is in there.

There was a small paperback book sized amplifier under the console (no mounting , just tossed in with coiled up cable). Cut all this away and identified what wire does what. Can use some of the old cable to draw a few wires back to the dash to get speaker cabling in the right place. Then (in theory) just a little bit of single DIN metal work and should be done.

Just to finish this off for anyone else who ends up with this config.

Useful original wiring at radio position in dash:
orange = switched 12V
white = power aerial
and the aerial

Wiring under console tray to extend to dash:
red= permanent 12V
black=ground
green+green/black=left speakers
grey+grey/black=right speakers

Easy to run wires through console if you take out the left ashtray, so not much to take apart. That is all.