I dug into ripping the alarm out and trying to fix the radio this morning.
The first challenge was figuring out how the automatic console came apart. Took me a minute to find the hex screw on the back of the shift handle...
Interestingly several of the interior parts including the center console and the head/fog light switch piece have writing on them that indicate they were inventory at at junkyard (and from a 535). I guess the PO updated the interior at some point. They are all are in great shape. I was worried there might be stripped screws and stuff. The worst was the cig lighter plastic had broken free (and previously been epoxied). The first thing I did was clean it up and make some epoxy and get it setting.
The alarm wiring was not too bad. With a little tugging and prodding I quickly figured out where everything went. Since I may install a remote lock system I left a few key pieces in place but carefully capped the wires.
The radio appears to have a short inside of it, associated with the dial. I had it working long enough to know that all 4 speakers work and sound fine. I will probably get an aftermarket unit with bluetooth given this.
In prep for that, and as practice for doing the same thing to Vlad, I ran red and green 12ga wire from the aux fuse box through the firewall to where the radio goes. This way I have both switched and unswitched power independent of the finicky 4, 5, and 12 fuses.
I hate the fact that the cig lighter in these cars is always-on. It's a recipe for disaster and can be a battery drain if something is left plugged in. So I branched off my new green 12ga wire (switched), snipped the red/yellow cig lighter lead, and spliced in my new wire. Now my cig lighter is switched and on the aux fusebox.
I still have the drivers' kick panel off because I need to fix the fact that my seatbelt chime is constantly going (I think I screwed up a wire to that module).
The hole on the firewall behind the brake pedal is open. That is, I can see light through to the engine bay. It's like a 1.5" diameter hole. This explains why the starter is so damn loud when the car is starting. Is there supposed to be a plug there, or some sort of mat?
