I am looking for some information on the factory radio configuration for my 1969 Camaro. The car was not heavily optioned but it came from the factory with a strange combination of stereo speakers.
I bought the car in 2003 and see evidence of a factory front center speaker and also something going on in the rear. There are brown and blue wires in factory clips attached to the rear seat brace going up to the package tray. From what I've read, the two wires in back indicate a left and right rear speaker (a stereo setup). The stereo setup would have normally come with kick panel speakers to go with them, not a center dash speaker.
I have read a number of posts across the Camaro forums but have been unable to figure out how you get a center speaker along with 4 stereo speakers. Thanks for any help you folks can provide!!
Details you should know:
-1969 Camaro Produced 4th week of August 1969
-307ci
-Equipped with a Console for (TH350 trans) but no console gauges.
-No radio wiring harness present, just the single two pin connector with yellow and black wires for power.
-Kick panels had holes in them but aftermarket speakers in their place. Also center console had been replace so you cant see if a 8 track was ever mounted there.
Actually it's not unique. AM or FM radios all had the center speaker. The rear was an option was U80. However, if it has the AM/AF Stereo.....now that's different. You may want to see Classic industries or here to see if the harness matches what you have. https://americanautowire.com/collections/chevrolet/products/speaker-harness-ca70068
A car built with a stereo sound system would not have a front center speaker.
It could have been built with a tape player only, later retrofitted with a radio and front speaker.
I think there is some misunderstanding on what I'm saying... this car at least came with a center speaker, and TWO rear speakers.(//)
I am curious if this could have been the setup... 8 track stereo with a mono radio. That's the only way you can get a front speaker and two in the rear. I think the kick panel speakers were take out before I got the car. See the attached wiring diagram for a factory configuration like this.
Thoughts?
If rear speaker was optioned I would think there would only be one, unless something stereo was also ordered.
Sounds like AM radio with 8 track player, which would have been mounted on the console. This is the same setup I have. Here is a wiring diagram which may answer your questions.
Andy
Andy, could it also be AM/FM?
Yes, I'm sorry I should have said AM or AM/FM. U63 and U69 both had the front center speaker. If the stereo tape player U57 or the stereo multiplex U79 was ordered, no front center speaker was installed. My apologies, I sometimes forget the U69 FM non-stereo option, which was actually fairly common. I only had an AM radio. Also AM radio is evidenced by a rear telescoping manual antenna, the rear antenna option could not be ordered with the FM radio. I believe AM and FM both had the same straps and capacitors, but I could be mistaken. I'm sure its all in the AIM. The original rear antenna on my car, and the original AM radio still installed, is how I knew the rear spoiler was added. It was an original rear spoiler, but it could have been added by the dealer or from another car at any time after the factory.
Thanks for the picture of your harness. This has been really helpful.
I know almost all the first gen camaro connectors are packard 56 style. But there is a male terminal on one of my radio connectors that I can't identify. It plugs into a female packard 56 but doesn't have the cut across the middle. It secures into the connector with a tab. Here is a picture
Anyone know what these are called? I need to buy a few more.
I found something which others might find interesting. As you've pointed out here 69 Camaros had a console mounted 8 track. But Heart Beat City just posted a SS396 12,000 mile survivor Camaro. It has a dash mounted 8 track. The paperwork from GM is shown and this looks like the dash 8 track was installed from the factory. Production date was around march 1969. Like console 8 tracks, this was stereo.
My car has holes under the dash around where a 8 track would mount.
https://www.heartbeatcitycamaro.com/cars_for_sale/1969_Camaro_SS_396_375_L78_Silver_Gallery/index.html
U57 ordered for a car without a console mounted the tape player under the dash. Shown on U57 pages A2; A5-7.
Quote from: abiddle on October 16, 2023, 09:17:18 AM
Sounds like AM radio with 8 track player, which would have been mounted on the console. This is the same setup I have. Here is a wiring diagram which may answer your questions.
Andy
Console-mounted 8-track players and multiplex stereo players in 1968 and 1969 Camaros were for cars with RPO C60 factory air conditioning systems (Four Seasons) because the AC duct work under the dash on the passenger side obstructed mounting either the 8-track player or multiplex there.
Quote from: abiddle on October 18, 2023, 09:11:06 AM
Yes, I'm sorry I should have said AM or AM/FM. U63 and U69 both had the front center speaker. If the stereo tape player U57 or the stereo multiplex U79 was ordered, no front center speaker was installed. My apologies, I sometimes forget the U69 FM non-stereo option, which was actually fairly common. I only had an AM radio. Also AM radio is evidenced by a rear telescoping manual antenna, the rear antenna option could not be ordered with the FM radio. I believe AM and FM both had the same straps and capacitors, but I could be mistaken. I'm sure its all in the AIM. The original rear antenna on my car, and the original AM radio still installed, is how I knew the rear spoiler was added. It was an original rear spoiler, but it could have been added by the dealer or from another car at any time after the factory.
Was the hole in the cowl panel inside the passenger door jamb not present for your factory rear antenna setup or was the hole plugged? If plugged, could post a picture? Thanks!
It had a rubber plug with a part number on it. I had a hard time finding one for my rear antenna car....Joe
You mention the console mounted 8 track only being applicable for the AC cars, but is there also clearance issue between the dash mounted unit and a factory console gauge setup?
Thats nonsense. I have seen several Z/28s with console mount tape players. Back in the day I scrapped a non-A/C L65 4-speed with one. Took hours to get the unit, wiring, speakers removed intact.
Check out the w/s for one of the Z/28s in Jerrys '69 book.
Quote from: bowtie68iho on November 14, 2023, 10:36:53 PM
Quote from: abiddle on October 16, 2023, 09:17:18 AM
Sounds like AM radio with 8 track player, which would have been mounted on the console. This is the same setup I have. Here is a wiring diagram which may answer your questions.
Andy
Console-mounted 8-track players and multiplex stereo players in 1968 and 1969 Camaros were for cars with RPO C60 factory air conditioning systems (Four Seasons) because the AC duct work under the dash on the passenger side obstructed mounting either the 8-track player or multiplex there.
To rephrase slightly for clarification. U57 Console mounted 8 track tape players were used with console cars, regardless of AC. From the sales album for U57 in the revision guide, "Includes 4 speakers. Console required when air conditioning is ordered." So if you order C60 and U57, you also had to order D55 console.
And an interesting side note. In the original section of the sales manual, "Includes 4 speakers. Not available when electric clock is ordered. Console is required when air conditioning is ordered." I don't know how U35 Electric Clock would affect a tape player. But I guess that may be why they removed that in the revision.
What is the sales album you are referring to?
Quote from: abiddle on December 10, 2023, 10:31:33 AM
I don't know how U35 Electric Clock would affect a tape player. But I guess that may be why they removed that in the revision.
That may have been an incorrect holdover from 68 when you could the clock floor mounted on the tunnel.
Interesting topic I would like to revisit.
My '69 Z28 (Norwood built in May 1969) has the AM/FM U79 stereo with (4) speakers, two in the kick panels and two in the rear package tray. The center front dash speaker location is empty (no speaker). I assume it was left open that way with the U79 radio system. You can see down thru the dash thru the speaker slits in the dash which is not ideal and I can hear engine and transmission gear noise. Not a big deal as I rarely list to the radio, but I assume that is the way a U79 optioned '69 Camaro came from the factory with an open front center speaker opening in the dash?
I would imagine the dash speaker cutout would be treated as if no radio was ordered. See William's post on this older thread. I believe a piece of cardboard with black finish was taped beneath the speaker hole. My 2 cents.
http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=17936.msg162735#msg162735
and another discussion about cardboard covering a blank dash speaker hole:
http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=1638.msg10083#msg10083
Interesting! Guess I need to contort my body back under the dash again to try and tape a black cardboard block off to the center dash spear opening...lol!
That may require a couple beers before that task or some Ibuprofen afterwards!
Invite the kids or grandkids over, and bet them a dollar or two that they can't tape that cardboard in place, LOL.
Petes L48,
Great idea...but I do want it taped to the underside of the dash and not on top...lol!
BTW...I ordered the die cut cardboard from Heartbeat City Camaro (HBC), item #AUD-1318 along with the special 2.0-inch x 180-ft masking tape, item #ELC-1264. HBC states there card board speaker cover is die cut from an original piece.
The tape is a lot more than what is needed but its also used on various other applications. Once I see the tape is might be the same or very similar to the cloth masking used to:
- seal off the rear shock holes into the trunk and rear subframe bushing holes into the interior from water during the body build and leak testing
- common to what was used on the cowl induction seal seam for ZL2 hood applications, along the outside of the seal
- seal off the lower set of holes on the trunk lid for the "Camaro by Chevrolet" emblem under the rear spoiler if the D80 option was included, and they drilled a second set of holes for the emblem above the spoiler.
I am due to receive it tomorrow (6/24/2025). I will take pics of the board and tape and show how I accessed the underside of the dash. My thought at this point is to remove the glove box and possibly the ash tray assembly from the dash to gain access and reach the bottom side of the dash.
I'll keep you posted!
I found a picture in of the front speaker card board cover in John Hooper's book, The 1969 Camaro Reference Book, on page 328. Here is a pic of that original card board piece.
The tape is in a different area than what is shown in the factory assembly manual, Section B2, page 1, but this could be common based on how the folks applied the cover, and/or figured out a quicker and easier way to install it.
Dave, more info in this thread.
Doc
http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=2509.msg16098#msg16098