How to upgrade the stock sound on an Aerostar
#32
not only do I have all my 1960's albums too, I still have all my 8-track tapes which sound even better than vinyl, no static noise. 8-track tapes have a very "spacious" sound. I still use a mid 1960's Fisher 8-track connected to my home stereo as well as a 4-track Roberts/Rheem reel-to-reel, but let's not go there, that's even better-sounding. Digital sucks, Analog is the sound I like.
Cassettes tended keep their alignments better. Then when Nakamichi introduced NAAC in their TD-1200, I was in hog heaven. Until one day the unit just stopped working, and Nakamichi had stopped repairing those units. That's when I started giving up on really expensive car audio.
#33
I started listening to car audio with an 8-track, but I have to admit that I've never been happy with the sound quality. The worst problem was the poor head to tape alignment leading to very bad high frequency response. I've tried aligning the head of a deck to a tape, but it never stays. Then there was the wow and flutter distortions that was all too common.
#34
I moved up to Sony's first car system that included an AM/FM/cassette head unit and their first PWM amplifier, keeping the DLK speakers, but installed into a newer car. That system sounded great, until it died one day. I dug into it a little but could not figure out what the problems were.
Later I got a complete Nakamichi system that cost more than the 69 Mach-I that I installed it into. It had the best sounding cassette deck designed for a car, lots of power overcame all the noises from the car, and compensated for my declining hearing. I think the bone-crushing suspension I had in that car may have eventually damaged the cassette deck; still don't know for sure. And the amplifiers started to make some weird popping noises before the head unit failed, so I guess they were going as well.
The Nakamichi speakers died of surround foam rot, so the only functioning parts I have left over from my various systems are the DLK speakers. They're way too deep and heavy to install into the hatch of the Aerostar. Plus, they're 8 ohms, so they will sound weak with modern amplifiers, as most of today's car audio systems use either 4 ohm or 2 ohm speakers to get their higher power levels.
#35
Thats why sound deadening the doors using a dynamat type material is more important than the type of speakers you use. Eliminating resonance and keeping outside noises out and inside noises in is equal to running a higher wattage because you get better clarity and volume at any given power level.
Running speakers that are efficient is a great way to upgrade. Basically you want a speaker that can handle high power levels, but that does not need a lot of power to produce good sound.
Running speakers that are efficient is a great way to upgrade. Basically you want a speaker that can handle high power levels, but that does not need a lot of power to produce good sound.
#36
I live on Hawaii, the Aerostar's AC is not working and the repair costs $800, so I almost always have my windows rolled down. Thanks to vent shades that's even possible during light rain, but the shades add even a bit more noise, so I dare say in my case sound-deadening the doors would be a wasteful investment.
Khan, what do you think of my rewiring manual ?
Khan, what do you think of my rewiring manual ?
#37
I'm not sure, you claim that just removing the black connector fixes the issue. From my understanding of how the wiring on these systems works, you still essentially have a common ground system, which is 90% of the problem, plus now your system is a spliced up mess, which defeats the purpose. It becomes a matter of cutting wires every time you need to replace a head unit (depending on how quality your unit is, this is not outside the real of possibility). The common ground does not occur at the connectors, it occurs in the harness somewhere.
I am still in favor of new wire runs to each speaker because you step away from the common ground setup which causes most of the sound distortion. Most aftermarket speaker wire is of higher quality than the stock wire too, though the stock wire itself is usually adequate for most situations.
When I run new speaker wire on my Fords, I reuse the stock black Ford connector, and hook all my speaker wires to that. That way a harness adapter still works perfectly. In fact, the way I did it on my Merkur is was to run new wire to all 4 speakers (it was common ground too), replace the stock Merkur connector with the Ford type connector, both the black speaker connector and the grey one too. I included the remote trigger wire right into the grey connector too, and added the illumination circuit to the Merkur. I then mounted an amp in the trunk, and completed all the hookups there. I ran the speker wires back towards the front, and connected them to a Ford harness adapter, so it plugs right into the black connector behind the radio. This setup gives mea very clean looking setup that is basically foolproof. You can either run the speakers off the head unit, or the amp, but not both. The connections are all in the same place. I can replace components in the future by just pulling the radio.
I am still in favor of new wire runs to each speaker because you step away from the common ground setup which causes most of the sound distortion. Most aftermarket speaker wire is of higher quality than the stock wire too, though the stock wire itself is usually adequate for most situations.
When I run new speaker wire on my Fords, I reuse the stock black Ford connector, and hook all my speaker wires to that. That way a harness adapter still works perfectly. In fact, the way I did it on my Merkur is was to run new wire to all 4 speakers (it was common ground too), replace the stock Merkur connector with the Ford type connector, both the black speaker connector and the grey one too. I included the remote trigger wire right into the grey connector too, and added the illumination circuit to the Merkur. I then mounted an amp in the trunk, and completed all the hookups there. I ran the speker wires back towards the front, and connected them to a Ford harness adapter, so it plugs right into the black connector behind the radio. This setup gives mea very clean looking setup that is basically foolproof. You can either run the speakers off the head unit, or the amp, but not both. The connections are all in the same place. I can replace components in the future by just pulling the radio.
#38
I was able to figure this out thanks to my ohm meter, so I can testify that following my manual provides 100% floating ground, WITHOUT any extra wires running into the rear.
My new stereo only has 1 front and 1 rear channel out, so no extra rewiring for the tail-gate speakers was necessary.
Even more, the advantage of cutting the black harness out is one less interface = less resistance.
I am still in favor of new wire runs to each speaker because you step away from the common ground setup which causes most of the sound distortion. Most aftermarket speaker wire is of higher quality than the stock wire too, though the stock wire itself is usually adequate for most situations.
That way a harness adapter still works perfectly. In fact, the way I did it on my Merkur is was to run new wire to all 4 speakers (it was common ground too), replace the stock Merkur connector with the Ford type connector, both the black speaker connector and the grey one too. I included the remote trigger wire right into the grey connector too, and added the illumination circuit to the Merkur. I then mounted an amp in the trunk, and completed all the hookups there. I ran the speker wires back towards the front, and connected them to a Ford harness adapter, so it plugs right into the black connector behind the radio. This setup gives mea very clean looking setup that is basically foolproof. You can either run the speakers off the head unit, or the amp, but not both. The connections are all in the same place. I can replace components in the future by just pulling the radio.
#40
#42
#43
Both mine had the wipers, heaters, and speakers in the back, so I don't know whether a van without those options would have the wiring installed. With, the wiring would go through corrugated hoses that connect between the top edge of the door and the rear edge of the roof.
I've had to get into the rear hatch before, and it is definitely fiberglass.
I've had to get into the rear hatch before, and it is definitely fiberglass.
#44
the Aerostar Hatch and the Hood are both fiberglass.
The weight of the hatch is because 1) of its size, 2) the added weight of the rear glass, and 3) all other reinforcing hardware added.
if you remove the upholstery interior panels, you can see the rough fiberglass at the cutouts and also the vertical steel reinforcements.
The weight of the hatch is because 1) of its size, 2) the added weight of the rear glass, and 3) all other reinforcing hardware added.
if you remove the upholstery interior panels, you can see the rough fiberglass at the cutouts and also the vertical steel reinforcements.
#45
I never understood the reasoning behind the heavy as hell fiberglass back hatch door. Expensive glass layup and must have been a high factory blemish defect rejection rate. Hard to get 'glass surfaces to match complex auto paints with steel surfaces.
Love the huge swing up back door for family and traveling uses especially in the rain and loading lots of gear.
But god help the guy that has to change the hold up rams by himself.
Love the huge swing up back door for family and traveling uses especially in the rain and loading lots of gear.
But god help the guy that has to change the hold up rams by himself.