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Hello all. I have a Starcraft converted 1997 E-150 and I'm attempting to install an aftermarket head unit in it. After some trial and error I've realized it must have an amp installed based on the shape of the speaker connector. I purchased a Metra amp integration harness to make it all work but the integration harness is not working. This leaves me with locating the amp and bypassing it with a different wire harness kit. From what I have read in 1997 the amp should have been located in the passenger kick panel area near the fuel cutoff switch. I've removed the kick panel and all I see in the vicinity of the fuel cutoff switch is a crash detection box and a giant cluster of connectors mounted on a frame. No amp to be found. I've taken off the instrument cluster bezel panel and the center dash bezel panel and looked all around in those areas. No amp to be found.
Has anyone owned a Starcraft conversion in the past and would know where the amp is located?
I have a Starcraft
RF kick panel area
I put three killer amps in mine for the 12 speaks I got
Wired around that crappy? What would be a premium sound amp
If I understood you correctly, you mean the amp is located in the the front part of the passenger kick panel? The only things I see there are the crash detection box, fuel cutoff switch and this giant wad of connectors. Can you post a photo of where you found the amp? Here's a photo of what I see.
Okay look right above there then
Those wires run from the stereo right over to that amp
That is where I rewired mine
I thought I remembered doing it at the kick panel, but it may have been right above the little panel above your feet on the right side
I think I see your wires in the photo heading up to the amp and out to all the speakers
Look for these wire colors and connectors like these
I used this Mustang JBL diagram because it was what I could find and the wire colors were the same IIRR
That amp is just a small metal box
I'll look above the wire wad again, but last I checked there are two main harness legs that come out of that wad. One goes up into a wire ladder that goes across under the passenger airbag towards the center console, the other goes into some wire loom next to the air bag then starts heading towards the center console. I'll take some more pictures tomorrow when I have more daylight and post.
So I took a look this morning. I identified a wire that is used as output from the amp (white with red stripe) and traced it from the amp connector to the head unit to where it connects in the connector wad. It comes down the wire ladder I mentioned that goes under the front side of the passenger air bag. I then traced it to the other main harness leg I saw in the kick panel area that goes up and then behind the passenger air bag. After that point I lose it and I would have to pull the passenger air bag to get a better view of where it's going. If there is an amp, it has to be buried deep in the dash from what I can see.
I have pictures of the amps I installed going into my van but none show that old amp
Van is in a satelitte shop I use
I labeled all those wires I believe for me to use when I wired mine
I will see if I can snap a photo when I get back over there
The conversion means nothing IIRR about the amp location, It should be in the same place as all the vans of that era
I do not have a van EVTM but one of those will show the amp location and all the wires like the Mustang page I posted
The amp is just a small metal box about 3 x 4 x 2 or so.
Follow that grey round DIN wire bundle to the amp and find those other wires using the colors
It should not be buried too deep in there
I did not pull my passenger air bag out
Not real sure my 94 even has a passenger bag come to think of it
I was able to pull that main connector plug down and attack the wires pretty easy
I basically wired around mine for now
Someday I will rewire all the speakers with monster cable straight from my amps
I agree, it makes more sense that it should be in the kick panel area. I however just don't see it. I'll look some more later today, maybe I'm missing something really obvious. I'll take the connector wad apart and maybe that will reveal something.
I have updates. After checking out the VIN and purchasing a Ford shop manual, I'm pretty sure that Starcraft upgraded the stock radio system to premium, sort of. True premium would have been a head unit with CD player, but they did AM/FM/Cassette tape instead. But... the did seem to add the Ford factory amp. If you decode the VIN it comes back as an incomplete cargo van for the 1997 model year. That lines up with what the conversion companies normally buy before converting. The shop manual also did not have drawings for the 1997 model year of Econoline that included the premium radio with factory amp. So... the amp is wherever Starcraft decided to stick it.
In any case, I have a plan b. By Monday I'll have all the needed connectors and harnesses to do factory amp integration with my aftermarket head unit and hopefully that works. If the photos you provide give me insight I'll still try to bypass the factory amp.
That sounds good
Here is a photo of where my amp is on my 94 and the amp itself
I attacked the wiring at the connector to run speakers with my 3 amps
Someday I will sheet can all of that wiring and run monster cable to all my speakers
Mine was also an incomplete vehicle manufacture
Those are the best ones IMO and are ready for a generator with a second fuel pump hose and a trailer wiring package
