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Swapping factory CD player for tape deck

L

LauraSVT

I'm a dude, no really!
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
5,232
Yes, you read it right. I'm looking to swap out my factory CD player for a Ford factory tape deck that I've got on the shelf.

I was reading a bit about the challenges involved in doing a swap in the reverse, and what I gather is this: Since the CD player relies on the amp to provide adequate power to the speakers and the cassette deck does not, making sure I've got the correct wiring harness adapters is not the only problem.

If I were successful in installing the tape deck, but did not disconnect the amp, what kind of mess would I encounter?

Also, the tape deck I've got is out of a 1994 Thunderbird Super Coupe. It is the same electronic Ford deck used in the 1992-1995 Taurus SHO, and Lincoln Town Cars of certain years no later than 1994. It's a bit nicer than the unit that came in the Contours.

It seems to me that this can be done, and I'm willing to go to moderate lengths to accomplish the project. Any help you can provide will help me out. Many thanks. :cool:
 
You are crazy :laugh:

But to get a start do you have a picture of what the plugs look like on the back of the tape deck? Were the speakers of the T-Bird/Taurus amplified from the factory? My 94 Probe had a tape deck from the factory and had a similar amplified premium sound setup as the Contour so if that were the case with your tape deck it might not be difficult at all.
 
well I would look around for the premium sound tape deck from a contour, there was an option, at least in 95/96 where you could get a tape deck and a seperate single disk cd player ...
 
Redlineracer12 said:
You are crazy :laugh:

But to get a start do you have a picture of what the plugs look like on the back of the tape deck? Were the speakers of the T-Bird/Taurus amplified from the factory? My 94 Probe had a tape deck from the factory and had a similar amplified premium sound setup as the Contour so if that were the case with your tape deck it might not be difficult at all.
Click to expand...

Thank you. :cool:

Here's the front view and pin setup on the type of deck that came in the Contour:
854f_1.JPG


8597_1.JPG


And while the front view of the deck I've got in hand looks like this, I can't find a picture of the back -- and I don't have it with me at the moment.

e663_1_sbl.JPG


The subwoofer in the Taurus SHO had its own amp, but I want to say that the speakers themselves took power only from the head unit. It is my recollection that the upmarket electronic Ford deck pictured above made more juice than the others. I am, however, not a specialist in audio systems.
 
CSVT1214 said:
I say just go with an 8-track player. :drool: :laugh:
Click to expand...

Years ago, I test drove a 1980 Trans Am Turbo. Had the 301 4.9 under the hood, and both an eight track player and 23-channel CB in the dash -- factory. This was before the days of 40-channel setups.

Car was very neat, but not a practical buy at the time. That turbo would whistle unmistakably when you put the pedal down. As it turned out, though, GMs turbo technology really didn't arrive until years later. The Grand National and second iteration of the Turbo Trans Am (in 1989) benefited from those advancements.
 
Wow I've never heard of doing such a thing! Lol you are on CRACK Laura :p :laugh:. Not trying to like advertise or anything, but I have a tape deck lying around collecting dust if your other one doesn't work :shrug:. Good luck w/ the install!
 
Honestly, you'd do better to just get a $30 Durabrand deck at Walmart. Trying to match those wiring harnesses will be no fun, and a premium tape deck will be pretty rare.

Last week I pulled out Billy Joel - Glass Houses album (my very first tape of my own, obtained in late 80s) and have been playing it in my car.
It's weird .. but "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me" seems to describe you pretty well.
 
You can get a tape deck dirt cheap. Plus you can sell the factory CD player for a small fortune on eBay. I think the last one on there sold for $160. :shocked:
 
I have a premium tape deck I'll part with cheap. Has an output for an amp.
 
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I may still have a Ford tape deck from the Mach 460 stereo in a 95 Mustang GT if you want it. I don't know what the hookups look like in back, I'll check when I get home. It also used external amps for the speakers, so I don't know wha type of outputs there are on teh back.
 
Another idea

Another idea

You could also put an aftermarket tape deck with a cd changer, use the amp bypass harness. I believe someone has such a setup in CEG classifieds.
 
FavoriteMystaque said:
You could also put an aftermarket tape deck with a cd changer, use the amp bypass harness. I believe someone has such a setup in CEG classifieds.
Click to expand...

Or you could read the sticky in this forum that tells how to bypass the amp and make your own harness....

My suggestion, loose the factory radio of any style idea.... go out and spend $50 at wal-mart an get an el-cheapo tape deck, and install it in your car, you could go so far as to integrate with the factory amp to save yourself some time if you really don't want to bypass your amp, which you should do anyways... but all we can do on here is suggest to you what to do, you in the end will have to make your own decision about what you want to do....
 
Or a possibly cheaper option... depending on equipment.

If you have a computer with a burner in it, you can use a home tape deck and get (make) an RCA cinch to headphone cable, connect the deck's output to the line-in on your computer and 'rip' the tapes to MP3s (I think from tapes, lossless would be overkill), then burn those to CDs.

Or you can get the cable fairly cheap from any electronics store: Radioshack, for example (even though they're a tad expensive).

In fact, they even make a special 5.25" tape deck that goes in your computer that is made for ripping tapes to the computer. Called the PlusDeck 2c... cool, eh?
 
Ford OEM Radio/Cassette

Ford OEM Radio/Cassette

If you haven't already tried this, go to Ebay. Type in Ford Contour Radio in the Search box. When it comes up, scroll down thru' the Ebay Stores section. There are 3 OEMs listed there. I believe it would be much easier to use the Factory cassette player, and adapt the harnesses if necessary. You can probably connect each channel from the radio to the amp and not blow the power transistors, if you don't play it too loud. Good Luck!
 
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