> I just had my 89 Carat stereo system upgraded with new rear, front speakers
> and new head, everything fit fine, with the existing wires. I had 2 wires on
> each side a positive and negative, that was it, if there was a ground it was
> hidden from view.  I was able to fit a set of 6.5� speakers in the front, had
> to cut a little bit out but it fits in area where the stock front door
> speakers was and did not interfere with the power windows at all.  The SONY
> stereo is 50x4 and puts out plenty of power. My front speakers are infinity
> reference, and my rear are 4� sound stream units, I added a self powered 200
> watt sub woofer by inifinity that is amazing and can be positioned either flat
> or standing up. It fills the van with plenty of bass, the only thing that is a
> little lacking is in the mid range, not sure what the fix is.  I had a someone
> install the stereo for me, it took him about 2.5 hours and cost me $175
> dollars in NYC.  
> 
> I had particularly asked him about the ground issue and he said there was no
> rear ground connected to the previous speaker that he could see, he had to
> open the connectors a bit to widen so they would fit on the modern speakers
> and we needed a new stereo wiring harness and a radio antenna adapter but that
> was really it, a very simple install. Just an fyi.
> 
> regards to all,
> robert
> nyc
> 89 Auto/Power/Carat
> 
> 
> If you follow the red, blue, and 2 gray wires from the radio to the area
> above the glovebox you may find the answer. There you should expect to
> see a connector with those 4 wires going in but only 3 coming out and
> just 1 of them gray. This is where the rear speaker grounds join. From
> there the 3 wires go up inside the pillar at the corner of the
> windshield and are very difficult to follow. If you see 4 wires with 2
> grays going up the pillar then you may be in luck. Not likely on an 87.
> 
> Mark
> 
> Tim Beidel wrote:
>> >
>> > Can anyone with experience in installing a new stereo to a 1987 Vanagon
>> > provide a definitive answer about whether the rear speakers that year
>> shared
>> > a common ground?
>> >
>> > I have 4 wires coming from the rear; they are colored as described in
>> > Bentley 97.176. That diagram suggests to me that they do *not* share a
>> > common ground.
>> >
>> > I have seen one message in the archives that says they do not, and that
>> > installation of a modern radio will go fine. There is another message that
>> > says the ground is melded somewhere in the back and that you should not be
>> > fooled by the presence of two wires. I've received a private email warning
>> > the same thing.
>> >
>> > Others have said I should use a VOM to check for myself. If I had a VOM (a
>> > voltage ohm meter?), what should I look for? How do I use one to test these
>> > wires? (I am sure I can borrow one from somebody).
>> >
>> > Thanks,
>> >
>> > Tim Beidel
>> > South Portland, ME
>> > 1987 Syncro Westfalia