Hi folks,

I am new to the list, and new to the water-cooled VW vans. (I owned a 76
for years.)  I recently got an 1986 Westy, and I am upgrading the
stereo. I can't figure out the speaker wiring, partially because I am
not 100% sure that all the speakers work.

Does anyone have knowledge of the speaker wire colors? The speakers
don't seem to be on the Bentley book's wiring diagram. I do know that on
most 80's vans, the rear speakers shared a common negative, and that
needs to be re-wired for most after market stereos.

A cable wrapped in black comes off the original stereo. Inside it is a
twist of copper strands, a red wire, a brown wire, and two cables with
still more wires inside: there is a gray cable with a twist of aluminum
strands, a blue wire, and a green wire, and there is a  white cable with
a twist of aluminum strands, a white wire, and a yellow wire.

What stumps me is this: 4 speakers = 8 wires. If the rear uses a common
ground, that is 7 wires. But there are 6 wires not including the loose
strands, and 9 if they are included.

Any help is appreciated - thanks in advance!

- Jesse