Wouldn't it work to use the existing ground wire as the fish wire?

Marshall Ruskin
-----Original Message-----
From: John-Reed Maffeo <rlpa80@EMAIL.SPS.MOT.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Monday, April 19, 1999 7:09 PM
Subject: New Ground Wire for Rear Stereo - Part I

>This is the first of a two part article describing the technique for
>running a new ground wire for a rear mounted stereo speaker from
>the dash.
>
>This article is in two parts because I need your help to finish it.
>
>The saga begins with the purchase of a new radio for my radio-less
>vanagon. The PO had removed what ever had been there and left a nest
>of wires neatly taped up.
>
>I bought a new stero and hooked it up to the existing wires. It
>sounded horrible. I tried several alternate hookup and the best sound
>came from leaving the rear speakers disconnected:(
>
>My children started bugging me to hook up the rear speakers so I
>went to the list for advice. The problem is a clash between old and
>new technology. Old technology rear speakers share a ground wire.
>New technology speakers >require< a seperate ground. Shared ground
>will burn up the amp!
>
>The existing speaker wires run down a channel at the top of the
>side wall just below the roof seam. This channel is not open from
>end to end because part of it is used to distribute air through
>the doors(???) and up a bulkhead and into this baffeled channel.
>
>I first tried pulling one of the louvered vents from the cealing and
>trying to fish a line up to the front and down over the door jam to
>the area under the dash.
>
>This just did not seem to work. I even tried running my fish wire up
>through the existing harness, but couldn't do it. I just couldn't make
>the turn from the roof down the window line.
>
>So I tried moving over to the left side. I pulled the courtesy light
>from over the drivers seat and tried to run my fish wire down the
>channel to the under dash. It worked on the first try!!!
>
>However, when I tried to run it to the back I failed. I can't seen
>to run a wire through the existing harness or around it.
>
>I have had one suggestion to run the wire on the floor and I will do
>that if I have to, but I would like to either:
>
>1. Run the wire along side the existing speaker wires through the
>        channel to the rear.
>2. Run one on the other side.
>
>Any suggestions?
>
>Thanks,
>
>John-Reed Maffeo '86 Syncro - Glacie
>Mesa, AZ
>