Hello, all. Proud new owner of an 85 Brat & new to the site. The rig came with an ancient P.O.S. radio and I am trying to go back to stock [also ancient, I know]. The truck is an 85 but has lots of 84 type stuff on it. I believe it is a late year [84 1/2 ?] model. Any way, I have both the clarion and other [?] tape decks for it. Can anyone tell me which is the correct one to use? I am also getting a stock Clarion stereo from another member. Will it work with either deck? Does anyone know of a good company to have the items "Tuned up" or rebuilt to get max sound out of them? I am planning on getting new/updated speakers and using an amp. Any help would be appreciated. Thanx, Kevin

i don't know that this will help, but i snagged this unit from an 84 hatch at pick-n-pull for my 84 hatch...

 

 

and the back:

 

 

i haven't given much thought to rebuilding the thing, i mostly wanted the console parts but it was $20 for the whole gob of plastic and wires. there's an 83 hatch there with this exact same setup in a tan interior, minus the vol/tune knobs...

 

the radio only says subaru, but the cassette deck says subaru and clarion. i don't know if the white cable's plug end is unique or used between all these decks, but i'd say that's probably the only thing you'd have to worry about.

 

i'm considering installing the stock decks and doing the discman-on-the-dash thing, but that would only be really cool if i went all the way and installed the "red rope dispenser," right?

 

:lol:

Welcome to the Board!!!!

 

Read your post in the "Want to Buy" forum, and I have to agree with what was said about the stock systems. They R the suck!!!! But I also can go along with you wanting to keep things "stock". My Wife wants to keep her '85 BRAT as stock as possible, (which means I have to remove the 2" front lift, along with the fancy American Racing Chrome rims :] ).

 

Anyways, replacing the door speakers isn't all that big of a job. Pop the grilles and lower panels off and have at it. The dash speakers are another matter, as you can't really get replacements for them, especially the one on the drivers side.

 

Hatchsub has put this up on the Board before, so I hope I'm not stepping on toes by doing this. Here's his website, http://www.cardomain.com/ride/724118/3 He tells how to go about upgrading the front speakers.

 

Looks pretty darn good to me...

 

If you do go with an aftermarket head unit, you'll need to run new speaker wires, stock wiring is common ground for speakers and the new stuff don't like that......

Hahahhaa yea its ok Tom. I wouldnt get much money for the stereo i was selling him anyways. Going stock is fine and all...would i do it..NO. My stereo sounds 1 million times better than anything that could have been done 20 years ago. It just takes some patience and know how to wire it correctly and make it look good. Mine looks like it could have been there all along. If you do decide to go this route I will help you as much as i can and if u stump me Im sure someone else will be able to help u finish it. It really wasnt all that bad.

 

A side note if u still want the stock subaru Head unit, mine is the exact same as the one pictured above. Its a Clarion so it will work with your cassette tape..if your cassette tape works lol.

I would still like the stereo. Im not sure what I am goimg to do, just yet. But I want to keep my options open. Kevin