TTA stereo replacement question

[Captain Mark]

Is it gonna be a beotch to replace my radio? I want a badass system with a CD player.

What about all the steering wheel controls? Will that have to be disabled?
I just wanna rock:thrashi: Is that wrong?

[1badTTA]

Is it gonna be a beotch to replace my radio? I want a badass system with a CD player.

What about all the steering wheel controls? Will that have to be disabled?
I just wanna rock:thrashi: Is that wrong?

Not hard at all, there are adapters that fit any DIN head unit into the factory hole and also an adapter that will allow the use of the steering wheel controls. It is actually the same adapter as Fords use (digital) and not the normal one for GM's (analog). Just requires a head unit that has or accepts a remote control and then you mount the IR LED so the stereo can "see" it. The options nowadays are pretty much limitless. HTH

[Captain Mark]

Hey, are our speakers supposed to be pretty good? I am assuming they were pretty good for 1989. Probably much better stuff out there now.

[1badTTA]

Crap IMHO. 6X9 rear and 4X6 front (I think).
Also with the location of the rears you will always have pretty poor bass response so at least a small sub will be needed for good sound.

I have a nice Clarion head unit and Kove Audio speakers all around (replacing the stock speakers) but need an 8" or 10" sub and amp to be able to get good bass response. One 8" sub in a box in the back with a small amp would easily work to provide a proportionate amount of bass.

[Captain Mark]

Yeah, that's kinda what I thought. Not much bass in these cars. Thanks man

[turbotaone]

Hey 1badTTA, are you saying that I can put a nice aftermarket stereo in my
TTA and still have the keypad on the steering wheel function and light up?
That's great! I have a nice Alpine receiver laying around here somewhere
that I would like to put in my TTA. Besides the wiring harness adapter that connects the Alpine to the factory plugs, what is it exactly that I need to buy
to get the steering wheel keypad to work, and where do I get it? I forgot to
mention that the Alpine will accept a remote.

Thanks
James

[1badTTA]

Yes I am, I can't remember the brand or exactly what it is called but I know you can get one at Best Buy for around $50. It plugs into the steering wheel output wire and then converts that into an IR signal for the new reciever. It won't necesarily allow every button on the wheel to do exactly what it says as you have to program it kinda like a universal remote for a TV but you will at least get the major functions.

[turbotaone]

OK, I'm going to check into it. Thanks alot 1badTTA.

James

[lburou]

There was a post on this subject @ TB.com within the last year by a person who worked at Best Buy....He said Sony made a Head that interfaces with the TTA steering wheel buttons. Sorry, thats all I remember :)

[turbotaone]

I'll go to Best Buy and see if they can help me out, thanks lburou.

James

[lburou]

I searched unsucesssfully for the thread I referrred to above....But, Razor had this to say about using new amplifiers with our steering wheel buttons :Best Buys sells the PAC adapter 69.00 it converts the steering wheel controls to an infrared signal..hence the need for a remote ready radio..1badTTA added:OK, to somewhat clarify things a bit, our steering wheel controls are a digital signal and all the later GM stereos with the steering wheel controls have an analog signal, that is why you can't use them even with the adapters for the plugs. Ford does still use the digital signal and the PAC adapter you get for our cars is the same one for most fords.

Any head unit with a remote control (or a remote option) will work, you will need a remote to program the PAC unit so talk to wherever you get your stereo and make sure they will loan you one if your radio doesn't come with one (as my clarion did)

HTH

[Rob]

Say if I wanted to put a newer Pontiac CD player in, would I still need to get an adapter for the steering controls if the player already had them in the other car?

I'd like to upgrade to a CD player and want to keep it "stockish" looking and a newer one would fit the bill pretty good. Plus I don't have cassettes anymore so I haven't ever played one in the car

[1badTTA]

Say if I wanted to put a newer Pontiac CD player in, would I still need to get an adapter for the steering controls if the player already had them in the other car?

I'd like to upgrade to a CD player and want to keep it "stockish" looking and a newer one would fit the bill pretty good. Plus I don't have cassettes anymore so I haven't ever played one in the car

As far as I know, all the GM stereos with steering wheel controls use an analog signal for the controls, the TTA's use a digital input similiar to ferds. It would probably be easier to get a ferd radio to work than a GM radio. Sorry.

[turbotaone]

I found the following article over on another TTA website. Has anyone ever
tried to use the CD player mentioned in this article ?



Can I install a Delco CD player and have it work with my steering wheel controls?

In 1989 there was an available CD for Trans Am, but it did not offer steering wheel controls. In 1990-91 Trans Ams, the CD player did have steering wheel controls. However, these players use a different control signal protocol and were therefore incompatible with the 1989 steering wheel.

Nevertheless, there have been reports of people who have gotten a CD player which works with the 1989 TTA steering wheel. One such unit is p/n 12340956. This is a plug & play unit, with the correct color grey faceplate. No special wiring adapter is needed. For more information, call Ron Martin at 1-800-222-5509. Ron is a GM Delco rep and has a great deal of expertise in this area.

[1badTTA]

I found the following article over on another TTA website. Has anyone ever
tried to use the CD player mentioned in this article ?



Can I install a Delco CD player and have it work with my steering wheel controls?

In 1989 there was an available CD for Trans Am, but it did not offer steering wheel controls. In 1990-91 Trans Ams, the CD player did have steering wheel controls. However, these players use a different control signal protocol and were therefore incompatible with the 1989 steering wheel.

Nevertheless, there have been reports of people who have gotten a CD player which works with the 1989 TTA steering wheel. One such unit is p/n 12340956. This is a plug & play unit, with the correct color grey faceplate. No special wiring adapter is needed. For more information, call Ron Martin at 1-800-222-5509. Ron is a GM Delco rep and has a great deal of expertise in this area.

There have been reports of roller cams and lifters in TTA's from the factory too.

When my stock radio died I found the same info and looked into it and got absolutely no results. The phone number listed was useless and the p/n appeared to be incorrect as nobody showed it being a valid number. If you do find one it will probably already installed in one of the 5 twin turbo V8 GNX's.

Sorry for the sarcasm but it is the only way I can cope with how much time I wasted researching that vaporware stereo.
I really wish the site you got that off of would get updated, most of the info is from the mid '90's.

[turbotaone]

I thought that it sounded too good to be true(a plug n play CD receiver for
the TTA), thanks for the info. 1badTTA.

James