Expert: Roland Finston - 9/22/2011

Question
so my buddy wants to exchange the am radio for something with fm and maybe a tape deck or even a cd changer. upon removing the original am radio, we find the wire cluster is different then the other radio's cluster input. So the question is, " can a dude put in a different radio without breaking off the cluster clip and splicing wires?"

Answer
Hi Jaret,
I have the manual for the front wheel drive radios of '85. Does his car have just a 7-pin plug or are there two 7-pin plugs, one gray, one black? Look in the rear of the opening to see if there might be another unused plug and wiring. If it only has one then it is a monophonic only system, if two it has the wiring in place for a stereo (but no extra speakers). If you have the 2 plugs with the wires then you could likely change it over to a stereo am/fm system by getting a Chrysler radio from an '85-94 and then add the extra speakers where the wires have already been located. If just the one plug, then he could use a Chrysler am/fm stereo but it would only come out of the existing speakers and maybe just need one wire to splice. Don't get an Infinity radio as that also needs an external powered amplifier to be wired in.
But if you only have the single plug, then you can probably start with any radio but you will have to essentially do a lot of new wire runs and plug soldering if you want stereo.
The wiring colors and plugs are seldom interchangeable (unless you stay with the same manufacturer) so you will need to do splicing. I have the manuals from the mid'80's Chrysler front wheel drive time-frame as to what each wire does (though I don't specifically have them for the '85 Diplomat radio, I still believe I can identify what each one is for) and then you will have to identify what the purposes are for the wires of the radio that you want to substitute for it. So carefully list each of the Diplomats' wire's color (and the pin number as etched on the plug) and let me know what they are.
If you don't know anything about the purposes of the wires of the replacement radio you will need to get a manual for it, or go to an auto radio shop and see if they can tell you.
But given the differences in how speakers are powered up, the impedence of the speakers, etc., I believe you would have more success if you found a mid/late-80's Chrysler Corp. radio at a wrecking yard that has the features that you want. It might then just be a plug and play sort of change out with no splicing that would probably work perfectly. Take the old radio with you for comparison when you go to the yard.
If you describe the plug wires and pin number for each wire and which plug (if there is more than one plug)the wire is located at, then I should be able to identify what vehicles in the Chrysler line should have a radio with the same set up as you now have. Just to be sure, tell me what it says on the front panel of the Diplomate radio as that will tell me the model, possibly.
Roland