So I'm a newbie when it comes to cars. Just sold my first car because the headgaskets were screwed. didn't have 1200 to replace it so whatever, onto the current problem.

I'm getting ready to fix up a 1988 toyota 4x4 efi. Just going to drop a battery in it, and see what's wrong from there. It's been sitting for a while so yeah. Probably need an oil change, get some fluid in the radiator, etc etc.

So onto my question. I want to take out the crappy stereo deck that's in it, and put the one from my former car in it's place. I don't want to break anything, nor eff it up some how when removing the old stereo. So is there anything I should look out for, some hard screws to find?

And if anyone can point me to a picture step by step procedure of doing this, that'd be great. Thanks.

 

it's fairly obvious and straightforward.

going from memory:
four screws to get the front bezel/surround off (bottom ones point at the doors, top ones are in ash tray slot).
two screws to pull pocket
two screws to pull radio
unclick wiring harness
undo antenna
done

You'll most likely need to buy a mounting kit to mount the aftermarket stereo, but those are cheap. I recommend buying the wiring adapter, but you can always cut'n'splice if you can't find one.

 

to mount an aftermarket stero you really don't need a "kit"
most aftermarket steroes have the screwholes on the sides.
My alpine and my Rampage both do. Gotta remove that metal sleeve that they use for other cars.
and definitely buy the wiring adapter. If you ever sell the truck you can keep your custom stereo.

 

This wiring adapter, can I get it at any regular autoparts store or should I just get one from like walmart or a car audio place? does it have to be a specific one, or any one that will fit?

 

go to any place like Napa or Schucks and ask for a "Toyota radio wiring harness"
This way, you can take the new radio, splice all the wires on the harness you buy, and just plug it in. It's alot easier than splicing into the factory harness.

 

I will give that a shot. >.< I can see this ending in an epic fail somehow.

 

If you haven't already, Crutchfield has info on almost every vehicle. I think you can look online, but not sure. I put an Alpine in my '88. It was pretty simple, but it was a tight fit in the back. I didn't use an install kit and I was replacing an old aftermarket tape deck.

bako88

 

OR if you are gonna do a system you won't need the harness all you will have to do is take the harness that comes with the stereo and find the positive and negative wires for each speaker and wire them to the new speakers then the power wire and memory wire to the battery with a fuse in between the radio and battery and the remote to the amp( rca plugs to the amp from the head unit if you use a amp and speaker wires to the amp) if you use one then the negative wire to the battery negative.

 

Yeah, definitely check out crutchfield.
I bought a used Head unit, and it turned out to be about 1/2" too long. And it hit my heater core.

And@Olharley.
If he ever has plans to sell, he might want to put the stock radio back in.