[V8] I'm Back!

[Dave Saad]

Hi Everyone. I changed email providers a while back and am slowly getting back to normal again with all of the various list subscriptions and whatnot. I swear it is worse than moving to have to change email addresses.

So - on the V8 front, I finally decided to replace the factory stereo - mostly because I have been using the V8 for long trips and no iPhone connectivity kinda sucks. I found what I think is a nice replacement - a Blaupunkt Toronto 420BT. It looks and fits pretty good. For now I am going to stay with the Bose speakers - and therein lies the problem. The Toronto (and probably all Blaupunkt head units) try to be smart and helpful by muting the output whenever something changes - like a radio station. Seems like a good idea until you hook it up to a Bose amp/speaker. It seems whenever the inputs are muted (I think this happens by grounding the line-out signals) the speakers respond with a nice loud POP. It is not useable like this. I could maybe drive the speakers directly with the Toronto’s speaker outputs - but they are rated at 4 ohms and rumor has it that the Bose speakers are a very goofy 2 ohms. I am considering a few things like a series resistor or maybe even a capacitor in-line from the Toronto to the speaker amps. Has anyone out there in V8 land solved this problem (short of replacing the Bose speakers)?

If all goes well, I will end up using the existing microphone in the car, phone calls will be made over the radio just like the original system (voice control with Siri), and I will still have a nice German looking stereo instead of some gaudy disco machine.

And on the “this car is sure fun to drive” front - the speed limit between Boise and Salt Lake (where my son is in college) is now 80 MPH. Having made the trip in the Explorer, a Suburban, and the V8 multiple times, everyone wants to take the V8 now unless there is too much cargo to fit. It is simply amazing how this old car performs so well and is so comfortable over long drives. I still don’t know what I would replace it with that I would like half as well.

Dave