Are all radios exchangable from different years

[centervilledon]

I have a '85 V-6 GT and I was wondering if I could trade my AM FM tape player up or down year wise? In other words will a newer or older AM FM radio tape player be the same? Could I say put a "87 radio in without changing anything? Don

[ctesla]

Don,

Welcome to AF!
so how's the weather in centerville?
I miss MaidRites. got relatives still back in union city, ohio and indy side.

any how; I am almost positive '84-'88 are interchangable (the coupe's radio may not have plugs for power amplified antenna); and that common GM radio may have the same plug-in as many Chevys/Buicks/Oldsmobiles (corvette and cadillac are different, as smaller pin connections in back, I believe). but the easy way to find out is to pull the radio, and have it with you at the salvage yard or what not, to compare the back receptacle.
if this is not an option, head to the local Wal-Mart in Muncie (or wherever there is one now) and look up your vehicle, and the vehicle of the donor radio unit in the adapter book, as if you were putting a non-GM unit in. if both vehicles use the same adapter, odds are, you have interchange-ability.
my 85SE to an 88coupe was a direct swap. one large plug with a couple of rounded "knubs" on one side, to prevent plugging in backwards, a two-pin quick diconnect for memory and clock, and the antenna cable.

hope this helps,
chris
nrt racing

[84fiero123]

ctesla's right all gm radios from 84 to 88 are the same except for those stated. years ago i put a am fm digital, cassette, cb from a buick into a impala of the same year and other than the extra box for the cb all the other plugs were the same. the radio with the subwoofer is somewhat dufferent.

[Ragtop_Renegade]

As stated before, all Fiero units were interchangeable. I belive some of the early GM CD players plug in direct as well as well. I put a 95' Beretta unit into a 90 Grand Am and it was a perfect swap, all I had to do was move the mounting ears from the top to the bottom. (2 screws) You'll find most 80's-90's oversize head units to be like this.....

[timguyli]

The wiring plug for almost all Gms changed for the 89 model year. The radios will fit, but you need to buy an adapter to convert to the older style plug.