Car Stereos: installing subs in 2001 cavalier, amplifier installation, factory radios

Question
Hi I'm a DIY kinda person and my boyfriend is giving me his subs and he's buying me an amp to go along with it. I've replaced my other speakers by myself and so I'd like to do this myself. I know that that requires me taking apart the dash and that is fine I just need full instructions before I go ripping my car apart. please let me know if you can help me out !!!!

thanks -lauren

Answer
Hi Lauren,

Do you still have the original radio in your Cavalier?  If so, do you plan to replace it?

If you're just installing an amplifier, and keeping the stock radio, then there's really no reason to tear your dash apart.  Amplifiers are connected to factory radios either through high-level inputs, or using a device called a line-output converter.  Either way, you just need to make connections to the factory speaker wires; and this can be done more easily at the rear speakers in the trunk, rather than at the factory radio harness.

If you really need to take the dash apart anyway, or if there's something else about the installation you're unsure of, just let me know, and I'll see if I can help.  The Cavalier is a relatively easy car for an amplifier installation, but the dash dis-assembly  can be a bit tricky, so it's best to avoid it if you can.

Hope this helps!

Brian