Before I buy all the components I need for my project I thought I was check here to see if what similar projects had been accomplished and to see if there are any problems with my plan. I have learned a lot from a search of the forums but still have not seen this done. I plan to replace my 83 300sd with a stereo from a 1995-99 C or E class. I am also going to replace my 4x6 dash and rear speakers with aftermarket ones. I plan to locate the common ground and four positive leads at the fader located on the shifter wood. It would be easier to if I could locate a set of the plugs for the new stereo but I cant find any. Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated.

-Justin Lewis

in regards to the factory fader, it's actually a piece of junk, and you'll have better sound if you by-pass it(or is that what you said you were doing?) anyhow, here's my thread on that issue:

w126 stereo fader

I replaced my rear speaker for a set of Polk Audio units that were supposed to be the same size, but the tweeter sticks up too high, so I can't put the grills back over them. So be aware of that. And I really don't hear any real diff in the sound anyway. I got the best results just putting in a subwoofer in the trunk.
Can't help you with the plug. The PO of my car had installed a different deck, so I had to just cut-n-splice when I put in my CD deck.
Good luck

__________________
past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)

I installed a pair of Polks in my 300-D on the rear deck. Like yours, they also stuck up too high because of the tweeters. It was an easy fix: I went to Circuit City and purchased a pair of risers that lift the speakers up about half an inch from the surface of rear deck. They look more like black plastic donuts, to give you a description.

You lose the totally stock look, but you gain two things: the option of better speakers and more air under them for better sound.

__________________

Current:
2014 VW Tiguan SEL 4Motion 43,000 miles.

2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport (wife's).

Past:
2006 Jetta TDI 135,970 miles. Sold Nov. '13.
1995 E-320 Special Edition. 220,200 miles. Sold Sept. '07.
1987 190-E 16 valve. 153,000 miles. Sold Feb. '06.
1980 300-D 225,000 miles. Donated to the National Kidney Foundation.
1980 240-D manual, 297,500 miles. Totaled by inattentive driver.

Thanks! I was going to make some risers, but if they're already available, I'll go that route.

__________________
past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)

Be aware that any modern hi power head unit will not work with a common ground for the speakers. I don't really know about the unit you have, but I suspect it was made for external power amps. So, you be not be able to use the fader in the console. If the speakers in your car have a common ground, you may need to run new wires to the speakers. If the unit is a Becker, check www.beckerautosound.com

__________________
Resistance is Futile.

I touch on that common ground issue in the post I linked to above. New stereos don't like that old wiring system.

__________________
past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)