Decision time....stereo install cut dash ?
 

My choices are to cut the dash for a modern stereo or mount it in the glove box. How bad of an idea is it to cut the dash on my 67. It is by no means an original ride. Anyone out there with pics of a glove box mounted cd player ?

Don't talk about getting one of the retro gigs that fit in the old dash slot. That's not an option.

we mounted my freinds on a peice of aluminum plate in the glove box and the cd player went in the trunk , and put a dummy in the factory hole .

I recommend option #3...

http://www.autotoys.com/pics/SISUDEB.jpg

Mount the radio in an underdash mount installed below the dash.

I'll take a picture of the Alpine AM/FM/CD unit installed in my '64 tonight when I get home and post it for you.

The install will be easier without cutting the dash, and functionally much superior to mounting in the glove box where the driver can't control it.

I like that Champ.

Where do you find that?

Charles

i like that option as well. i am really looking for install pics for ideas...post em if ya got em please. i have never had a radio of any kind in the firebird. i am getting kinda stoked. of course the next question is if i should just mount the speakers in the rear package tray in the classic spot ?

Any good stereo shop will have them. Years ago, I used to work in consumer electronics and was aware of these - before I ever got any old cars.

Google "underdash radio mounts" and you can find several.

I found that pic at: http://www.autotoys.com/x/product.php?productid=8855

Crutchfield also has them: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-B45KavJ...tml?tab=review

I will take a photo later today and post to show how it looks installed in a GTO.

6x9's in the rear package shelf are a no-brainer. That's what we have in our Camaro.

For the front (and you really need something up front), you can fab a mounting plate for a pair of 4" speakers to replace the factory front dash single speaker. These are also available as a kit already assembled - right from our board sponsor - PY.

Subscribing... I am in the same boat as steve. except, my dash was already cut by a previous owner, so I may just shove one in there. don't have any speakers in the car either.

I would also like to see pictures of others AFTERMARKET radio/headunits installed. (whether in cut dash or glove box or where-ever)

diferent cars but here is my 79 6x9 in rear 2 4" in dash also have 51/4 componet speakers woofers under front seat tweeters top of window pillars I used a pioneir head unit with auto eq ( uses a microphone to balance the speekers to the car) it realy compensates for less than ideal speaker placement and sounds great

Here is my Sony X-Plod in my '68 GTO. I don't like the Sony, but it is an example.

Eclipse
 

Here's mine, not pretty, but functional........
I have the (large) tweeter crossovers mounted under the plate.
There is a bracket that I made in the back that securely firms up the plate.

I used that underdash unit last year, until I decided to just cut the dash. Here are some pics.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Hbcov-4C0M0/Sh...0/IMG_0598.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Hbcov-4C0M0/Sh...0/IMG_0599.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Hbcov-4C0M0/Sh...0/IMG_0600.JPG

Quickie pic from my phone...

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMAG0069.jpg

Back when I showed my car at judged/bigger shows - I would take this out for shows. Took about 3 minutes and very basic tools - and then stuff the wires up under the dash.

thanks for all the pics ! it seems like many have the gauges under the center dash area like i do. thats why i was wondering how it would work. i cant think of a way to make the glove box idea look smooth yet either...

google hidden radio. They make a remote control radio that can fit anywhere in the car. I have one in my 62 tempest. It has a power antena output that I have driving a relay to switch the speakers between the factory am that is still in the dash and the hidden radio. One small pannel about the size of a cell phone is all you can see. And you must get on your knees outside of the passenger door with the door open to see it. I have seen adds for a newer one that can play an I-pod. That plug fits just inside the glove box.
I forgot to say where I mounted the hidden radio. It is above the glove box, under the dash. There was plenty of room to mount it there, then put the glove box back in.

I have been a fan of running an MP3 player into an amplifier. This way, there is minimal wiring, the MP3 player drives an amplifier very well and you aren't lugging around tons of Cd's with you and the amp hides well in the trunk, under the seat, etc, etc. In a very short time, CD's will become thing of the past. I have been running my zune into a 2 channel Alpine amp and love it.

x2. the best radio head is no head at all. put your amp in the trunk and run a cable to the front and hide a single 1/8" stereo jack and a power trigger wire from the ign hot on the fuse box. plug in your ipod/mp3/portable radio and you're good to go. nothing to steal and looks great (because it can't be seen). i run a 4 channel jvc amp (left, right, and bridged for the mono 12" sub) with a pair of infinity reference series 6x9's. love it.

I put the head unit in the glovebox on my 62 Bonne'. I prefer this over just the cord from mp3 player to amp. I like the audio control offered by the head unit: EQ, fader, sub control, high pass, low pass filters etc, The head unit I bought has AUX 1/8" and USB input too. I will run a 1/8" cable that will come up from under the seat so I can use my mp3 player or Droid. One of the new nano USB thumbdrives will fit in the radio and be able to close glovebox door without removing it. If I leave the glove box door open while driving I can use the remote so I don't have to reach across to make adjustments while driving.

Steve, is there a reason that using a stock-looking radio that fits the cutout is not an option?

I went around on this myself on my '69 Lemans. I didn't really like the look of the C-A radio and it doesn't fit a 69 without cutting anyway. After a bunch of searching around I found a radio that Ausley's Chevelle was selling pretty cheap that fit the stock opening. The tuner is not that great but I mostly use my IPOD through the Aux-in anyway. Forget about CD's- they are already becoming old tech.

The 67 FB uses the same cutout as the Camaros, right? It seems to me there should be some good alternatives out there.

Walt

Exactly. Thats what I did, and ran the mp3/aux jack into my console. I just plug my phone in since thats the only mp3 player I mess with and I'm good. The radio works fine as well and doubles as a clock. Not perfect but way better than cutting up an uncut dash, and less work.