Stereo Setups - without altering original dash

**HZ1178** · 07-03-2011, 02:29 PM

Has anyone here installed a modern stereo in a very immaginative way as to not cut into the dash?

I am thinking of ways to mount the head unit and not spoil my recently aquired pristine dash facia. I would like to leave the original AM yellow needle radio installed for looks.

I have thought about installing into the center console. Has anyone done this?

Cheers,

Peter

**wbute** · 07-03-2011, 03:40 PM

In the glove box is pretty common. But..... if you have a ute, where do you put the speakers without cutting the door trims?

**HK1837** · 07-03-2011, 03:41 PM

I recently put Eclipse (Fujitsu ten) AVN726EA double DIN units into both my Hilux SR5 and V2 CV8. Both are CD/DVD/AM/FM/reverse camera/GPS. The exciting part is the IPOD connectivity. In the CV8 my mrs simply has an Ipod touch plugged into a cable in the glovebox and she can control all Ipod functions from the touch screen. I have an Iphone4 and its firmware won't work via the cable, but bluetooth audio does and I simply play an album on the Iphone and it works on the stereo. Bluetooth phone (handsfree works well too).
None of that probably bothers or interests you too much, but this unit can be programmed to work with steering wheel controls. So all you need is a box with buttons to replicate steering wheel controls (which are just 3 wires with varying resistances for each button). So you could hide the head unit and use the little box with buttons to control the unit. Buttons would be Volume Up/Down, Mode, Next plus more. If it was me I'd make the unit fit in the console in front of the gearstick, even if you just use a vinyl boot to go around it, or make something more elaborate. This way you could use the reverse camera, GPS etc too. Keep all music on a hidden Ipod. And have the liitle "steering wheel control" box handy to the driver. I'd consider maybe building something about the size of a matchbox that you could velcro to the cigarette lighter head or even mount the buttons in the blank panel that goes over the wiper dwell control spot, or velcro it to that removable panel.

**jennie285** · 07-03-2011, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by HZ1178

Has anyone here installed a modern stereo in a very immaginative way as to not cut into the dash?

I am thinking of ways to mount the head unit and not spoil my recently aquired pristine dash facia. I would like to leave the original AM yellow needle radio installed for looks.

I have thought about installing into the center console. Has anyone done this?

Cheers,

Peter

Hello yes Rodney put a kenwood system (with Ipod compatability) in our glovebox, also a switch so we can put the electric aerial up and down, so people don't break it off...I will take a pic when I have the van out next....we put the speakers in the Arch, and 2 in the back cupboards...it worked really well, we have the dash fascia looking great thanks to Absinth who poly welded a piece in it, and you can't tell...the original GMH radio may work but we haven't hooked it up, as we couldn't get a speaker, and it would sound hopeless anyways....

--- Updated ---

Originally Posted by wbute

In the glove box is pretty common. But..... if you have a ute, where do you put the speakers without cutting the door trims?

Good Question....:Chin:

**HK1837** · 07-03-2011, 05:13 PM

I reckon if push came to shove I could gut an original radio, and make all it's knobs and buttons act as "steering wheel" controls for a modern unit. How cool would that be! Speakers you'd have to creative. Mount small piezo tweeters up high (off the sunvisor brackets), bigger midrange units in the kick panels (like a WB) and a tube/box subwoofer behind the seats. There is enough room behind the seats to fit small amps, and those long box subs have an inbuilt amp so only need a pre-out from the head unit to drive them. If you buy a good head unit these will drive the piezo and midranges fine, just use a pre-out for the sub woofer(s). I'm not talking about doof-doof hat back-to-front wanker subs, just small ones to give you some bass which you won't get from the midranges. If you have a van you could use the side panels for subs if you like too.

**wbute** · 07-03-2011, 06:22 PM

You have a van right. Miles of room in the back, put it in the back or in the arch somewhere and get a head unit with a remote control? That way you can easily set the mood music whilst in the back (which you can even pick from the awesome selection that has been entered into the ipod competition)!
Those Custom Consoles that were around in the 90's were awesome for fitting headunits and UHF's into. I am sure if you were a bit cunning you could build a roof console that hardly anyone would notice in a van as well.

**agr071** · 07-03-2011, 06:35 PM

Aftermarket stereo - EASY!! Just get another lower dash cover that has had the pocket cut out and mount the stereo there.
Speakers - Put them into a box which goes on the shelf between the back of the seats and archway. Hidden but still practical.

Pain in the bum bit about the glovebox - If your buy yourself it's a pain to get at, if there are 2 of you, the glovebox lid will hit your knees each time you change station/cd etc.

OR (for a ute)do a small bracket off the seatbelt mount, and put a small box speaker up there.
EVEV make a box that fits behind the armrest (between the seats) mount a forward facing speaker there with the original type one in the dash.

--- Updated ---

All these are removeable/replaceable with the greatest of ease and no damage to your prestige interior.

**playwme** · 07-03-2011, 06:44 PM

I did stereo in the glovebox and speakers in new kick panels on my statesman. Made a surround for the stereo that fit snugly in the glovebox and was secured using one of the existing screws. 2 decent speakers mounted in MDF kick panels gave good enough sound quality for me and not a single hole was drilled in original parts. Stereo had an infra red remote so I'd just leave the glovebox open if it required a lot of use. Otherwise just set and forget.

**HZSandman** · 07-03-2011, 07:49 PM

Have done the glovebox. First time around I put in a unit minus a remote control. Idiot. Had to wait till a red light came along to reach over and do anything with it or risk swerving across the road trying to change the volume.

Now have remote control unit in their and it is fine as long as you leave the glove box open.

Problem with speakers though. Have a couple of larger ones in the back but need a couple in the front. Have currently got a couple of tweeter types on each side of the dash but these can not be turned up very much at all. Don't really want to cut into the kick panels. not sure what to try next.

**jbsandman76** · 07-03-2011, 08:03 PM

I have gone with the stereo in the glovebox. It has ipod cable that runs from the back so you can control it without reaching to the glovebox. Also has remote that works through the glovebox lid.

I made my own kick panels and mounted the 5 1/4 woofers and splitter boxes there, for the tweeters, they have been mounted snugly into the back of the airvents on the dash. You cannot see them, the sound is good, and the air still gets through. Win, Win, Win.

This setup has allowed me to have the original yellow needle radio in the dash for the retro look.

Hope this helps

Sorry for the large pics

Justin