Where to put the radio? Your thoughts...

[69redrunner]

O.E. radio is in the dash--disconnected. Aftermarket radio mounted below dash.

I'm thinking of pulling the stock radio and trim plate, making up new brackets and a new trim plate and putting the aftermarket radio in the dash just to clean things up a bit.

What are your thoughts?
When you look at a car at a show, does it affect your opinion of the car if the radio set-up is ... 2 radios? Aftermarket in dash?

Just curious

 

[dfarmercse]

Back in the days on my 69 GTX I put the 8 track in the glove box

Dave F

 

[Red63440]

Back in the days I put my FM converter in the glove box.....just like it is now.

 

[Coronet 500]

Under the dash is not my favourite but when I look I say OK because the dash was not cut up. A modern digital radio in an an old stock dash turns me right off, and I'm sorry to say I do have a poor opinion of the car. If it is a completely modernized dash that ties in with the rest of the interior looks good to me, but not one without the other. A modern radio with a stock looking cover plate is the way I would go.

 

[Pistol Pete]

I was thinking of a marine am/fm mounted either under the seat or in the trunk. They come with a remote which would "disappear" at a car show.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007L8BO4?&tag=shopwiki-us-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325

 

[Jonnyuma]

In several of my old cars I've mouned the head unit under the seat. It got easier when they started coming out with wireless remote controls for 'em. Before that it was tune-by-feel, use the presets, or just live through the crappy song that was on and hope the next one was better.
MP3s have made this option even more do-able. Unplug the thing, take it with you, and no one will ever be the wiser.
BTW, I agree with Coronet 500. I'm certainly no purist, but a modern stereo (and most of them are U-G-L-Y) in a vintage dash is a turn-off.

 

[69redrunner]

I've done the glove box thing before. I had a 66 Coronet 500, I put the stereo in the glove box and the equalizer in the console box.

I hate the look of the bulky unit hanging below the dash. And I too like to have the original in the dash.

I hadn't really thought about the new units with remotes...that's an option...I could probably tuck one under a seat pretty easily. I wonder if the remote would work if I put the unit in the trunk?

 

[tpodwdog]

Secret audio

heres what i did.....some may not agree with this but it was my option since i drive the car. i bought a secret audio unit. i still have the original am radio for looks( i dont show this car) but all i had to mount was this small controller with 2 small screws. ill post pix and lets hope i didnt for get how. secret audio is great it has. flashdrive input, am / fm ,cd changer which i dont have , can get sirius radio, and aux in, . the brain i mounted in the trunk and all that gets run up front is the power wire and a MIDI cable.....THATS IT. IT CRANKS AND SOUNDS GREAT FOR $279.00...with a wireless control too, so you dont really need to mount the controller anywhere

 

[dgraver]

I also did the secret audio, but I mounted the receiver and the small display underneath the drivers seat. Kept the stock am in dash and disconnected. I didnt want to alter my dash at all, and everything works great under the seat. I actually mounted the display upside down so I can look under the front of the seat to view it if needed, but the remote works great, even from outside the car. I installed a replacement 4x10 upfront and 2 6x9s in the rear. Passenger side 6x9 was tough because of the rear defrost blower is mounted where the speaker should be. Fixed this by using long mounting bolts and mounted the blower below the speaker on the same bolts. Couldn't be happier with the set up, get a lot of compliments. I could post pics if you want, let me know.

 

[tallhair]

I also did the secret audio, but I mounted the receiver and the small display underneath the drivers seat. Kept the stock am in dash and disconnected. I didnt want to alter my dash at all, and everything works great under the seat. I actually mounted the display upside down so I can look under the front of the seat to view it if needed, but the remote works great, even from outside the car. I installed a replacement 4x10 upfront and 2 6x9s in the rear. Passenger side 6x9 was tough because of the rear defrost blower is mounted where the speaker should be. Fixed this by using long mounting bolts and mounted the blower below the speaker on the same bolts. Couldn't be happier with the set up, get a lot of compliments. I could post pics if you want, let me know.

i would love to see some pictures.

- - - Updated - - -

O.E. radio is in the dash--disconnected. Aftermarket radio mounted below dash.

I'm thinking of pulling the stock radio and trim plate, making up new brackets and a new trim plate and putting the aftermarket radio in the dash just to clean things up a bit.

What are your thoughts?
When you look at a car at a show, does it affect your opinion of the car if the radio set-up is ... 2 radios? Aftermarket in dash?

Just curious

sorry to be a prude but i'm a purist when it comes to interiors (unless it's a dealer installed A/C, a retro tach, or something, but still not sure if I'd like the dealer installed A/C in a RR). I always had my pioneer AM/FM Cassette mounted under the seat and I got lots of compliments on how good the old AM radio sounded and how it was funny it was always playing CCR! :headbang:

 

[Ron 73]

I used to like and think the glove box was the way to go, but me not really concerned with folks seeing it have the after market mounted on front of my console, easier to operate, with the original just UN-hooked except the light in dial.. I can see one in the trunk if the remote will work right..

 

[HT413]

You could use a system like Retro Sound. Looks like an old radio (though not an exact replica of yours), has modern electronics and an iPod jack. If I recall, they dont list an application for the 69, but what u need to do is talk to them and get one with the center face plate just a hair larger than your stock radio and trim the radio bezel to fit (maybe pick up a repop bezel from classic industries rather than cutting up the originial). The Retro Sound knob spacing is adjustable so that wont be an issue.

i prefer this method because you're using the radio in the dash rather than searching for a remote, just seems right to me. Most of em have preamp outs too so u can hook to external power amps, eq's, etc.

 

[69redrunner]

I ended up buying a modern unit with a remote and a hidden antenna. Mounted both under the driver's seat. Used half of a sticky back velcro strip to grip the carpet and keep it from sliding around. Works pretty good.

 

[beezee]

I,ve installed an aftermarket in the dash,found it "safer" to use while driving. I removed the first generation secret audio I had because I found the print small and hard to read and couldn,t find the battery for the remote in any local stores.

 

[747mopar]

I,ve installed an aftermarket in the dash,found it "safer" to use while driving. I removed the first generation secret audio I had because I found the print small and hard to read and couldn,t find the battery for the remote in any local stores.

That's the way I would do it "right where it belongs". I customized my whole dash and built my own console, with the console being custom I built it to meat up with the bottom of the dash and hold the stereo (digital media player). I could care less what anyone thinks, when I walk threw a car show I walk right past all of the correctly restored ones "boring". Sorry that's my 2 cents

 

[jessipup]

At my local car stero shop they had a very small 1/8 x 1/4 in remote reciever like smaller than a button on a cell phone that is too easy to hide. then it would run some wires to the head unit. You could put that in the trunk or under the seat. So you would pull your remote out of the console or your pocket and point it at the dash and it would pick up the commands and send them to the head unit. Way Way cool. I'll have to go back there and fins out more.

 

[HT413]

At my local car stero shop they had a very small 1/8 x 1/4 in remote reciever like smaller than a button on a cell phone that is too easy to hide. then it would run some wires to the head unit. You could put that in the trunk or under the seat. So you would pull your remote out of the console or your pocket and point it at the dash and it would pick up the commands and send them to the head unit. Way Way cool. I'll have to go back there and fins out more.

Thats called an IR repeater. It's a little 'eye' that you mount in normal view and it receives the infra red signal and carries it back to the stereo. Good idea.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

IMHO, nothing looks much worse in the interior of a classic car than a visible aftermarket stereo. I want to figure out how to install the stereo in-dash and cover it with one of the stock radio-delete panels...

 

[70chargerman]

I've got the stock AM with bezel in the dash disconnected. My buddy made a 1/4 wooden box for the head unit and we cut a hole in the glovebox liner and put it in there. It looks stock and works great!
Tony

 

[wannadrag]

I,ve installed an aftermarket in the dash,found it "safer" to use while driving. I removed the first generation secret audio I had because I found the print small and hard to read and couldn,t find the battery for the remote in any local stores.

X2,i built my car to look how it would of looked in the late 70s.By then most of those crap factory radios were pitched in favor of a aftermarket.If i want something hanging under the dash it will be a 8 track that i have on the shelf from the 70s.