Radio ideas?

[Denee007]

Hi! I'd like to figure out options for a radio soon. While the transmission is out, I can stand up on the floor to work on the radio panel. I have a patch panel repair, but was wondering what modern radios could work? Maybe with a decent bezel I could make a hole for whatever radio may fit. So what "other" radios have been installed vs the tiny factory face radio?
Dne'


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[G&R's57GMC]

I'm going with a hidden remote controlled radio from http://www.secretaudio.com mounted under or behind the seat.

[Denee007]

Id like this, but dont know where to get a bezel like is around this radio. I will be changing the color of my interior, maybe kind of like this beautiful interior.


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[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Denee007

Id like this, but dont know where to get a bezel like is around this radio. I will be changing the color of my interior, maybe kind of like this beautiful interior.


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I have been looking{Not too hard} most modern stereos look similar to that one

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Denee007

Id like this, but dont know where to get a bezel like is around this radio. I will be changing the color of my interior, maybe kind of like this beautiful interior.


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I have been looking{Not too hard} most modern stereos look similar to that one. That is a nice interior but the one thing that buggs me is the modistu panel over the steerin column. they are hard to make look like they aren't an after thought.Orrie and Ogre did a nice job of integrating theirs!

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Denee007

Id like this, but dont know where to get a bezel like is around this radio. I will be changing the color of my interior, maybe kind of like this beautiful interior.


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Do you mean the metal part?

[arturo7]

Many of the modern radios have auxiliary input ports. Mount the AM/FM in the dash and put the CD changer where you want it. You can have an adapter cable for your MP3 or smart phone as well.

[zenchal26]

retrosound has a radio to fit in factory opening am/fm, sd card, thumb drive, and aux input. nice unit with real metal knobs.

[Denee007]

Yes, the metal part, or the bezel. That really seems to tie the radio to the dash. A radio like the one in the picture are available at many stores. The one in my 67 mustang is like it. I love that radio especially with Bluetooth. The hands free phone in my Stangfix works much better than in our Mazda cx9.
If I go with that shape, style of radio, I can go ahead and work the radio opening in my Apache to fit it.
; )
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[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Denee007

Yes, the metal part, or the bezel. That really seems to tie the radio to the dash. A radio like the one in the picture are available at many stores. The one in my 67 mustang is like it. I love that radio especially with Bluetooth. The hands free phone in my Stangfix works much better than in our Mazda cx9.
If I go with that shape, style of radio, I can go ahead and work the radio opening in my Apache to fit it.
; )
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You will have to make it. You should have enough practice welding sheet metal from foxing the floor. Now is as good a time as any to learn to bend the parts you need. or you could buy the patch panel and modify it.

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/ca/full.aspx?Page=69

You would have it widen the hole in your dash and cut the top off the patch.
If you do it that way this is the order that I would do it.Square up the cut in the dash. Cut just enough to make it nice and flat and no more.

Then cut the patch to fit I would just use magnets to hold it in place. when you get it where you want it determine where you want the radio and mark it all the way across the part and cut it{ this is where you will replace the embossed part with a flat panel}
Now that the lower part is trimmed and cleaned up fit it and tack it.if somthing dosen't fit like you like fix it now. Now you can make the flat panel and tack it in.now look at it from a bunch of angles to make sure you like it.
DO a bunch of tack welds skipping around. don't let it get too hot, Remember you will be looking it this pate from now on.

[oldcouple]

I handmade this sorta billet one from a chunk of aluminum to fit the 10 dollar garage sale post radio. I think you could make a similar plate for most any thing. I may change it out to one with a usb, as there are no radio stations anymore, and this one is cassette, but then what would I do with all those old tapes?

[Hogsophist]

I would get the patch panel from LMC and then install one of these:

http://www.retrosoundusa.com/products/category/id/10

the install was pretty darn easy, it fits great and the auxillary in is good. The price is not bad either.

I almost went aftermarket, but a friend talked me into the patch panel and i'm glad.

[Denee007]

The link below is similar to the radio in my mustang 67, mine is better! Before I attempt to install an entire patch panel, I'd like to see if I can use the metal that's there already, maybe cut and weld small pieces of sheet metal where needed to make an opening for the radio I'd really want. My question still rings about the bezel. But as Mcknittle said, I'll probably have to make a bezel like in the photo up above. I just need to buy the radio and get measurements.

I'd still like to pics of "other " radios like Oldcouples. Though I like tiny original stock looking aftermarket radio, I'd rather have what I want, like the one in custom trucks photo above!
Surely out of the hundreds of folks on here, someone has installed one; ). Will I be the first?

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1306400...EH-6400BT.html
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[mknittle]

Any way you do it you need the radio first.

[_Ogre]

your choices are very limited for a radio to fit the stock hole
the old style radios have to be wired from under the dash

i'd rather have good tunes than a good fit
patch the big hole with a flat piece curved to the dash
cut a 2''x7'' hole to fit a new style single din radio in there
single din is an iso standard that you will always be able to find a radio for your truck
most single din radios have a metal cage that you insert first
lock the cage in with tabs and a rear support
run the wires thru the hole, wire the radio and
then it's a matter of sliding in the new radio

i use the term radio very generically.
my pioneer head unit is a single din dvd player
i only use the usb port on mine
i have an 8gb mini thumb drive loaded and stuck in the usb port
hard rock and electric blues, usually played very loud

wikipedia link defines it as 2''x7''

you could always go extreme like truk
1000 watts, 2 amps, 4 component speakers, 10'' sub

[andrew_k]

Yeah, go for the patch panel and Retrosound's unit. Haven't bought it yet for myself, but in terms of looks and functionality (how many cds or tapes are you going to listen to in 20 years versus loading up a usb drive) it seems the best bet

[55dude]

fix the dash and install a "radio delete" panel and just mount an amp with aux jack for mp3 player and your set as most of them hold 500+ tunes!

[Jemo]

I smoothed the dash completely and will run all my music through my iPod.
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[hotrod1]

Originally Posted by Jemo

I smoothed the dash completely and will run all my music through my iPod.
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what will u use to power it and how will you do it. I like the idea and want to do the same.

[Jemo]

Well, it's not finished yet! But what will eventually happen is I bought an amp wiring kit from a stereo store. It goes directly from the battery to a floor bulkhead and then from the bulkhead to the amp. The iPod has a cable that runs directly to the amp so this will power the speaker, etc. I'm no expert on this but talked to a stereo shop and they told me what to buy. Once I get the truck driving, I'm going to take it back over there and have them finish it up. I ran the radio power wire from the fuse panel to the area the amp is going to sit so I hope this will likely turn it on/off so the amp isn't continually on. I'll probably hide an on/off switch under the seat and run a long iPod cable up between the seats.

[hotrod1]

Originally Posted by Jemo

Well, it's not finished yet! But what will eventually happen is I bought an amp wiring kit from a stereo store. It goes directly from the battery to a floor bulkhead and then from the bulkhead to the amp. The iPod has a cable that runs directly to the amp so this will power the speaker, etc. I'm no expert on this but talked to a stereo shop and they told me what to buy. Once I get the truck driving, I'm going to take it back over there and have them finish it up. I ran the radio power wire from the fuse panel to the area the amp is going to sit so I hope this will likely turn it on/off so the amp isn't continually on. I'll probably hide an on/off switch under the seat and run a long iPod cable up between the seats.

is there a way to do it wireless?

[Jemo]

Here is a pic of how I smoothed the dash. I just used some leftover sheet metal so it was cheap to do. I also eliminated a lot of the other switches originally on the dash. I'm going to hide my a/c control in the glove box.

[andrew_k]

Does anyone have the radios that Brothers has for 55-59?

http://www.brotherstrucks.com/prodin...number=CS06300

They don't have a picture anywhere and I'm not sure how it fits into the dash repair panel, but the ad says it will drop right in. There isn't a lot of room inside that oval, so I'm not sure if it's redesigned compared to the 64-66 that's shown or if the face panel spreads out over top of the dash when it's installed.

[Sin7]

Mine is semi-shaved like Jemo's but has a unit in the dash. Hope this helps.

[Denee007]

I apologize! I didn't finish my own thread! I'm losing it ya'll! I think I posted some stuff on my build thread.
I've long since welded the patch panel in, but not the entire panel. I'm using a single din 7" flat screen TV! When my precious grandaugter rides (someday) in my truck, it will accomdate her!




test fitting of my ac, but patch panel is welded in, but not finished out obviously. Soon to pick a color for the interior, but may just paint the lower part of the dash to compliment my seat and call it a day. When my back gets better, I may change my mind.