Where does a guy start?

[Pinchecharlie]

I have a few more things left to think about doing for metal work before my 65 goes to the body shop. One is the stereo. I know Jack **** about stereos and my head hurts reading about them. After reading these posts it would seem like the coolio units that fit kinda suck? I am putting a lot of effort and money in this pos so I might as well have a good system. I don't need or like the fart car window shaker "boooom boooom" thing but I'd be down for something nice. Should I say f@#$ it and cut a hole and do a modern thing or is there remote systems I could put behind the seat and leave my original as a dummy? I need to finish welding any and all brackets and what ever before she goes away soon. I live in a pretty small town and we have a couple of shops but they are notoriously bad (meth heads lol) so how about a systm that sounds nice and i can play my wifes Pandora doesn't have to be the best. Let's say for 800 to 1200. Don't want extra batteries and crazy stereo competition stuff lol but I like making things so fabrication is ok. If you had a favorite or I wish i would have done this or that it would really help get me started. If this budget is way off let me know and there seems to be quite alot of amps and speakers second hand around too.Thanks charlie