Hack Dash for aftermarket Radio???

[boatpuller]

just my opioion.but if it isn't all stock now.and,your not going to return it to totally stock.i wouldn't worry about it.do a good job and don't tear it all up.i don't think were going to see our model truck at the pebble beach "concourse de elegance" anytime soon.so do whatever's cool to you,your footin the bill.

[cliffsta]

Originally Posted by 84 400

Clifsta is right on!! The dash on a 67 to 72 is diffrent or on a real classic car/truck. but with the bezil and all why not hack it?? hidding the radio is a pain and not worth it on one of these trucks. true i would not have hacked mine but the po did so that is how it stays. it is your truck do what you want

I'm never "right on", go ask that bent rod in my motor why I didn't pull the spark plugs BEFORE trying to start the motor...

These trucks are a dime a dozen no matter HOW rare of the options it may have. They aren't exactly "classic" yet (nor any time soon). Its not hard to do and SOO cool to have a modern CD sound system in your truck. Now if it were an older truck like 60s, or a more rare vehicle like a Chevelle/Nova/Camaro, then DEFINATELY I wouldn't chop the dash. But these trucks just aren't THAT special.

At least that's what I tell myself every day when I see my disaster under the carport...

[84slopwaggin]

I drive a 76 malibu CLASSIC daily. I can't for the life of me hack the dash in it. I have installed another 2 knob cassette player in it. I didn't come with the original one anyway. I've only had one truck with the original radio. All the others had aftermarket decks. My two current trucks are hacked. One doesn't work right now. The other has no deck in the hacked part. I will drive a vehicle with no radio. It's no biggie to me. I've done it for years. I have a 10' Kicker in a truck box in my garage right now, but I wonder if it will ever be used (by me). If your not one that likes quality sound why not just keep the factory style deck.

[bigblock73]

Originally Posted by cliffsta

These trucks are a dime a dozen no matter HOW rare of the options it may have. They aren't exactly "classic" yet (nor any time soon). Its not hard to do and SOO cool to have a modern CD sound system in your truck. Now if it were an older truck like 60s, or a more rare vehicle like a Chevelle/Nova/Camaro, then DEFINATELY I wouldn't chop the dash. But these trucks just aren't THAT special.

The Chevells/Nova/Camaro were a dime a dozen too at one point in their life, now look at how hard it is to find a clean one that isn't all hacked up, remember, they were just cars back then too. While I agree these trucks aren't quite as collectable yet, they may someday be. With sooo many options out there for stereos or music playing devices, there is no need to cut the dash apart to fit in a radio...besides, you will be doing the next owner, or the owner after that a favor...believe me.

[stepside454]

That is true, its your truck, do what you want. If you regret it later.....that was your choice

[hiway]

I'm with boatpuller...unless your planning on staying original then do as you like. Your call. If its a "regular" truck then have at it. I didn't cut mine because it's fairly stock and a semi rare model. I wouldn't think twice about cutting something else though. Just cut slots above and below the holes and fold back. Easy to replace bezel and unfold tabs for the stock look. Your call.

[rchadhaney]

question about radio...

Maybe I don't know the specifics but couldn't you use a instrument cluster from like a 90-91 blazer that already had the full size radio (1 and a half din) and then cut the metal behind it and put in a factory gm cd-player from a later model truck... I think that would look pretty nice/factory... wouldn't this fit?

Thanks.

[Mudder]

I just installed a new Pioneer head unit in my truck that plays MP3's and removed the changer from under the seat. I've learned to make MP3's now (easy) and a friend of mine from work just turned me onto about 1500 cd's he had on his external hard drive. They are on my external hard drive now.

[Idaho Outlaw]

My dash is stock with a aftermarket shaft radio/cassette player in it. Here are just a couple of my thoughts:

It was said that cd's are a thing of the past, and buy a shaft style with an auxilary input for a mp3 player. This is true, but din style head units are not out of style and I don't forsee it to be in the near future. What about DVD player's that feed to monitor's, what about dvd players with built in/ motorized pop out screens, what about navigation systems w/ gps. All these types of head units are single or double din units.

So it is my opinion, that if the pickup is a daily driver, and not a trailer queen going from car show to car show. Cut it, and enjoy the newer electonic conforts of life.

[RoughKuntry]

Um guys Is there anyway to get the Boss 612ua installation photos? so i dont mess up? Installing the new Boss deck in the dash not where the stock radio goes. I will fix that later with my CB unit.

[gmachinz]

I started with a plain jane 86 shortbox with a trashed interior. The radio opening was already hacked for a CD player-so to clean it up and go with a "don't steal me, I'm not worth it" Delco Theftlok CD player from a 1999 Blazer so I could at least still listen to CD's. I carefully trimmed the dash to mimic the opening on 88-91 Suburbans, then used an LMC brushed aluminum overlay for the Suburban 1.5 DIN faceplate I had. The bezel is unmodified and looks factory. This is the only pic I can find showing a fairly decent interior shot of the stereo for some reason...my overall goal is to update a lot of features on the truck while maintaining a stock appearance.



If I ever decide to part with the truck, I hope the next owner doesn't mind me making due with an already hacked radio opening-van power mirror upgrade, power seat mod/upgrade on stock Suburban buckets (coming soon!), auto-dimming rearview mirror/auto headlights w/dash mounted light sensor and auto Express Down windows.

My next mod includes tracking down an electric rear slider with an Express Open feature...these trucks are too much fun to just leave alone imo