I cut my dash tonight.

[tdangle]

I always find it entertaining when this subject comes up. I worked in a stereo/CB shop in the early 70's and can't tell you how many doors I cut to install speakers. Didn't have to cut dashes back then because there were no DIN radios. Also drilled a lot of holes in the roofs for CB antennas. And yes my dash and doors are cut in my original family owned truck.

[siggyfreud]

Yeah I'm not sure why no one seems to be concerned about cutting a bed, shaving drip rails, chopping a top, etc. But someone wants to modify the dash and suddenly its controversial . If double dins existed in the 60s and 70s, 80s we'd have seen a TON of these modifications.

[Killer Bee]

Originally Posted by siggyfreud

Yeah I'm not sure why no one seems to be concerned about cutting a bed, shaving drip rails, chopping a top, etc. But someone wants to modify the dash and suddenly its controversial . If double dins existed in the 60s and 70s, 80s we'd have seen a TON of these factory installed.

FIFY

and btw, probably hear more static about cutting dashes as it is far more common than the other modifications you mention

[demian5]

Hers my ordeal with a cut dash

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=730491

[siggyfreud]

Originally Posted by Killer Bee

FIFY

and btw, probably hear more static about cutting dashes as it is far more common than the other modifications you mention

Perhaps, but Double Dins existed aftermarket long before they were common place in factory installs.

[Killer Bee]

Originally Posted by siggyfreud

Perhaps, but Double Dins existed aftermarket long before they were common place in factory installs.

not that it's germane to the subject but no, they weren't..

DIN is a German institute that created that standard for German auto manufacturers..

which of course the US OEMs and global aftermarket later followed..

now which ever of those YOU were exposed to first, may not have been it's actual origin

[rockyrivermark]

I put a round marine Bluetooth stereo behind the seat with speakers.
So I still have the am installed and it works.
Hit a small toggle under the dash and I auto connect to a nice sounding stereo system
Has a remote control also.
Pretty sweet

[siggyfreud]

Originally Posted by Killer Bee

not that it's germane to the subject but no, they weren't..

DIN is a German institute that created that standard for German auto manufacturers..

which of course the US OEMs and global aftermarket later followed..

now which ever of those YOU were exposed to first, may not have been it's actual origin

Didn't know that. My exposure was mostly late 90's early 2000s where most cars had the POTENTIAL, but it required a new plastic kit, the removal of some components etc. IE the modification of the dash. Even some of the german cars I had were similar. Like the E36 BMW where you could fit a double din, but had to shift the heater controls down to where an open pocket was.

In any case, people have been modifying their dash for decades. We just got better/smarter at making things more modular so modification didn't mean cutting metal, and in most cases, was easier to reverse.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by siggyfreud

Yeah I'm not sure why no one seems to be concerned about cutting a bed, shaving drip rails, chopping a top, etc. But someone wants to modify the dash and suddenly its controversial . If double dins existed in the 60s and 70s, 80s we'd have seen a TON of these modifications.

If there were DINs back then there would be no need to cut dashes.

I feel the same way about all truck hacking and that stuff you listed is worse. We do see a lot of griping about those things, too. A lot of it is about what is popular. Only some want to shave drip rails or chop a top, but the majority loves short beds. So they b!tch about one and praise the other.

But... the big difference here is that there are better ways to get good sounding music in a 67-72. There is no reason to cut the dash. You can't chop a top w/o chopping a top, but you can gain CD/XM/MP3 without cutting the dash. It's the easy route, not the better route. And that is why people speak up about that vs body alterations

[Jonny Hotnuts]

I cut this one in the early 90s (maybe 15 or 16 at the time). Put in a POS Pioneer CD.....



Tack welded a backer....





drilled holes in the backer to rosette a paper thin filler




small amount of glazing in the seam and some primer. Its not 100% perfect.....BUT REALLY CLOSE! I still need to do a little more work on it but it should be undetectable that it was ever cut when I am done.

This thread made me laugh because I spent a fair amount of time (sort of an obsurd amount) undoing what I did when I was younger.

Good luck to anyone that tries to 'uncut' a radio delete.

~JH

[Hammond68]

I saved the pieces I cut out. I can weld them back whenever I want. Only thing I'd lose is the original paint.
I could make it look like it never happened. I drive my truck daily. I'm not paying 300_400 bucks for a radio. I'll put that money in mechanical upgrades and sheet metal.
I don't mind spending money on my truck. I've already put buddy buckets in and and many other costly upgrades.tach dash ect. Rebuilt and modified drive train
When I start on the body I'll buy the highest quality parts I can find or go oem. But I won't pay hundreds for ****ty radio.

[special-K]

Me neither. When I spend good money I want good quality. My son bought a made to fit stereo for his '65 Biscayne (one of the two who makes those) and it was a P.O.S. I have never considered those since. I'd sooner run an empty radio hole with a stereo in the glovebox than use one of those.

[72freak]

With all of the HIDDEN Bluetooth amps and radio station aps out there now, its just plain unnecessary to have a radio in the dash much less cutting the dash. I am NOT a high tech electronics guy nor am I a music on the phone guy but as soon as this technology hit, I embraced it. Radio delete plates, factory looking radios with Bluetooth or original non working radios is all that goes in my dash now.

https://www.amazon.com/Pyle-2-Channe...gateway&sr=8-4

One of just 10000 options. I traditionally use a 4-6 channel and 4 speakers and a powered sub.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by Hammond68

Jocko.You can tell if they are date correct unless it's zero decked.even the the numbers on the back are 010.

Yes, I think we are saying the same thing. Date Correct by the pad or the block casting number only tells you if an engine "could have been" the original, but does not confirm - because there is no VIN stamping on these engines. You can confirm if an engine is not original if its numbers pan out to be not date correct, but you can't prove its original if the numbers are date correct.

[Hammond68]

72freak, wouldn't welding in a delete plate be taboo also?

[72c20customcamper]

I made this to repair my cut dash PO really hacked it up . Haven't put it in yet I ended up welding two studs to mount it . The radio in it works well so I'm leaving it for now

[Hammond68]

Here's pics of the cut out pieces. The second pic is the hole. I only cut the sides to the minimum needed. The upper and lower of the original hole is untouched.
That's why I say it would be easy to undue if I ever wanted to. But I won't ever want to. I will never sell my truck. I'm probably about 13000-14000 into it and have not even touched the rust. It's got roof rust inside and out. Firewall rust through. Needs inner and outer rockers plus some. Kick panel rust.
I like to think I rescued it from becoming a parts truck.So hopefully that will buy me some forgiveness from the anti dash cut crowd.

[Hammond68]

Second pic

[Hammond68]

Oops.

[Richard Jensen]

My radio doesn't work any ways. I don't plan on ever needing AM, there are no good FM stations in western KS, in my opinion, I sure as heck ain't going to pay what they want for one of the look original, but with all of the bells and whistles units. Besides with the condition of my cab it'd all sound like crap anyways. I say do as you please, it's your truck.

Thanks!
Richard

[dave`12]

I say you paid for it, do what you want.

But please don't go overboard

Seriously, I got some heat for taking out my 250cid and putting in a 350cid, and I get it, but it made me happy anyway.

[72freak]

Originally Posted by Hammond68

72freak, wouldn't welding in a delete plate be taboo also?

Welding in a delete plate? To cover an already cut dash? Im not sure of the reasoning. if that's the case once its cut you have to do what you can to make the best of it.

[Castle09]

I guess this is like a confessional. Well I cut my dash for one of those double din things. The PO had already cut it but for some strange reason they cut out the ignition hole also. So it was a fix/Mod. How may Hail Marys do I owe? I also shaved the drip rails and side markers. Shortened the bed added a wing thing.I cut the 3” of frame in the front for the front roll pan and going to shorten the frame and C-notch it. I’m going to burn.

[Killer Bee]

ok, so I'll confess.....

when I was approx. 12 years old, I drilled two holes in the dash of dad's 65 to install a tv speaker I got from my uncle to replace the rotted factory speaker..

and in my youthful spirit, threw the factory bracket and speaker frame away

thankfully, I was recently able to find not only a factory speaker frame and all mountings, but I was able to find a vendor that reconed it back to factory 10 ohm goodness

while I still haven't put that latest speaker in yet, I do have a new 10 ohm speaker installed to test the radio that works perfectly..

and yes, those are drywall screws with recessed washers inserted through the grill slots holding the speaker up with drywall anchors underneath..

all temporary without drilling more holes than I already did when I was a kid, visible to the right of the grill..

although not obvious to the ordinary passenger, they are a constant reminder of the mistake I made that I regret today..





now both of these mods were made by previous owners..

first, my 71 [72] K1500 burb is severely hacked! so bad that they had to support the din radio frame with a block of wood from the back

I was fortunate to find an aluminum adapter from brothers on sale that will tidy up the hacking decently.. haven't got it in perm yet, just recently finished a paper template to carefully locate the adapter so it hides all the hackage..

both doors of course are cut for speakers too..

so in the end, will still be tolerable but certainly would have preferred the factory am in the dash..







now the previous owner of the 71 K20 burb was thinking ahead.. he left the factory am in the dash and installed an aftermarket din radio in the glovebox..

and installed kick panel speaker inserts that do not require holes cut

I plan to remove all of that and if anything since it's a family hauler, likely install a hidden unit under the seat with a couple of speaker boxes underneath as well.. so Mrs. Bee and the kids can play their tunes from mommy's cell phone as they choose but I won't have to look at any of it and advertise to every passing thief..





this is what I prefer an old truck dash to look like.. nothing that fits in a cut open hole in the dash is going to produce any significant sound quality given the all steel body and crude insulation from the road, engine, etc. and even if the power is available to overcome that, how safe is it to drive with music blasting while cruising down the road.. just doesn't make any sense to me, never did, just enough to hear the tunes as background noise is sufficient for me..

and although those vintage radio conversions are expensive due to the lack of mass production anywhere near the numbers of common din radios, I would sooner spring for the extra coin to get the same quality for a couple hundred more than destroy the original dash..

both of my 71 longhorns completely unmolested

cheers and good luck to y'all!