Single din install problem

[plugugly]

bought an 87K5 for my highschooler. trying to install a single din. Aside from the fact that all the wiring is hacked and connections are made with household wire nuts, Im making progress cleaning all that crap out. I found the yellow, black and gray wires and have read I will need to install a constant B+. Thats all fine.

However, in reading about actually installing, it seems people are cutting out the dash using a template. The PO cut and bent the ears for the old radio back, which will not make for a quality install. Was thinking I could weld in a piece of sheetmetal to fill the hole, and then cut out for the single din cage. Any other ideas?
Has anyone successfully mounted a double din right there? Thats a pretty big hole.

 

[sickchev]

Before I'd hack the dash out I would buy a 2 knob Bluetooth unit. It weights nothing and just mounts using the knob holes. Fm/Bluetooth to the phone.

 

[plugugly]

its already been hacked. I can either weld this back up, or weld in a patch panel I guess.

Ill have to look into the 2 knob thing. do you mean a retro sound radio?

 

[75gmck25]

Cutting the old dash to install a DIN style radio was popular when folks wanted to have space for a CD or MP3 disc player. Now most drivers use Bluetooth, USB memory stick, XM radio or other ways to access a large number of songs. Your dash is less molested than most, so I would just use a two post radio setup that has USB or Bluetooth.

Retrosound has a really flexible setup, but it’s also usually quite expensive. I think you could find multiple other options for a two post radio with modern features.

 

[Randy and Easton]

@plugugly, They make a template that connects to three faceplate corner screws on dash and it works real well. Some kits are made of plastic (what we used) some are steel depends on vendor. The radio slides in, then faceplate then dash bezel and you are finished. There is no weight to the stereos these days and they don’t move. I will try and find the link to the mounting kit

Randy and E

 

[Randy and Easton]

Here ya go

 

[plugugly]

thanks all. Finally found that metra kit on late night intenet search and ordered it. Im guessing that is why the PO bent the ears back instead of cut them out, so that it may be returned to a two post.

 

[CalSgt]

thanks all. Finally found that metra kit on late night intenet search and ordered it. Im guessing that is why the PO bent the ears back instead of cut them out, so that it may be returned to a two post.

If your metro kit doesn't work out... I fixed one like this for the highshool kid that used to mow my lawn, he had a K5 that someone cut up for like a DIN & Half. I just used a scrap piece of thin soft sheetmetal and a few low profile sheetmetal screws, no real need to weld the radio hole up it just needs to be able to support the new radio.

 

[Rickf]

or use a radio with a remote control and install it under the seat. I like the two knob idea.

 

[Randy and Easton]

@plugugly , the kit when you get it has the two post holes intact on the template… you cut those out and you are good to go if that’s the route you choose.

Post pics when you’re finished ! We love pictures

 

[Scribbles]

@plugugly, They make a template that connects to three faceplate corner screws on dash and it works real well. Some kits are made of plastic (what we used) some are steel depends on vendor. The radio slides in, then faceplate then dash bezel and you are finished. There is no weight to the stereos these days and they don’t move. I will try and find the link to the mounting kit

Randy and E

I have installed so many of those ABS Plastic plates over the years and they work great. but I almost always have built at least a little pod under the dash or even better a console to fit a double din below the dash.
Here are a couple examples.
They could easily be double Din radios in all of them but only the 1st is a Squarebody and owned by a baseball player hence the baseball stitching on it.

 

[plugugly]

thats nice, but I have a floor shift tcase and I dont want to encourage my teenager to be loowing down quite so much. Great for an adult tho