Talk me out of cutting my dash

[82Diesel]

That's what I put in my truck.

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Looks sweet, hows it performs & Sound? I'm keeping the Orig in my Truck. I.e Factory Resto.
The car still deciding. Hard enough to find a Pontiac Specific radio for it same as the trucks I think (78-87 g-body) but I think the only differences where the Knobs.

 

[F-64]

Cut.
Running a single DIN size opens up your choice of head units significantly. As well as keeping the stereo within reach. If possible, you don't want to have to look at the stereo to operate it.
All of my head units in the R10 have been single DIN. Alpine, Kenwood, Nakamichi.

 

[Reinovator]

Knobs can be fun to find. Go to an old school Stereo install center, find some knobs.
keep your good old unit. Or a wrecking yard they always have old stuff laying around, you will most likely find some thing check E-bay https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...t=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=jeep+knobs also get a blue tooth transmitter signal picks up at 89.8 fm on some systems use an mp3 player or your phone to play your music. This is just one Example https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bluetooth-...793653&hash=item1cd9a868df:g:JVwAAOSw1XZdgjox Cutting should be a last resort my 1977 c-10 has a nice cd player with aux jack my 1980 has a cassette with cassette adapter Family dollar $5 or was it $10 don't remember my 86 c20 has a cassette also some where Work truck just listen to the radio mostly. I don't regret cutting the dash on the 77. But that's Me Do what You want to It's Your Rig!

 

[75Monza]

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I plan to leave my dash intact. In order to upgrade my system I bought a headliner from Brothers trucks, see photo

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In that front square area, I’m putting a single din radio with a drop down screen. I can use Bluetooth, USB, a backup camera and extremely better sound. Since that is up there I am also installing one of those rear view mirrors that dim super bright light coming in your back window. I’ve had cataract surgery on both eyes and those lenses go crazy refracting that bright light. This leaves you with a classic looking dash and a barely noticeable system overhead.

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I had thought about doing one of those in the past, was worried it might sag in the middle. Does it have any type of support in the middle or is it just fastened around the edges?

 

[Craig 85]

Most that I've seen that WERE CUT looked too much like a hack job.

Prove me wrong.

Back in 1995 I installed a newer style stereo in my '80 3+3. I used a Dremil to make the cuts so the sleeve just fit. Back then, I recall a flat metal fill plate that was available which you sandwiched between the lip on the sleeve and the face of the dash. It covered that hole at the bottom of the stereo, making a very clean install. Unfortunately, stuff like that is no longer available.

I would have cut the dash on my dash this time around, but I still have to paint the truck and will be pulling the dash apart to do it. I had to do this on the '80 when I painted it and it was a PITA because the sleeve has to come out prior to removing the gauge bezel.

The DIN style radios tend to have more power than the retro style radios and can still play the few CD's I have left. I chose the Retrosound because it's easy to operate without taking your eyes off the road and it will be easier to service the dash/gauges if needed.

Sorry I don't have any pictures of the radio in the '80.

 

[bigcountry78]

Theres a write up here on the site where someone put a din radio in. He mentioned using the Metra kit that includes the metal support plate and the trim piece to finish everything off. I found the kit on amazon for around $15. It still shows the metal piece, but the reviews say that it is now plastic instead of metal. And some even included pictures showing the screw holes don’t line up. I guess their quality has really fallen off.

 

[Catbox]

Yes I definitely planned on taking my time and doing it right. But there is a large group of people that don’t care about doing things right. Those are the guys that look like they cut the dash with an axe.

My current truck has this kind of butchery.
The radio just kind of sits in the ****** hole they chopped into the dash.

My son drives the truck to school and work at this time.
So he has been upgrading the stereo.
He started with adding a set of speakers first and next up is a new head unit with some sort of repair to make the radio unit snug and good looking...

 

[Arkansas_V8]

If I had the patience to do it right I would have no problem cutting up my dash. It was just easier to tuck it away in the glovebox.


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[Octane]

Transgender

A transgender radio would have three holes or three knobs?

 

[bigcountry78]

Since I can’t keep track of the responses, I added a poll lol. Feel free to go vote for or against.

 

[SquareRoot]

Cut it! I did, I don't regret it. Use the Metra kit, do it right and it looks factory.

Then cut off your catalitic convertor, mufflers and run straight pipes. Buy an AR and vote for Trump.

You getting my point?

 

[SquareRoot]

If I had the patience to do it right I would have no problem cutting up my dash. It was just easier to tuck it away in the glovebox.


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The Vintage Air system pretty much fixed the glovebox option. Lol

 

[Arkansas_V8]

Cut it! I did, I don't regret it. Use the Metra kit, do it right and it looks factory.

Then cut off your catalitic convertor, mufflers and run straight pipes. Buy an AR and vote for Trump.

You getting my point?

I sure do like your way of thinking.

 

[eskimomann209]

The Vintage Air system pretty much fixed the glovebox option. Lol

Yeeeep as soon as I get the funds that’s going in my 73. To prep for it I took everything out of the glove box.

 

[78C10BigTen]

I have vintage air.... its called a 40 year old factory ac system lol thats vintage!