Radio Relocation

[2gGSXEclipse]

So today when I was doing some work on the DSM I got myself an Idear... What if i could relocate my radio somewhere so I can use all the space where the radio is for gauges/boost controller/turbo timer/switches. I was thinking about moving it to the glove box or in the arm rest. My other idea is would it be possible to put it under the seat....then run wires from where the faceplate meets the deck and you could just mount the faceplate somewhere in the car. Not sure how this would work. Any ideas or pictures from people who have done this before??

 

[97 GSX 97]

Sounds dumb. There are plenty of places to mount gauges. You have the possibility of three on the a pillar. If you want the stealth look you can get the double cluster pod, get the single mounts and attach them to your steering wheel clamshell, dremel out the cig lighter area, delete the center vents and get a double holder there, or finally you can cut the fog light/cruise switch control thing to the left of your wheel and stick one there. No need to do so much bs to move the stereo.

 

[FullMetalJack]

I relocated mine.I started to put it in the glove box but i would have had to cut and fit and do way too much work for it to fit and the box actually shut. so i removed the glove box and mounted it under the dash by itself and closed off the open area around it. I like it anyway.. i was going to put gauges where the radio was but then i went with a monitor for nav right there and a pocket to slide my ipod into. I'll send you some pics if I remember to take any soon.

 

[VPrime]

I had an aftermarket deck in my glove box (put a 7"VGA touch screen for a carputer where the radio is supposed to go)

The stock harness is a tad short, but if you have an after market head unit+ harness it should make it the perfect length.
Mine was also the perfect size to fit with no hacking to get it closed.

 

[2gGSXEclipse]

Sounds dumb. There are plenty of places to mount gauges. You have the possibility of three on the a pillar. If you want the stealth look you can get the double cluster pod, get the single mounts and attach them to your steering wheel clamshell, dremel out the cig lighter area, delete the center vents and get a double holder there, or finally you can cut the fog light/cruise switch control thing to the left of your wheel and stick one there. No need to do so much bs to move the stereo.

Doesnt sound dumb at all. Ive already had two tickets for gauges on the apillar. Ive already got the 2 gauges by the stock cluster...my center vents are housing my SAFCII and i really dont wanna be hacking my dash up incase I wanna any other ideas come then i have to remove them.

VPrime and Fullmetal if you could both send some pics that would be great. Plus I like mine to be different then most peoples car. I always see cars with the a pillar...and then cig lighter...and all that so I like the idea of no seeing a radio but still having one thats functional.

 

[99gst_racer]

My other idea is would it be possible to put it under the seat....then run wires from where the faceplate meets the deck and you could just mount the faceplate somewhere in the car. Not sure how this would work. Any ideas or pictures from people who have done this before??

About 10 years ago when I used to subscribe to Auto Sound & Security, they did a stereo build in an El Camino. They built a small counsel/enclosure that mounted overhead on the headliner up near the rear view mirror. TheY mounted the faceplate in that enclousure and mounted the deck itself in the glovebox. They just soldered in a cable full of wires to connect the leads.

It was a neat idea and it seemed to work very well for them. Sounds like something that could work well for you too.

 

[blackGSX2g]

Back when I had a single DIN stereo I had always thought about moving mine to the headliner. I had a detachable face, so I was going to remote wire the face from the headliner to the actual head unit mounted in the glove box. I was going to have my carputer set-up running DSMLink in the OEM spot.

I seem to remember someone did that on here a long time ago.

EDIT: Dang Paul, beat me to it. I'll see if I can dig up that old thread. From what I remember, it was a 2g with tan interior.

 

[2gGSXEclipse]

About 10 years ago when I used to subscribe to Auto Sound & Security, they did a stereo build in an El Camino. They built a small counsel/enclosure that mounted overhead on the headliner up near the rear view mirror. TheY mounted the faceplate in that enclousure and mounted the deck itself in the glovebox. They just soldered in a cable full of wires to connect the leads.

It was a neat idea and it seemed to work very well for them. Sounds like something that could work well for you too.

I was thinking about this. I wish someone who had done it before could give me some pointers. It seems like there would have to be alot of precision soldering so you dont have to two pins next to eachother touching. I really like this idea and am going to put thought into it. Maybe just put the radio under the seat and run the head deck up by the sun roof switch. This might work

 

[blackGSX2g]

Here is the post in the original thread I was talking about in the headliner on a 2g. Wow, that was a long time ago; I'm suprised I remembered that. Makes me feel old...Anyways, hope that helps. Try PMing him to ask his method.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/1343995-post18.html

Here is another idea:

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/1066164-post8.html

 

[red97tib]

No pics pop up with that second link.

 

[2gGSXEclipse]

Thanks blackGSX both those links were helpful. The 2nd one worked for me. Looks like thats a possibilty too..mounting it below the stock radio between that and the shift. Both seem like alot of work but will both look good in the end

 

[SpawnedX]

How do you get a ticket for a gauge pod on your A pillar. This doesn't effect vehicle performance.

 

[mike96]

So today when I was doing some work on the DSM I got myself an Idear... What if i could relocate my radio somewhere so I can use all the space where the radio is for gauges/boost controller/turbo timer/switches. I was thinking about moving it to the glove box or in the arm rest. My other idea is would it be possible to put it under the seat....then run wires from where the faceplate meets the deck and you could just mount the faceplate somewhere in the car. Not sure how this would work. Any ideas or pictures from people who have done this before??

i had a friend relocate a face plate on a stereo for a guy he worked with at Fry's electronics... they put the stereo under the seat and the face plate in the visor. i thought about doing this also but haven't committed to soldering stuff to my $400 head unit yet.

 

[RedTurboEclipse]

How do you get a ticket for a gauge pod on your A pillar. This doesn't effect vehicle performance.

obstruction of view.

I've witnessed a cop give someone a ticket for that, for something dangling off the rear view mirror. and it was not even that big.

If the cop is a dick, they have something like that.

 

[2gGSXEclipse]

obstruction of view.

I've witnessed a cop give someone a ticket for that, for something dangling off the rear view mirror. and it was not even that big.

If the cop is a dick, they have something like that.

Exactly said...if he wants to be a dick...they can almost write you a ticket for anything. My cars way illegal too...i could have gotten way more

 

[IgotBoost91]

Way to get creative, looking forward to seeing some progress soon?

 

[2gGSXEclipse]

Way to get creative, looking forward to seeing some progress soon?

Thanks

I think I got an old pioneer deck laying around my house so im gonna disassemble it and see what the easy way its gonna be to go about this. Im pretty sure im gonna want to mount the faceplate up near the sun roof switch. Or if i can find somewhere else cool to do it

I was looking around and found this article on the internet.

http://www.argyrides.eu/bmw/mods/carputer/carputer.htm

It seems very helpful with the pics and instructions on how this fellow did it in the bimmer. Thought id post it for you who were also interested in doing it..but now you doind have to wait for me to be done. haha

 

[Ethand14]

I would like to see pics of it when it gets completed. It is vey creative.

 

[bryceorbiter]

You could try mounting the actual unit under the driver side dash. I had a power inverter that was probably about the size of a single DIN head unit their for about 3 years before i relocated it under my seat.

Soldering the connection shouldn't be that hard, if your nervous about it find someone who repairs cell phones or hard mods game consoles and have them solder on starting lengths of wire, then when you actually do the install you will just be soldering two wires together instead of wires to your actual head unit.

 

[Blaze2gDSM]

If you had a head unit with a removable faceplate could you not just make a plug from the deck the the faceplate? You would have to make the head unit think the plate was on but that shouldn't be hard. This faceplate connection should only be like 6 or so wires to make. This seems like it would be the easiest way to move it to the headliner area. I'd want mine mounted to the inside of my visor somehow if I were to do it. Flip down access and pretty well hidden.

 

[2gGSXEclipse]

If you had a head unit with a removable faceplate could you not just make a plug from the deck the the faceplate? You would have to make the head unit think the plate was on but that shouldn't be hard. This faceplate connection should only be like 6 or so wires to make. .

When I looked at mine it seemed like alot more then 6 connections. Im not sure how you would make a plug...the only real way i see making this work is taking both sides apart and cutting the wires that go to the connection then running a wire from there to the right connection wire on the other side of the radio.

As far as finding some one who fixes cell phones...thats not a bad idea at all. I think I would wanna do it myself though just to say I did it.

 

[mike96]

i spoke with my friend that did it once already... he said that all he did was got a long piece of ribbon cable like what gets used for your hard drive from Fry's electronics with at least as many wires as what you need. you can get the cable in 10 foot length i think and can cut off any extra wires that you don't need. than he gust soldered directly to the tabs on the back of the face plate and front of the head unit.

 

[2gGSXEclipse]

i spoke with my friend that did it once already... he said that all he did was got a long piece of ribbon cable like what gets used for your hard drive from Fry's electronics with at least as many wires as what you need. you can get the cable in 10 foot length i think and can cut off any extra wires that you don't need. than he gust soldered directly to the tabs on the back of the face plate and front of the head unit.

Yea ive read about that...that seems like it would work but would take a lot of tedious soldering. Im gonna put my trans back in soon and this will be my next project.

 

[Gamble97]

Join mp3car.com people on there have done it. One I saw was the headunit moved to the glovebox and they soldered the points from the deck to the headunit and used cat5/cat5e cable. It worked out very well.

 

[ttetzner]

If you look into it a lot of people mount it to the headliner right between the 2 visors. That's a lot of wiring work to do but it looks clean and is still within easy reach.

I mounted my gauges on the dash and didn't get an a pillar because i've heard of cops giving out tickets for obstructing your view.