Stereo on dash

Post by **tonicaek** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:25 pm

Hey guys,

I know topics about stereos have been mentioned a million times before, but.. Being an avid music nut I need a stereo in my Moggie. When I bought him, he came with a Goodmans stereo on a bracket, attached under the passenger glovebox, which I'd found ceased to work due to a leak in said glovebox.

Anyhoo, not to ramble - I've been hunting about for a decent classic style stereo for radio4 and with an iPod/aux connection, and came across:

http://www.retrosoundusa.com/products/details/id/86

Which is all fine and dandy until it comes to finding a place on the dash to put it.

I'm not interested in sticking it under the passenger glovebox again, not only does it look slap dash, but it's very much inaccessible, so I was thinking, how possible would it be to knock up something for the driver's glovebox to put it in? I'm new to all this malarkey and would really appreciate a few suggestions along the way!

Here are a few images of the current dash/stereo situation..

^ Wiring from previous stereo ^

^ Speakers already installed

^

Ta guys!
Toni

Post by **mike.perry** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 1:20 pm

Have you thought of fitting a pair of speakers in the triangular panels either end of the parcel shelf? There is a recess behind the panels with room for a pair of 5in speakers.
For best results cut a new pair of panels out of hardboard, re-cover them and cut out the speaker holes. Secure the new panels with self tapping screws. The original panels are too floppy.

Post by **tonicaek** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 1:31 pm

I considered adding two more speakers but at the moment, seeing as I already have two fitted in the back from when I bought him, it's not a particularly big concern. Just pondering the prospect of getting the stereo itself in.

Post by **tonicaek** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 1:49 pm

Was a driver's side glovebox lid ever produced? I saw a picture of a Moggie for sale with one a few days ago online..

Tue Apr 28, 2009 2:18 pm

It depends on the age..

early ones did have a lid but you can not open the lid very far without hitting the steering wheel so later one as yours did away with the full lid and and just had a hole.

I do not believe you can fit an early lid to a later car... waiting for the correction on that one.

I made one by removing the "chrome" trim strip from the glove box, cutting a metal plate out that fitted the whole in the glove box lid. Cut a hole for the stereo, spot welded the plate into the glovebox lid. Skim filler over the gaps.. repaint and off you go..

Post by **Sidney'61** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 2:20 pm

tonicaek wrote:Was a driver's side glovebox lid ever produced? I saw a picture of a Moggie for sale with one a few days ago online..

Yes, between '56-'62 they had a lid on both gloveboxes...

if you wanted a lid the same style as the other one I suppose you could try and find the passenger one from a left-hand drive model?
The only problem is that these glovebox lids don't open very far as the steering wheel gets in the way!

Post by **tonicaek** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 2:24 pm

I wouldn't be looking for the glovebox to open anyway - I'd just want some consistency in design when it comes to fitting the stereo there.
Hmmm!

Post by **ASL642** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 2:36 pm

I've got an MP3 player in my passenger side glove box. My car doesn't have doors (Jul 62) so I bought one from a 61 painted it and fitted it. The stereo is fixed into the usual holder you buy to suspend it from the parcel shelf and screwed in to keep the player from sliding around in the compartment. Seems to work well enough. I have seen players with the remote fitted to the steering wheel.

Post by **tonicaek** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 2:47 pm

Have fiddled about on Photoshop. This is what I'm looking to do:

Painting a sheet of metal the same colour as the dash and fitting it in the glovebox, allowing me space to cut in for the stereo.

Post by **tonicaek** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 2:55 pm

regaliaqueen wrote:I've got an MP3 player in my passenger side glove box. My car doesn't have doors (Jul 62) so I bought one from a 61 painted it and fitted it. The stereo is fixed into the usual holder you buy to suspend it from the parcel shelf and screwed in to keep the player from sliding around in the compartment. Seems to work well enough. I have seen players with the remote fitted to the steering wheel.

I'm trying to avoid suspending it, want to integrate it within the dash. That said, a remote in the steering wheel sounds good!

Post by **Sidney'61** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 3:35 pm

Here's mine in the passenger side on a sheet of metal. Same kind of idea as yours

I think Carlo (WPR678B) made this one so it may be a good idea to ask him about how to do it.

Post by **tonicaek** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 4:02 pm

Wow - that looks similar to what I'm looking to do!

linearaudio · Post by **linearaudio** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 8:07 pm

Andy, that is excellent! I had been looking at Toni's idea and thinking how it looked too much blank panel and radio! Those "dunches" make all the difference!

Post by **les** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 8:09 pm

Or mount it above the parcel shelf, hung from the dash above, to the right of the steering wheel. you don't have to reach over or put your hand through the steering wheel then!

Post by **Sidney'61** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:03 pm

les wrote:Or mount it above the parcel shelf, hung from the dash above, to the right of the steering wheel. you don't have to reach over or put your hand through the steering wheel then!

True, it would also make it harder to see for theives peering through the window. One of my main worries is that my glovebox mounted one is very clearly visible even if I take the front fascia off...

Post by **les** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:27 pm

Hadn't thought of the theft point of view, but yes it is well hidden being lower.

Post by **tonicaek** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 8:49 am

The facia to the radio that I'm getting doesn't come off, and the radio itself, if I'm going to fit it the way intended, will be far too much effort to try and remove anyway. So I've no real concern with theft.
That said, I still need to sor out a decent security system for him - especially living round here(!)

Post by **MarkyB** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 9:20 am

Much better not to have it on show.
Thieves tend to break things first then give up if brute force doesn't work.
What type of remote controls do modern radios use?
If they don't need line of sight you could put it under the seat or under the parcel shelf.

Post by **tonicaek** » Sun May 03, 2009 8:05 pm

MarkyB wrote:If they don't need line of sight you could put it under the seat or under the parcel shelf.

I've given it some thought, and considering my financial situation at the moment, I think I'll stick it under, to the right of the driver's glovebox, as suggested.
So much for fancy plans!

Post by **Peetee** » Mon May 04, 2009 9:01 am

To the right of the steering column is where I put mine. I used small L brackets and bolts straight into the threads on the sides of the radio so as not to use one of those bulky plastic mountings.

I would recommend replacing the bulkhead soundproofing I can see in your photo too. Use rubbercrumb underlay top to bottom. It really does make a difference and being black is pretty unobtrusive.