Radio Installation

[slinky11]

I have purchased a Kenwood CD player for my 1990 GW and I have found that the fit is not very factory looking. An installation kit is not available through the aftermarket as far as I know. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to make the fit of an aftermarket radio look more like an OEM installation

Thanks

David

[desert_freak]

Have you tried Crutchfield? They have installation kits for about everything. They come free when you buy a radio from them but they will also sell the kit outright. I have bought some in the past for radios I was swapping from one vehicle to another. Matter of fact I got a Blaupunkt radio for my J-truck yesterday as a B-day gift from my wife and boys. I was going to give them a call for an installation kit for it as well. Don't get me wrong I am the master of fabrication but their kits look so good and are so cheap and easy, that on some vehicles it's easier to just buy the kit.

Give them a call you should be able to find them on the web easy enough, otherwise I'll find the number for you.

P.J.

[NYC]

I just put an Aiwa in-dash CD player in my '88. It looks like crap - especially at night. That &#$*ing blue light is childish and annoying. I do have the option to change it to red...wooohooo.

I had budget right up next to performance when I picked the deck so finding one that looked respectable AND performed well was too difficult.

The Aiwa is "din" sized. I think that's stereo-geek speak for normal size without posts (left and right: volume & tuning). Din-size decks fit into the GW without an installation kit - factory hole is standard size (thank you AMC).

You could alway keep the factory unit, replace the speakers, hide an amp and install a CD changer through your FM channel. It would look great... but probably not sound that great(?)

[mccullough_89_GW]

are you talking about how the player sits there in a hole in the gauge cluster cover...It is not as forward as the hole it sits in? that s the way mine is...looks stupid, You could try spacing it up from where the 2 screws mount the deck in the dash(on the sides)... that would push the deck twords the front of the dash and then hopefully give a better looking install(smooth with the gauge cluster cover/or a little sticking out)
..it might look as if it had always been there?...
I actually think i might try that...it should work...
buddy of mine got in my jeep and said "nice stereo mount,did you do that yourself?"...
it looks "Self installed" even with the kit...

anyways, my 2cents
kel smile.gif

[ClarkstonGT]

A couple of years ago the SWMBO bought me an in-dash CD player with a removable face. I picked up a universal installation kit from AutoZone and it looks nice. As I recall, it did take me a little while to figure it out. These modern radios are annoying with the flashing lights and miniscule buttons. Fortuneately (or unfortuneately), mine came with a remote control. Its as addictive as the remote to your TV.

[Bob Barry]

The Sony stereo that thieves swiped from my GW last fall fit perfectly once I transferred the mounting brackets from the stock radio to it. I think I used a die-grinder to adjust one of the holes in the bracket so the radio fit right.

It is tough to find something that doesn't look out of place, though; I wanted something with a rotary volume-control (an almost extinct species) and not too much of the flashing dancing lights. As it is, the factory-style AM/FM radio that I filled the empty hole with is MUCH easier to use, and I may just get a remote-controlled CD changer to play stuff for our daughters on our trip to Ouray this summer.

[tuckers89GW]

NYC, How do you like the Aiwa? I just put one in. So far I love it. I agree completely that the blue looks bad. I have mine set on red so it looks better.

Mine fit in well, I had to cut away part of the factory face cover to get the unit in. It worked well. I have the entire unit held in by the face panel. seems to be very solid as the rear of the unit is supported by the glove box.