I'm not looking for Hidden Audio where they re-wire a new style radio into an old style radio... Something like this.... I want to mount a radio under the dash of a '51 ford and have it drop down for use but hide away for show... I've been looking throughout all kinds of new model cars and have yet to find anything even remotely close that I can adapt and make work. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks
whats the problem? Looks like the pictures all you need. Build a flip down box and stick a radio in it.
I would skip the head unit all together. Custom Audio makes a unit that does not require a head unit and it has a RF remote that works from 40 feet away. It has a plug in for an Ipod or satellite radio too. I am putting one in my 32'.
If your talking about Custom Autosound, that stuff is junk I had to put 4 radios in a customers car before we got one that worked. I felt sorry for the guy Custom Autosound wouldn't reimburse the installation charge and he wound up paying through the nose. Should've just found some one to restore the original.
The Ipod seems to be the ultimate option. Do a search here. There have been extensive discussions on this subject...even step by step instructions. If you really want radio, there is info on that as well. BTW, you'd be surprised what a simple change of knobs can do to change the looks of a radio. Good luck.
You're looking for something like that in late model cars? Looks like a pretty slick set up but completely custome. Looks like $20 worth of materials and 2 hours work to me. And here I was going to hide my 8 track the "traditional" way, under the seat.
I hope I have better luck, although I haven't installed mine yet. I just like the idea of not having a head unit or anything else stereo related that is visable.
I agree with the ipod option. I'm doing something similar in my car, but I'm going to use a portable satellite radio http://a248.e.akamai.net/pix.crutch...ale/340/342/products/2008/130/x130XMP3-o.jpeg I plan on plugging it directly into a power amp with this adapter I'm just gonna keep the original radio in the dash, & have the portable satellite player resting on the benchseat in easy reach
Honestly its the only way to do it. Well I use a zune instead of a satellite radio player, but any mp3 player (or anything with an 1/8" jack that plays music) will work, and work well.
I had a Custom Autosound secret audio. Want it? POS! I then installed Alpine, part in trunk, part behind seat, head unit under dash where barely visible. Gets wet from time to time & is now acting up. I'm now installing a marine system. HU mounts under the seat. It's sealed & stainless so a little water won't kill it. Has MP3 plug for Ipod in front, USB in back. CD changer behind the seat where the old one was. I'm grabbing it anyway because by the end of the year- I doubt you will find CD changers. 4 channel amp under seat connected to MB Quart components And to control everything- a wired remote. It's 3" in diameter & about 1.5" thick. Can mount on a flip down panel under dash. Cool thing is- it has a full feature display that you can see while driving & it has an IR eye to the left of LCD screen. You can use the remote pictured above w/ HU to control the whole system. Or- I could just throw it on the seat while driving, store under the seat when showing.
Strretwires makes a really nice 3.5mm to RCA that's 11' long. http://www.streetwires.com/products/default.aspx?grp=14
My solution..... Put a master switch in there too. The glovebox was mangled and jammed in there from previous owner's efforts to replace the dash. Ripped that thing out, made a L-shaped piece, and mounted everything up. The device is essentially a mini-amp that runs two speakers, and allows you to input your ipod, etc.
Are I pods traditional? Put a deck in the glove box, or put a new engine in. Something nice and loud.
The only problem with coming out of the ipod's headphone outlet is that it was meant to go into a pair of headphones (speakers) and not another amplifier. Going that route will increase distortion and decrease sound quality. The real ticket would be to get one of those ipod docks for home stereo use and somehow fit it into the vehicle so you could "dock" your ipod into it. Then go from the dock to the amplifier. The other benefit is that it would hold your ipod/iphone in place. Get a remote and you're all set. Yes, I'm an audio geek.
The dock audio out puts ands the headphone jack outputs are internally connected. check the pin outs.
Why don't you mount under the drivers side seat ,Use an old radio with knobs .All you need is tunes ,
I installed an ipod with a dock cable that also has chargeing feeds in my DD. It works great. plug into amp and you will need a remote volume controll because it is a line out feed and there is no controll from ipod. I modified the cig lighter with a rotory controll and it's hiding in plain sight. It trips people out to see me grab the lighter and on come the tunes.
I love the Ipod for Hot Rods and I love the search engine! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=243821 Better yet, endorsed by Ryan................
Thanks for sharing that... I am running that thing I have into an amp, and getting feedback, artifact, etc. . . Think I might try this setup.
i have a 53 ford, that came without a radio, just the factory cover over where the roadio would go. I removed the cover mounted the radio C/D player, in the stock location, and the stock factory cover pops back in place to cover it all. Like it was never there
Well, what do you recommend? I don't have an Ipod, but I have an MP3 & a portable satellite radio. Both use the standard 3.5mm output jack. I was thinking that the 3.5mm-to-RCA cable would be fine, but now I'm not sure. Both my devices have a volume control..Thx
I think the slickest solution would be to just use the stereo bluetooth and not have any wires all together. Use a Universal Bluetooth Stereo Receiver wired into a preamp/amp setup with a volume control and just hide everything somewhere.
I've thought about finding a broken under dash record player and gutting it to house a radio. I came across this fake record player at everybody's favorite auction site a while back. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/copy...QQptZLH_DefaultDomain_100?hash=item3a5725a36a
You could try directly connecting the MP3 player to an amp with the 3.5mm-to-RCA cable first. If the sound quality is bad you can get a line driver to put between the MP3 player and amp. Its essentially a preamp that will boost the signal from the MP3 player to be at the level the amplifier expects.
another thing you can do to catapult your stereo to the 21st century is get a unit that accepts a usb thumb drive.. i just put one in my daily driver. if your inclined to rip a stereo apart you can solder on some wires and move the photo eye for the remote control anywhere you like.. my cheapy checker stereo is nice sounds good and will play a usb thumb drive of 2gb or smaller.. the whole setup cost me under $100 but my car allready had speakers...
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