I want to add a Double DIN deck to my 04. What HU do you recomend and why. I figure that I'm looking at (Eclipse, Alpine, Pioneer, and Kenwood).

 

Does it truly require a double din or a 1.5 din?

If it requires a double, I just installed a Kenwood DPX301 that I really like and it fits like a dream in my '92.

http://www.wku.edu/~nathan.plemons/g...tte/stereo.JPG

The 501 and 701's would also fit perfectly and have some cooler features.

 

Its a 1.5 DIN now. I was planning on changing the bezel to squeeze in a 2 DIN.

 

Eclipse is hard to beat if you like real sound quality and flexability...

 

I like that 2din pioneer touch screen.

 

I have an Avic D1 and I love all the features... radio, sat radio, CD/MP3, backup camera (sooner or later), the touch screen, and of course the Nav. There are new and better Avics out there now, but I'm happy with it. Let me know if you want more info on it and I'll dig up my install thread (remolded the dash and all that fun).

 

Pioneer AVIC-D1, D2 or Z1

 

That looks great! Did you modify the dash bezel?

 

how exactly did you modify the radio bezel for that double din radio?...could you give step by step instructions?(really tryin not to mess anything up)

 

I cut the HVAC opening out as a unit, using the vertical edges of the opening as a guide. I cut 1/2 inch away from the edges of the opening and extended the cut up and down about 3/4 of an inch. I used a stiff piece of cardboard to maintain the straight alignment required to relocate the HVAC control. At this point, you will need the bezel from the head unit you intend to use to determin how much you will need to lower the HVAC controls.


Next, I used scrap pieces of ABS and ABS Cement I bought from Lowes to mold everything back together. The ABS Cement is fairly thick and can be used straight, but some guys like to make a sludge from ABS shavings melted in MEK. (Keytone) The ABS Cement works just as well in my opinion, without having to mix anything. You can see where I used some Bondo to fill any low spots, but this should be used very sparingly, as it expands at a different rate than the plastic and may cause problems later.


Here you can see the completed radio surround after it has been textured and a coat of clear mat finish applied to give it the correct sheen and seal in the decals.


This shot compares the original surround and the modified version.


The secret to this whole project is to take your time and make sure everything is perfect before you apply the finish. It's really not a hard project, just very time consuming, but the results are well worth the trouble.

 

Thank you for the post showing pictures. I really liked seeing the side-by-side pic of before and after. You did a great job I know I am contemplating doing the mod to get a Double DIN opening.

 

Here's mine. C5kidd did the mod for me, outstanding workmanship.

 

I love that build! the N2O switch/PSI gauge look hot in there!

C5kidd sure did a fantastic job!!!

 

That looks extremely awesome man... Id look into Eclipse I love there new units no brain box

 

that's hot!!!! did you do the texturing yourself as well as the clearcoating?....not to sound as if i'm grocery shopping..but what tools/products did you use or that you recommend using? (sry if i'm takin away the DIY process..but its kinda of hard to find a replacement radio bezel on ebay)

 

I used a Dremel tool with a power take off and a cutting wheel to make the cuts. The surround is made of ABS, so it's pretty easy to cut. The ABS cement was made by Oately and is available at the plumbing dept. at Lowes or Home Depot. I had some ABS scraps laying around the garage, but you can buy ABS in the form of radio adapters from most electronic and auto paarts stores.

I used SEM products for the retexturing. They've got a great line of professional interior refinishing products. I used #39853 Texture Coating to achieve the finish and #13023 Low Luster Clear to duplicate the gloss level. I applied the clear over the decals to seal them in. You'll have to experiment to get the distance and thickness of the texture spray to get the exact effect you're after.

Your best bet is to buy an extra radio surround like I did. They are available for about a hundred bucks. Call Bob Wendorff at Fitchener Chevrolet. (406) 628-4121 They are a Forum vendor and Bob is a joy to deal with.

 

hey bird_z06, check out the c5 faq there is a "how to" in there as well

 

is the texture coating black? i thought you needed 3 products: texture, color, sheen?