Change radios?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
From: Sanford Florida
Re: Change radios? (silvervetteman)
I have an excellent radio at a great price, but it would involve "customization" of the bezel, was hoping someone had done this and could tell me how it went for them.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,635
Likes: 4
From: Orlando Floriduh
Re: Change radios? (chuckb01)
Well if you don't mind cutting the bezel you have a larger choice of receivers or whatever you want to put in. You can get custom adapter plates from any good stereo shop that look real nice and you don't see the original bezel. Chain stores like Circuit city won't know what you are talking about but there are cusom plates made for C-3's (after you cut the bezel)
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 11,520
Likes: 13
From: CORVETTE 77 385 C.I. TEXAS
Re: Change radios? (chuckb01)
77-82 are essentially the same. Someone sent me an 81 panel which I cut for CD. There is a small saw called a coping saw that works good to cut out the opening. The angle of the blade adjusts. Then file fit.
Others have done it & posted pics.
:cool:
Others have done it & posted pics.
:cool:
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
From: Sanford Florida
Re: Change radios? (Ganey)
Do you need anything to support the back end of the cd player? I'd also probably use the rotozip anyways, less stress on the plastic that the reciprication of the coping saw.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 9,078
Likes: 7
From: DFW TX
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
Re: Change radios? (Alwyn678)
You can also buy textured sheets of plastic from Crutchfields to fabricate a DIN face mount. The material is easy to work and grided on the back.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 355
Likes: 1
From: Pennsville NJ
Re: Change radios? (chuckb01)
I cut my bezel or actually had it cut by someone else. I wish I would have done it myself now because it wasn't the greatest of cut jobs, but the stereo blocks the imperfections.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
From: Golden Colo.
Re: Change radios? (chuckb01)
Chuck01 This is what I did with new install.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=21327
Sorry --wrong thread.
[Modified by 82zoom, 7:28 PM 2/4/2002]
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=21327
Sorry --wrong thread.
[Modified by 82zoom, 7:28 PM 2/4/2002]
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 49,198
Likes: 0
From: All in!
Cruise-In IV Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03-'10
Re: Change radios? (chuckb01)
The previous owner had already cut the bezel on mine and installed an aftermarket stereo.
It died, though, so I had to replace it.
Basically all you'll need to do is to cut a DIN sized hole and you should be able to mount a new stereo pretty easily.
As for supporting the back, I did what the previous owner had done, and it's holding up well.
Rather than actually bolt the back strap to something mine's just bent so it rests on the spot below the stereo. It's quite stable.
It died, though, so I had to replace it.
Basically all you'll need to do is to cut a DIN sized hole and you should be able to mount a new stereo pretty easily.
As for supporting the back, I did what the previous owner had done, and it's holding up well.
Rather than actually bolt the back strap to something mine's just bent so it rests on the spot below the stereo. It's quite stable.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,601
Likes: 0
From: San Francisco CA
St. Jude Donor '07
Re: Change radios? (chuckb01)
I did it on my '75, not sure how alike they are, but I'll bet they're similar. I got a Minihacksaw/coping saw to cut out the hole. Someone already made minor adjustments to the dash for a different aftermarket so I decided on just going to a reciever and cd changer. I don't remember what year they started using plastic for bezel, but mine was made of potmetal and took me 2 hours to cut. You'll probably have to run a new wire from the fuse block for reciever memory which is always hot. Not a big deal, but something you'll have to do.
Might consider what Cajun75 did. He has the original and a newer receiver in the back with a remote up front.
Just some pointers: keep the original radio, you never know when you might want to put it back in; disconnect the power before you remove the old radio, cause I didn't and now I'm looking for a new temp gauge :crazy: :eek: ;
Might consider what Cajun75 did. He has the original and a newer receiver in the back with a remote up front.
Just some pointers: keep the original radio, you never know when you might want to put it back in; disconnect the power before you remove the old radio, cause I didn't and now I'm looking for a new temp gauge :crazy: :eek: ;
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 775
Likes: 290
From: Middleton, Id
Re: Change radios? (Buffalo Dude)
Just did this on my 81 a few weeks ago. Bought a DIN unit from Best Buy and used a Dremel to cut the bezel - it worked out real well and looks good. You will have to fab up a bracket of some kind to support the rear as not only does it keep the stereo level it also holds it tight against the bezel. I just made a bracket out of steel stock and formed it to fit as needed.