I’m on the fence regarding an audio upgrade. While I like the modern capabilities of new technology, I also enjoy the simplicity of what is there. This car is not my DD or long-distance touring vehicle … it’s a toy that I view as a drop-top / stick-shift hotrod. Plan is to pull my seats and console this summer to correct a few obvious deficiencies. So, guess I have some time to decide what to do with this stock radio.

 

I installed an ipod add-on which allowed me to add an amp and a subwoofer to the stock head unit while leaving everything else in place. I didn't have to cut or splice anything. I did permanently disconnect the annoying powered antenna though, mine was a vert and it whistled loudly while driving. I forget which one I used, the name has worn off but I think it was something called simple. It does limit me to older generation ipods but for me that was fine.

I also replaced the stock front and rear Bose speaker drivers with drop-in Polks leaving the stock front Bose amp and subwoofer drivers in place. These were inexpensive, 3 1/2" 4ohm coaxial fronts and cause I've got the vert it had a different rear than the coupe or z06. I think they were 5 1/4" 4ohm coaxials. In any event, nothing special, just decent Polks and the 4ohm didn't seem to matter.

Sound is wonderful and being able to use my ipod or phone was a game-changer. I did have to remove the CD changer but that space is where I put the sub. I got the plans for the sub box here somewhere.

For the sub, it's a 10" high power dual voice coil type in a sealed box. It's powered by a 1500w Rockford Fosgate amp in bridged mode. I ran a 1 gauge power line direct from the battery with 80A fuse to a 1.5 farad capacitor so the lights would stop dimming with the beats. The thing rattles mirrors and items off the shelves inside the house. This was the hardest part of the project, the power wires were so big, normal crimping or soldering methods did not apply.

The special features of the ipod adapter that allow the head unit to forward, rewind and the like simply don't work well. I kind of expect that. Operating the ipod directly works just fine.

The only drawback is the ipod has no permanent place to sit. I have it resting in the drink holder.

I also added a lot of sound deadening and if I were to do it again, I'd skip that completely or limit it only to near where the stock speakers mount and just fill the trunk space with a huge lightweight sea sponge.

Take special care when modifying the doors. The insides of the doors are directly exposed to the elements and will experience direct contact with water, moisture and wind. The wind will effectively destroy the sound and the moisture will destroy the speakers so they need to be completely sealed like the stock Bose modules.

 

This is not a stock dash.. if you own a C5 you know what the stock din and a half looks like. You can't put a double din head unit into a din and a half stock hole. It looks stock because it was designed to look stock.
Bill aka ET

 

After not having a vette for about 10 years ('01 Z06), I bought the exact car over again 2 weeks ago, only 3 years newer and with lower mileage. First I was shocked at how much harder it is to get in and out of the damn thing due to age, and second I had clearly forgotten how shitty the stereo is! That bubbly buttoned tinny fluff box of a stereo suuuuuuucks.

As I have been traveling for work the last 5 days, I have spent a fortune on parts out of boredom and pulled the trigger on this setup last night, which is a start to modernizing the electronics and sounds:

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_158XAV...XAV-AX100.html

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_120SVI...Interface.html



All fairly plug and play and will be followed by amp and speaker replacement in the near future. Just some thought as to possibilities and ease of installation. There is a ton on information on here to sort through regarding stereos. Good luck!!!!

 

Nice stuff ... please provide updates regarding install. Thanks