Double DIN Stereo install going into 05 Vert

[Jered]

Okay, so looking in the forums I have seen a couple random posts about double din installs..

Long story short, I'm one who likes the new toys... Had a JVC HRD1 radio (with Ipod controller) which worked great with my Ipod 60gb I had... However went with an Iphone and the radio no longer functioned for me...

Got an Alpine 303 something... No CD player, bluetooth optional and all that... Didn't like it and decided to get a nicer set up period..

So Tomorrow morning (23 Oct 09) I get my JCV AVX820, double din, 7" LCD, AM/FM/CD/DVD/USB, Bluetooth, iphone compatable, blablabla (don't need GPS so didn't look for one with those options)...

Yes I have to cut the dash and am fully aware and capable of making it look close if not stock...

Picks tomorrow!

Any opinions, tips or hints welcome... Also might paint the console and the (currently silver) dash panels the cool vanilla like the outside

[Candyman]

Hey Jered,

If you have been trolling past Double Din Posts then you most likely have already seen my set up, and probably know my advice as well already, but just to make double sure....

My EQ / 1 DIN which is in the stock location in a custom mounted chassis is touching both the AS Controls on top, and the control module on bottom. Luckily, we got it to fit without modifying, or relocating the components, but it was about as tight as I could get it. Then after I got it in, I cut and fiberglassed my center bezel, prepped, and prime it, and shot it with House of Black Diamond Metallic as a base, followed by Kolor Candy Tangerine Pearl, and 8 coats of Clear Acrylic Urethane to get the depth, gloss, and coloring I wanted, and still have enough room to sand everything to an ultra smooth deep rich shine, and best protect my glass modification around the lower part of the Bezel itself. Here is a Pic of the final outcome.



I do know my setup is maxed out on available space without having to start getting into cutting or relocating for fitment, and the Double Din is bigger. Here would be my questions, and concerns.

1. Are you going to relocate either upper or lower control modules for correct fitment, and if so, what is your plan of attack?

2. How do you plan to cut, and modify your center bezel, and are you only going to use your own that you have now, or do you have a spare Bezel in case you crack the ultra thin material while cutting? I have seen it done many times, and just wanted to lay that one out their for ya.

3. And last, if you are still kicking around paint, are you thinking of maybe shooting them via spray gun, air brush, etc? You might be able to get away with rattle cans to a certain extent but without using a good climate controlled booth, and proper equipment to shoot with, you will very likely get a lot of dirt and other foreign parasitic materials which could likely get under and ruin what otherwise could have been a decent paint job.

If you do wind up going with Rattle Cans, here is a write up I did a while back that better goes through the basics of spraying your center bezel.

Guide to Spray Paint your Center Dash Bezel

I wish you good luck on your Mod, be sure to work slow and carefully, yes please do shoot us some cool pics if you get her done, and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask anytime. I am always more than happy to try to help out anytime I can.

Go easy, and I will catch you later.

Candyman

[RustysTouring]

What size Pirelli's? Are you using stock rims? I've been advised not to put 225/50-16 Goodrich rubber on 6" wide factory Touring rims but I'm tempted to try it anyway. My 05 Touring Convertible (Turbo Lite) has flat spotted tires due to 27 month storage so I got to make a move.

[Jered]

I had the dash panel off quite a few times and even the techs at crutchfield said they were pretty sure it would fit without moving the controls... However if I have to, then the plan is to lower the power outlet and vert top switches...

Also due to ALL stereo's needing to be securely mounted and needing to not have wiggle in the mount, I intend on securing the stereo to the heater controls and if possible to the lower panel as well... I don't need a motor or resistor going out on a $650 stereo because it wiggled itself to death...

Headed out in a few minutes to pick it up at fedex (yeah I can't wait to have it delivered at the house, so I am driving 30 miles to fedex in portland to pick it up!)

Also have the ground switch to install to allow the video playback feature while in motion... No not for me, take lots of road trips and the girlfriend and kids can watch it on the road...

Hopefully will have it done this afternoon and pics of it being finished... if nothing else, will do progress pics as I go...

[Jered]

well all done for now... Do have 2 small gaps on the side from the stock radio to fill but not a big deal for now..

okay sorry about the pics being attached the old fashion way but havent messed with forums in a year or two with image hosts and all...

pic of stock, the hole I had to make and the almost finished product... The gaps on the side, I'm thinking a filler but a auto paint/finish shop I was going to get the filler from said they didnt recommend using a filler as the way the gaps are being verticle and not having anything to grab onto... Eh we'll see...

[RustysTouring]

Maybe an exactly cut sheet of plastic, one small piece for each side, epoxy, sand, paint. Maybe.

[Jered]

The place I asked about the putty stuff said he'd just put a black piece of plastic in the gaps to make it look filled in..

Might work, not sure what I'll do yet exactly... I'm not in a hurry as it functions for now...

Probably the route I will take to start tho...

[Candyman]

Hey Jered,

Best advice on filling the gaps is, as suggested to cut some filler panels out of plastic to fill the gaps and add something for putty to bite to, then fill it in with either putty of fiberglass like I used, then coat with a body filler, sand the entire part, use a good primer / surfacer, sand some more, and then prep and paint it using a good high grade base coat / clear coat system in your body color consisting of acrylic enamel / acrylic urithane. Then color sand the part out, buff, glaze, and wax to a high gloss finish to match the rest of your interior.

The only problem I am afraid you are most likely to run into is going to be, since it appears that you went ahead and cut the entire lower cross member out of your center bezel, and not added any additional support, your bezel is going to have a great deal of flex in it under normal everyday driving conditions, and without that support, pretty much any type of putty, or relate type of material you try to introduce in order to fill your gaps, and so forth is ultimately going to crack under the stress of not having that needed cross member, and will also result in cracking or flaking off any paint as well. So I would address all three of those issues carefully to make sure you get the final assembly right before having an expensive problem later on. Remember, any time you take important structural supports out, you need to re-introduce them elsewhere or it is just a matter of time before the structure will ultimately fail on you.

What I would recommend, but would be a ton of work, would be to remove and relocate the bottom switch panel somewhere else, create a whole new cross member under your chassis to add the extra support you have removed in order to regain structural support, reduce flex in the material, and add strength, and then either use a filler like an EQ, or something else to fit, or create a small slot for storage. Then you shouldn't have any issues with any paint, or putty cracking, or any structural problems coming back to haunt you later on. Due mostly to the amount of custom work needed to do this kind of mod the right way, is why I usually try to talk people out of it. Their just isn't enough room for a Double DIN and still keep the necessary structure to support it without having to re-work the entire structure to hold it.

Please note that I am not trying to get you mad, or upset at me, but rather just trying to warn you as to what will likely happen unless the problems are corrected in an appropriate manner. I have seen way too many cool projects end badly as a result, and would hate to see it happen to you as well! Believe me, been their, done that, and its not pretty.

Anyways, you go easy, and I will catch you later.

Candyman

[RustysTouring]

Another possibility, just paint the plastic bits on both sides prior to glue application on backside only in the same thickness as the indentation. no epoxy, no sanding just a curved line on both sides. But structural reinforcement, possibly a few small spot welds, or maybe rivets is definently in order. By the way, I have an 05 silver vert but I don't have the button between the top down and the power outlet, what is it and what size Pirelli's are you running, what size rim? Keep at it, Rusty

[Jered]

I'm not sure if the JVC needed it but it's a switch to fool the stereo into thinking that the parking break is set... Just a rocker to allow the lead wire that is supposed to be hooked into the parking break ground wire, that I can switch to ground or open...

I know the pioneer requires the radio to see no ground then ground before they will play a movie... After the fact, I don't think I needed it but for reasons of legal issues I wanted it switched but not on the parking brake..

The perelli's are 205/55/16 and are the size the previous owner had installed on it.. It grabs road ruts like crazy though... kinda annoying!