Aftermarket stereo install
 

new to the board...I am acquiring my father-in laws- 69 c/10 lwb...it has if i am remembering correctly an aftermatket am radio that he installed...looks stock. I want to keep the am radio in the dash and install a CD player with motorized faceplated angled out from under the bench seat...hope my crude drawing gets my point across. I plan to custom make the box the stereo would sit in. My question is do I need to do anything so that the heat generated by the stereo can vent out of the box? Also what kind of adjustments...if any will I have to make at the fuse box? THis will be my first stereo install in a vehicle of this age, so any tips or instructions would be appreciated...will post pics of the truck when it arrives in early June

Re: Aftermarket stereo install
 

I'm currently tackling this problem in my dad's '67 El Camino. Firstly, we need to examine all your options at this point before making a decision.

Option 1:

You can install the head unit just as you showed, but I would place it level instead of at an angel, this will allow better access to the faceplate and make room for incoming and outgoing CD's.

Option 2:

You get a new headunit from Custom Auto Sound that will look very much like the original piece, but will have modern internals and provisions for a CD changer, iPod, and preouts for an amplifier. (Personally, I'm not impressed with these headunits, but they are basically the only thing on the market for this sort of application.)

Option 3:

You install the headunit as discussed in Option 1, but you run an infrared reciever to the dash so that the remote for the headunit can work properly if at all.

Another way you can do this is to run a "ribbon" wire arrangement from the headunit to the detached faceplate and then place it on your dash.

A "ribbon" wire looks just like an IDE cable from inside your computer. It's very thin and flat and probably an inch wide or more.

Option 4:

You get over your fear of cutting metal and make provisions for a new headunit where that old AM radio resides and then wire that puppy up.

Re: Aftermarket stereo install
 

i looked at doing that but apparently most decks won't operate correctly if mounted at more than a 30 degree angle i ended up making a box out of puckboard and mounting it under the dash and it works great