Hi all looking for pictures of hidden stereo head unit builds as looking to keep dash looking original with out modern stereo stuck in the middle.
Cheers

 

I used the new hiden audio set up, the head unit/controler is under the middle of my bench seat. I installed the black plastic kick panels with the speakers built in. All you have is a handheld that works the system that stores in my dash along with the garage door opener.

Sound was good, but I year later i added the 2 non powered subwoofer units under the bench seat and now it is great!

My dash looks stock with no radio, just the block off plate. The kick panel just simple replace the original cardboard ones so you did not really modify anything that can be easily undone.

The unit has hooks ups for everything, iphone, bluetooth option, etc. I just took my enitre music library copied it to a USB and plugged it into the unit. I hit random play and cruise for hours!

 

I just used a Clarion CMS2 mounted to the cab rear wall with two Custom Autosound Undercover II speakers under the seat. I installed pre-headliner / kickpanel installation so it was easy to run power and an antenna extension up the windshield pillar hollow.


I am pretty happy with the sound quality and it achieved my goal of keeping an original dash. The Clarion unit has a black box and a corded controller that can unplug. I lay it on the seat and it is easy to use. Also has Bluetooth.


I bought the Clarion from West Marine (they were not the cheapest but many of the low ball sellers did not appear reputable.) Speakers were purchased from Ike's in Orange, CA. Both sellers were great.

 

This is my Custom Autosound install in my 56 Fairlane. Same should work for a truck.




Head unit is mounted in a aluminum block that pivots.





When at a show it just swings up out of the way. Now that the black carpet is in it's hard to see the mounts.





How it looks after it was groved to match the dash and polished.

 

Sorry no picture but put mine in the glove box, only down side is it has to be open a smidge for the remote to work! But if that's my only issue in life I'm ok with that

 

Here is the faceplate mounted in the visor, cabling runs through A pillar down to under the driver's seat where the head unit is mounted.

 

^ I like that Charlie. I've seen you post it a few times before and I never asked...

So does you head unit under seat accept CD's with the face plate relocated like that? Or do you run a separate changer. ( or streaming / iPod stuff ). I was also wondering if you rewired it yourself by splicing into the original wiring, or if they are manufactured with the remote face plate. I'm not even close to that stuff but always thinking about it.

 

This truck belongs to a friend. The head unit is placed directly under the drivers seat with the CD slot facing forward so that the driver can insert/eject the CD while seated. I believe that the faceplate relocation kit can be purchased online. The part that mounts in the visor is a plastic holder that is just like the bezel on the head unit. The cable mounts to the head unit using the same connectors that the faceplate uses. Whatever features that head unit has is what can be used with this setup. I know that his son is into ipad/iPhone and plays a lot of his music in that manner.
The owner started out with the rework on his truck by having a shop install a BBW kit...that effort grew into a complete reconstruction of the truck, the stereo mods were part of this work. Here is another pic of the interior/dash...as you can see the shop did a great job of cleaning up the clutter.

 

Here is an interesting thread I found over on the HAMB. Seems like a decent solution to having a hidden sound system.
Cool little hidden radio | The H.A.M.B.


The thread references these type units;
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Auto-Car-Boat-Home-HiFi-Stereo-mp3-MP4-2-CH-Digital-Audio-Power-Amplifier-MA700/261848568588?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140602152332%26meid%3Dcb214bfa97924152a3553052a92b4b60%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D2%26sd%3D151114635183



I think the one in the Ebay link and pictured is only a 2 channel unit but there are 4 channel units available

Bobby

 

Wow, that is a great device and for less than $20...crazy! I bought one just to play with it in my garage system.

 

I haven't bought one yet.....gotta wait for a paycheck or two to try and clear up the Xmas defecit.
I figured I'd buy one for my travel trailer to test the unit out.


A couple of those guys on the HAMB gutted their original radios and mounted one of the units inside the housing and were then able to control it with the remote.
What I really like about it is that it has the USB input so you could plug in a memory stick or MP3 or something like that


Here's a 4 Channel unit;
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4CHANNEL-CAR...0AAMXQDfdRx6ie


One of the guys on the HAMB was modifying these units by removing the antenna and installing a standard automotive antenna jack


Bobby

 

I gonna use zapco its a bleutooth amp only need the amp and speaker and iPod or other device
ST-D BT Series

 

I haven't looked at the Zapco, but this is the route I plan to take. I carry all my tunes on my iPhone and rarely listen to the radio.

 

Can use phone for streaming radio, thousands of stations online. Could even mount an old, cheap Nexus on the visor or an under-dash flip-up. I'll be checking out the Zapco as well.

 

I have a Pioneer, removable face plate model mounted right into the vertical part of the seat just above the floor. Built a little shelf into the seat frame before upholstery and the radio just slides in. I just point the remote to the back instead of the front. Wish that cabled remote had been available then, but it works great. I glued a square of plywood to the black of the firewall and mounted the speakers to the plywood up high. They sound good and are really hard to see.