'71 B-body Instrument Panel Cut for New Stereo?

[71SandbugCharger]

My project instrument panel had been modified. I'm not going to use a stock radio, so I'm fine with it if it is workable, but is it cut for a standard stereo install kit in order to get a new pioneer receiver or something else in the spot? Where do I get an mounting panel kit to fit? Thanks, thanks, thanks!!!

 

[flypaper]

measure the opening and then go radio shopping
the radios usually come with some bezel that will cover up the uglys

 

[71SandbugCharger]

Thanks! 2x7 which happens to be the dimensions of a lot of new stereo units!!! Thinking the Pioneer DEHX8600 or similar.

 

[Bb70charger500]

Any new radio will have what you need ,you will need to hand fab the outer trim ring of the radio to fit the curve of the big gauge pod also you'll need a long support bar to bolt to the fire wall and drop down to hold the radio in place. It will take a little bit of effort but it's doable as I had to do the same thing with one of mine good luck

 

[Magnes]

I always hate it when people cut up those gauge pods but it seems it is the case more often than not.

Should be pretty simple for you to do the install. I've done it a couple times in order to fill those gnarly holes punched out by previous owners. And as mentioned, your new stereo will come with a trim bezel that should make the install about as clean as it could be. This is the last one I did. A little filing here and there and it fit flush but the digital display looked quite out of place to me.

 

[Bruzilla]

Cutting that hole was one of the first things I did on all my early Roadrunners. There was just no way to get a decent stereo in there with the two knobs to the left holes. Amazing that any survived without being cut. I had an uncut one in my latest Roadrunner when I bought it, and sold it because I didn't want to ruin it and bought a cut one to use.

 

[Magnes]

Now a days, with cell phones and ipods, there is no need for a head unit anyway. On my car I left the AM radio in dash as original and it powers the single dash speaker. I then installed 2 6x9's in the back deck and 2 5 1/4's in the kick panels. Powered them with an amp hidden under the package tray in the trunk, and the amp gets signal directly from my ipod or cell phone. This allows me to keep almost everything original looking, hidden, and yet I still have the modern sound system when I want it... MP3's, navigation, satellite radio, and so on. It just looks like it has a 2 watt AM radio (which it DOES, and it works) but I leave that turned off and crank the tunes through the separate 750 watt amp system.

 

[Bruzilla]

I'm not a fan of using phones and MP3 players in cars. I guess they work fine for younger people, but being older... that screen is tough to see sometimes, especially in high-glare conditions. Plus having to flip around between music, GPS, phone, etc. is a pain I watch my son endure every time I ride with him.

What I like is a stereo that accepts memory sticks. I can put what music I want to hear on the stick, plug it in, and done.

 

[72sunroof]

Nice, hate to criticize but you just ruined a instrument panel that is getting more and more expensive every year. You can have a stock radio modifies to be just as good as that aftermarket radio. There are better options.

 

[Magnes]

Nice, hate to criticize but you just ruined a instrument panel that is getting more and more expensive every year. You can have a stock radio modifies to be just as good as that aftermarket radio. There are better options.

He didn't do it. It was already hacked. As was the one I posted.

 

[71SandbugCharger]

Yea, I think most were cut I'm the eighties when it was more cool to mod a car! I had a switch hole in the top plate of the console too. Some previous owner did it!

 

[NCC1968]

The Retro Sound unit solved that