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Post by 19_Chevelle_69 on Nov 14, 2004 16:08:10 GMT -5
It's been at least 8 years since I installed the Pioneer in my old 4x4. I was out in the driveway today installing one in the '86. It was still a nasty job, just as ignorant as I remember....LOL
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Post by BowtieGuy on Nov 14, 2004 23:04:36 GMT -5
If the truck still had the original style radio, 2 knob type, it requires some work to make a new model fit in it good but well worth it when finished.
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Post by 19_Chevelle_69 on Nov 14, 2004 23:41:05 GMT -5
It was a fabrication job. Since the radio had the large square center section, not the slim one, there were gaps at the top and bottom of where the aftermarket deck would go. I made a 2 piece plate that fits exactly inside the rib on the radio panel, cut out the hole for the deck, set it in place, and marked the steel part of the dash where the deck has to slide in. I grabbed an extension cord and my Sawzall, and went to town. It made short work of that pesky dash panel.... ROFL Got the previous owners spaghetti completely redone, and wired up the Pioneer. The 2 dash speakers are still crackling, but that's an easy project for another day. The boneyard here has the factory plates that sit in the cab corners to mount factory speakers behind the seat. I think I'll grab them and modify them a bit to take a couple 6x9's. Add a cheap amp, and I'll be wired for sound...(literally )
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Post by Bent on Nov 15, 2004 11:52:06 GMT -5
Those cab plates sound pretty good. Probably better than my six by nines that are just sticking to the cab wall by their magnets. lol
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Post by 19_Chevelle_69 on Nov 15, 2004 18:09:32 GMT -5
I had a pair "stuck" behind my seat on the old truck, what a PITA!
Hit a good bump, and they would slide around, fall off, yank the wires...d'oh!
I ended up throwing a bit of epoxy on the magnets, that held well. I knocked them off when I was selling the truck, I'll have to dig them up I think....
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Post by Missgoodwrench on Nov 15, 2004 19:24:20 GMT -5
Epoxy, magnets, and Duct tape... Fixes everything!
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Post by Bent on Nov 15, 2004 22:01:33 GMT -5
I'll get soxes eventually.......I keep having nightmares of the speakers sliding out into the road.(no doors)
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Post by BowtieGuy on Nov 17, 2004 19:29:23 GMT -5
Ahh you got the newer style radio size hole in the dash not the old style. I know what your talking about.
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Post by 19_Chevelle_69 on Nov 17, 2004 20:22:36 GMT -5
The previous owner was a shoemaker....ROFL. While I was rooting through the wiring, I came across an interesting find....there are close to a dozen Marette connectors under the dash. I'm glad they are not in the main harness, just splices for various acc's he installed over the years. I cleaned all that mess up while I was in there. OK, it WAS the old style dash....with the thin radio. The previous owner hacked the hole open bigger to fit the newer, taller post style Delco radio in there...(I think he used a hammer and chisel...it was that bad ) I was either going to make a plate system work, or end up going to the scrappers for a virgin trim bezel. I convinced it to work the way it should, so all is well in radioland. I picked up a pair of 4 inchers today, going to fit them under the dash to replace the 3.5's. Then I'm going to pull the 6x9's out of the Chevelle, and set them in the cab corners. I haven't made it back to the wreckers to get the factory mounting plates for the 6x9's yet though. Maybe this Saturday if I take a break from working on the race car.
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Post by BowtieGuy on Nov 22, 2004 1:20:08 GMT -5
The speakers in the cab corners of these trucks from the factory was 4X10's not 6X9's, but they will work in there with a little effort.
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Post by Bent on Nov 22, 2004 12:03:49 GMT -5
You can fit 6x9's in the corners? I don't really have an interior. My truck didn't even come with a head liner
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Post by 19_Chevelle_69 on Nov 22, 2004 18:05:21 GMT -5
The speakers in the cab corners of these trucks from the factory was 4X10's not 6X9's, but they will work in there with a little effort. True. just a few minor mods, and the 6x's will fit like a glove. There is plenty of room back there for a couple 6x's and a bass tube. (not the best for good bass, but cheap and effective)
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Post by catrmz on Feb 11, 2005 15:24:23 GMT -5
I just bought an 85 and the factory radio is still installed. It seems big enough to replace my home theatre system in the house! How do I remove this before having my fun with the sawzall?
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Post by 19_Chevelle_69 on Feb 11, 2005 21:26:45 GMT -5
Welcome to the site CATRMZ!
Simply removing the radio is a simple operation, pull the knobs and rings off, and remove the nuts that are down at the base of the posts.
There is likely a strap or bracket at the back of the rodio to hold it up, you'll need to remove this as well.
Once the fasteners are out, the radio comes out from under the dash.
If you are installing another post style radio, install is just the reverse of the removal.
If you are planning on installing an aftermarket non-post type radio, you will need to cut the sheetmetal AND the plastic trim plate to make it fit. This is no easy task as there really isn't a lot of support in the lower potrion of the dash metal.
I have done this on quite a few of these trucks, and the easiest way I have found is with the sawzall with a FINE metal cutting blade.
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Post by Missgoodwrench on Feb 18, 2005 18:30:36 GMT -5
My boyfriend owns a stereo shop and I know they make install kits to help hold the aftermarket stereos in place after you have cut the right size hole. They are just like the ones they make for the hondas and such. They are made of plastic so they look more modern that the truck dashes though.
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