Re: [DML] Hacking dash for radio

["Walter" <Whalt@xxxx>]

I initially had reservations about cutting the radio hole larger to take a
conventional radio. But I really couldn't imagine anyone wanting to restore
the dash on my car to take the factory radio. That style of radio is sooooo
obsolete.

The part of the dash that needs to be modified could be easily made from
scratch, so if you really want to save your old one, then you could make a
new one out of two pieces of sheet metal spot welded together. The hardest
part would be duplicating the black wrinkle finish. But not much of that
finish shows anyway. I bet you could glue some black upholstery vinyl over
the sheet metal, and it would look as good as original (or better).

I mounted the latest top-of-the-line Alpine system in my dash. I just used
some 'tin snips' and a file. If you haven't done a job like that before,
then be sure you use the right cutting tools. For those of you who don't
know, there are both right sided and left sided as well as center sided
metal cutting scissors a/k/a 'tin snips'. Probably the best tool for
cutting such a hole is a sheet metal nibbler. It subtracts nice little
chunks of metal without bending up the surrounding metal that you want to
save. If you have any reservations about this, just go to a sheet metal
shop. Any shop that makes sheet metal air conditioning ductwork would have
all the necessary tools and expertise. Another good place to look would be
a shop that specializes in custom stainless steel counter-top fabrication
for restaurants. Every major city in the US probably has such a shop. A
good shop could even fabricate a whole new dash piece with the exception of
the black wrinkle finish.

Would I trust the best custom stereo shop in town to cut on my dash? NEVER!

When I mounted the new radio in my dash, I held the radio in place with two
metric bolts on either side of the radio. I made 1" spacers out of 1/4"
brass water pipe which I bought at Home Depot. Two spacers on each side of
the radio holds it firmly in place. I didn't even bother re-connecting the
strap on the back. It didn't seem to add any stability to the factory radio
in the first place and seems totally unnecessary. I suppose it would slow
down a radio theif for maybe as long as it would take him to hold his foot
against the dash and pull real hard on the radio.

By the way.... does anyone want to buy a Craig stereo cassette player out of
an '81 Delorean with 9000 miles on it? Does such a radio even have a market
value? Everything on the radio works except the tape player keeps reversing
the direction of the tape every couple of minutes. I suppose this is due to
an old dried out belt. (I had the same problem on an old Delco GM cassette
player. When I replaced the belt, that fixed the problem.) When I removed
the radio, I saved all the knobs, spacers, nuts, and even the Delorean side
of the electrical harness just incase someone wanted to restore a car to
factory original. (yawn)

Walt