Recommended Car Stereo?

[DixieSatellite]

Hi,

I have a question regarding car stereo. I have a 20 y.o. system which has seen better days in my '72 SSP It looks like a jukebox (big chunky AM/FM radio-cassette) and I want to upgrade to CD/MP3 etc. The player is under dash and held in by a couple of screws / bracket (it was back in '91), so drilling 2 holes was not such an issue . The original radio does not work but is still in place - the dash was not butchered, so that still looks OK. I have a couple of speakers in the kick panels that have seen better days, but they can be replaced pretty easily w/ better models and the kick panels cleaned up. I have 2 flat speakers in the rear tray.

I was thinking about a compact under dash AM/FM/CD/MP3 (preferably removable, or with a removable facia. My SSP also used to have a one of these tape recorders on the center console (long gone, but mounting point still evident), so I was thinking I could put a AM/FM/CD/MP3 in one of those consoles.

I am not looking for a super stereo you can hear from 5 block away - just something to provide good sound (audible above the engine) to make longer trips (and shorter trips) more enjoyable.

What do you have in your cars and do you have any pics / recommendations?

Thanks for you input.

Ian B.

[j440]

I have an AM with an FM convertor that is better than nothing but barely. Here is what I would like but can't afford.
http://www.herbsparts.com/proddetail.as ... EBODYRADIO

A friend of mine has a factory cassette housing that he put a modern receiver in. It looks pretty good but those housings are expensive too.

[rr6pak]

You have the original radio? Do you kow whats wrong with it and if it can be fixed?

Here's what I want to do. I'm going to take my original radio, have it restored, have modern components swapped in. Then have a MP3 jack put on it and have the receptacle in the ash tray or somewhere. That way, I'll keep my original radio, have the modern stuff I want, an MP3 jack accessable, able to run my original cassette player AND the radio will look like stock. Just my opinion and two cents.

[BigBlock]

You have the original radio? Do you kow whats wrong with it and if it can be fixed?

Here's what I want to do. I'm going to take my original radio, have it restored, have modern components swapped in. Then have a MP3 jack put on it and have the receptacle in the ash tray or somewhere. That way, I'll keep my original radio, have the modern stuff I want, an MP3 jack accessable, able to run my original cassette player AND the radio will look like stock. Just my opinion and two cents.

I second this opinion!

[rr6pak]

Thanks, Bigblock. Wasn't sure what others opinion is and I didnt want to open a can of worms. Seems on other boards, the members just start to razzing people when they voice an opinion. I for one just want to keep things as close to original as possible for my car. I especially dont want a stereo thats the loudest and you can hear it blocksaway.

[BigBlock]

I enjoy crusin' to tunes, but I am in it for the performance of the car. I don't want a bunch of heavy magnets weighing me down. I am already heavy enough! lol

[DixieSatellite]

Thanks for your replies. That sounds like the way to go.

I will upgrade my original radio to AM/FM w/ new components + pre-amp (as applicable) + MP3 / CD.

Ian B.

[SureGrip]

On that subject. Does anyone know of a source for showing the best way to swap new internals into an original housing?

[rr6pak]

On that subject. Does anyone know of a source for showing the best way to swap new internals into an original housing?

Here ya go. One of the popular places around to do it. Decent prices and all around good. Dont know of a site that a do-it-yourselfer can go to

http://wardsclassiccarradiorepair.com/

[moparmike]

This is what I did and it works incredible..............take the speaker leads from the factory radio and terminate them into a line level to RCA adapter which now allows me to use an external power amplifier which beefs up the output power and improves the sound like night and day and if you want can now install REAL SPEAKERS. To enjoy digital music I have an FM modulator which plugs into the cigarette lighter for power and it is equipped with an I-Pod dock it works by sending the signal to your FM station 88.5 just like when you go to the drive (But sounds crisp clear and clean) so in goes the I-Pod and now I have thousands of songs instead of having to decide which CDs to take with me and the hassle of installing and removing them and having CD covers rattle around in the car. Guys you should try it

[72RoadRunnerGTX]

On that subject. Does anyone know of a source for showing the best way to swap new internals into an original housing?

Here is my approach to resolving this issue.

[moparmike]

Man I love the way you integrated a new radio to the existing chasis etc. that is brilliant NOW can you make me about 200 of them because boy I would pay for one of them.

Anyway I am going to try and duplicate what you did for my radio if you do not mind.

[SureGrip]

72RRGTX, thnks for that link. That was a pretty slick way of dealing with all the components as well as even using the newer display and features. Very slick.

[quapman]

Yeah man, if you could mass produce that component swap, I'd nominate you for Aftermarket Part King 2010. Hell, I'd even trade an Auto-Grip for an E-body version!