Has anyone installed a GPS/AM/FM/DVD player

Jim McKenzie

Jim McKenzie

1972 850 Spider
in a 1300 dashed X1/9? (The one with the shelf :))

I have seen a variety of double DIN devices from Kenwood/Pioneer (AVIC?) and other companies but I don't think they'd fit, too tall and too deep. I'd love to have GPS in mine and not lose the radio and DVD player...anyone installed one and what did you use? Photos?
 
Back in the mid 70's

When I had my first 1974 X1/9, I ended up using the center console area to hold a nice Heathkit digital car clock (which looked very cool in it's day) and ended up removing the speaker on the right side for the radio area.
At the time, it was an AM/FM/ Clarion 8-track unit that was sized at (todays) 1.5 DIN.
To make it fit, I cut a rectangular hole into the front compartment (where the fluid reservoir's are) and made a water-tight box to isolate the outside from the inside, then installed the radio. I basically ruined the original speaker grill by making it the base to my radio's faceplate, then covered it with a nicely painted metal plate so it would look good.

The nice part of doing it was (at night time) the entire dash lit up like a Christmas tree.

The not-so-nice part was cutting into my X's dash panel. That took some time, but back then, these cars were new toys. I'd never do that today

I suppose having a dash all lit up like that was prerequisit to the LED feddish I have today. :D
 
You mean I wasn't the only one?

bbrown said:
To make it fit, I cut a rectangular hole into the front compartment (where the fluid reservoirs are) and made a water-tight box to isolate the outside from the inside, then installed the radio.
Click to expand...

Same here, in 1978. I've felt guilty about it ever since. Good to know that I am not uniquely depraved.
 
Way back in the '70s when I was in high school and mammoths roamed the land, I used to make a few extra bucks installing aftermarket car stereos for people... in those dark ages, hacking up the dash was almost manditory as the better head units rarely fit the OEM slot...
 
have an AM/FM/CD unit in...

stereo.jpg
 
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Jim... I can only offer this...

Be sure to use a relay and a good 12 volt source to power any of the units/amps that you intend to install.

The stock-keyed 12 volt source (usually a PINK wire) can't supply the amperage required for even a 100 watt CD player... as the voltage will dip below 11 and the unit will re-boot by just turning up the volume. Took me 3 weeks to figure that one out...

I used te stock pink wire as the relay "trigger"...

HTH!
 
thanks Tom...

unfotunately that is the very look I wish to chnage...I too have the Pregnant radio bump in the center :)

I think I'm hopeful of kust the faceplate being mounted in the center, with guts located elsewhere in the car
 
thanks Papa Tony

Thats a very good point I hadn't considered...may even have a stereo shop install...with that caveat.
 
The bigger question...

Does anyone who installed a GPS/AM/FM/DVD unit in a car with an easily pryable/already stowed top still have it? :cry: ;)
 
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