Dash Board Config Mod

[SHOstopper1992]

I saw in a photo the other day that someone moved the ETC down to where the radio is above the Cup holders and the radio up to wear the ETC is supposed to be....

Anyone have a write up?
Pics before and after?
Is it that difficult?
Do I have to remove most of the dash board?

 

[hawkeye18]

Paging Inkertinker...

 

[Rubix]

You will have to do some slight modding, as I believe the eatc is not as wide as the headunit, resulting in some fitment modding to make the upper space a tad larger. Coincidentally, there might be some extra space around the eatc in the lower slot.

 

[SinisterSHO]

Paging Inkertinker...

..why?

 

[SHOstopper1992]

I mean Idc about modding much I just wanna know if its gonna be a weekend project or a couple of hours...

 

[hawkeye18]

..why?

Wait, was it you who was doing that swap when I was down there in St. Louis? I still get all y'all's handles messed up. I know it was for James' car.

 

[Rubix]

A quick search found me plenty of results, including pictures and advice how to do it... click the obvious threads... http://www.shoforum.com/search.php?searchid=1827357

 

[SinisterSHO]

Wait, was it you who was doing that swap when I was down there in St. Louis? I still get all y'all's handles messed up. I know it was for James' car.

You and I were never in St. Louis at the same time. You're probably thinking about the blue gen 1 that changed hands a couple of times.

 

[hawkeye18]

You and I were never in St. Louis at the same time. You're probably thinking about the blue gen 1 that changed hands a couple of times.

No, James, Curt (I think? Shit, I'm so bad with names it's not funny) and I spent quite a bit of time wiring in an in-dash DVD player in a mocha gen 1. There was a bit of time spent dremeling out a clear piece of plastic to make it all fit. And also, soldering... lol

 

[St Louis SHO]

I did it, its pretty easy If you're handy with a dremel. You have to trim the eatc to fit. I don't think it'd look or fit right in a Gen II as the eatc hole isn't big enough to fit a din head unit. You'll have to trim the panel. IMO it'll look goofy.

 

[hawkeye18]

It's doable in a gen 2, but it's a lot harder than it is in a gen 1.

There is a lot of - how you say - Canadian engineering involved.



As James said, there's a lot of dremel work involved in fitting the EATC in the DIN slot. We had to both trim down the EATC itself and enlarge the hole in the slot. Hot dog in a hallway that is not.

As for the HU... we kinda just shoved it back behind the dash and used the little plastic bezel that came with the radio to keep it back there. We also used a piece of foam to prop it up against the A/C vent tube, which is what it rests on back there. It's not what you'd call securely mounted, but as long as you don't hulk smash the controls, it doesn't move around.

 

[SHOstopper1992]

Any Other thoughts on this? I am about to do it this weekend considering I have the time now.

Also, Is there anything else I should be concerned about with it?
Wire Length?
Things that can easily break?

 

[St Louis SHO]

Try it. Most you will do is break/cut up your dash surround and EATC.

 

[VortecGT]

Just a side note that I don't think has been brought up yet. I did this swap and my hu fits but if you have any rca's on the back of the hu it can stop it from fully seating all the way back. Might just be a problem I have though because I have 6 rca's and a BUS cable!

 

[zach44102]

GO FOR IT, nobody ever can succeed without taking the risk! just do it...

 

[SHOstopper1992]

Just a side note that I don't think has been brought up yet. I did this swap and my hu fits but if you have any rca's on the back of the hu it can stop it from fully seating all the way back. Might just be a problem I have though because I have 6 rca's and a BUS cable!

Whoah Whoah Whaoh, I have RCA wires coming out of the New head unit. I think I have 10 RCA wires coming out of the rear of it...

This is gonna be interesting.

Oh well. I am going for it!

When I am done I will post pictures!

 

[hawkeye18]

How the ****... TEN RCA wires?

How many damn speakers you got in your car, anyway?

IIRC a few pieces of foam were required to properly situate the HU in the gap back there. The RCAs were a bit of an issue (we had two sets), but it wasn't a huge one.

 

[SuperHO]

just get a generic dash kit and modify it to work in the EATC slot. the one i used is from a 98 cutlass, and the deck's in there pretty solidly.